The headache problem with its debilitation and pain has been noted throughout history. Early theories included curses of the gods, evil spirits, imbalance of humours and many other supernatural causes.
Treatment was often bizarre and could range from spells to drilling holes in the skull.
Today, though headaches are still not completely understood, scientific progress has enabled physicians to effectively treat most headache sufferers.
During the past year, nearly 90 per cent of men and 95 per cent of women have had at least one headache.
When patients suffer headache, it is natural for them to feel that the pain indicates that something is wrong with their head or in their head. Although a reasonable guide for most cases, this rule is not absolutely correct.
Pain is perceived according to the distribution of nerves.
Various parts of the head are supplied by certain nerves that come from the top of the spinal cord. All nerves from the head and upper neck (but not the face) go back to this site in the spinal cord, which then transmits to the brain that there is head pain.
Joints and muscles along the upper three neck vertebra also relay nerve impulses to this same area of the spinal cord. The brain perceives the head and upper spinal column as one when it comes to pain.
We are wired such that the brain has great difficulty establishing exactly where head pain originates. All the brain can tell is that the pain comes from somewhere in the head and neck region.
The treatment challenge is to determine where is the source of the headache; the head, the neck, or some other cause.
Chiropractors are uniquely trained to evaluate the joints and tissues of the head and neck, the most common source of headache.
Most common types of headaches
There are two main types of headache: primary and secondary.
Primary headaches include tension-type, migraine, and cluster headaches. Primary headaches are not caused by other underlying medical conditions. More than 90 per cent of headaches are primary.
Secondary headaches result from other medical conditions, such as infection or increased pressure in the skull. These account for fewer than 10 per cent of all headaches.
Migraines produce throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head. Symptoms, besides pain, may include nausea, vomiting, light and noise sensitivity, fever, chills, flu-like achiness and sweating. Some sufferers have warnings before a migraine, such as visual disturbances.
Migraine attacks may last from a few hours to days and may recur several times a week or once every few years.
Cluster headaches, which mainly occur in men, occur as a series of one-sided headaches that are sudden, extremely painful, and may continue for 15 minutes to four hours. Symptoms may include nasal congestion, drooping eyelid and irritated, watery eye.
Tension-type headaches, which are by far the most common headache type, produce a dull, achy pain that feels like pressure is being applied to the head or neck.
Tension headaches most likely originate from injury in the neck. Chiropractic treatment has proven very successful in treating tension headache.
See your doctor or chiropractic if you suffer from headaches. A thorough examination will reveal what form of headache you suffer.
Your examination may reveal reduced range of motion between the vertebra, muscle spasm, nerve irritation, or mechanical restrictions of the neck joints. After your complete examination, you’ll receive recommendations for your care.
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