Many of us in East Sussex suffer with Headaches (Find out which one yours is and what you can do to help)

  There are many types of headache that can affect different parts of the head and present in various ways. Just about everyone will suffer with a headache at some point in the lives but some can be more persistent. Headaches may last a few seconds but can last up to several days. The most common headaches affect the front of the head and/or behind the eyes, the side of the head or the back of the head just above the neck. Headaches can present as just a sore head, other people may experience them as a pounding or throbbing type pain, and some people even experience nausea, while others do not. Fortunately, very few headaches have serious underlying causes, but those that do require urgent medical attention.

What causes headaches?

Unfortunately there is no one simple answer to this. Headaches may be caused by drug reactions, jaw problems, tightness in the neck muscles, low blood sugar, high blood pressure, stress and fatigue. Most headaches fit into two categories: tension headaches and migraine headaches. The third type of headache is called a cluster headache but it is far less common than the first two. Below is a summary of these three types.

Tension headaches

By far the most common type of headache is the tension headache affecting upwards of 75% of all headache sufferers. This type is described by most people as a constant dull, achy feeling either on one side or both sides of the head, often described as a feeling of a tight band or dull ache around the head or behind the eyes. Sometimes these headaches feel as though they are radiating from the back of the skull. Often they begin gradually and build up slowly and may last several minutes or days, and tend to begin in the middle or toward the end of the day. Tension headaches are often the result of stress or bad posture, which stresses the spine and muscles in the upper back and neck.

In severe cases, chronic tension headaches may persist for many months. Whilst the pain can be severe, tension headaches do not usually present with other symptoms such as nausea, throbbing or vomiting.

Most commonly tension headaches are caused by joint dysfunction (subluxations) in the upper back and neck, especially the upper neck, and are usually combined with tension in the muscle of the neck, upper back and/ or shoulders. Tension headaches which aggravate the muscles of the neck are commonly seen in people who work at a desk jobs for long hours.

This type of headache may also present as reffered pain from a trigger point in the muscles of the neck and are commonly seen in whiplash cases.

Migraine Headaches

Each year, about 8 million people in the U.K. experience migraine headaches. About 18% of the female population and 8% of the male population are sufferers according to The Migraine Trust. Migraines can last from as little as a few hours to as long as a few day and are intense, throbbing headaches that are often associated with nausea and sensitivity to light or noise. Often migraine sufferers will experience a pre-migraine “aura” which may present with visual symptoms such as flashing lights.

Migraine sufferers usually have their first attack before age 30 and they tend to run in families, supporting the notion that there is a genetic component to them. Some people have attacks several times a month; others have less than one a year. Most people find that migraine attacks occur less frequently and become less severe as they get older.

Migraine headaches are caused by a constriction of the blood vessels in the brain, followed by a dilation of blood vessels. During the constriction of the blood vessels there is a decrease in blood flow, which is what leads to the visual symptoms that many people experience. Even in people who don’t experience the classic migraine aura, most of them can tell that an attack is immanent. Once the blood vessels dilate, there is a rapid increase in blood pressure inside the head. It is this increased pressure that leads to the pounding headache. Each time the heart beats it sends another shock wave through the carotid arteries in the neck up into the brain.

There are many theories about why the blood vessels constrict in the first place, but no one knows for sure. What we do know is that there are a number of things that can trigger migraines, such as lack of sleep, stress, flickering lights, strong odours, changing weather patterns and several foods; especially foods that are high in an amino acid called ‘tyramine’.  Lifestyle changes have shown to reduce the likelihood of migraine headaches. (see below)

Cluster Headaches

Unlike migraines, cluster headaches much more common in men they are typically very short in duration, described as excruciating headaches and usually felt on one side of the head behind the eyes. Cluster headaches affect about 0.1% of the population. This type of headache tends to occur at night. They are named as such because they tend to occur in clusters, often three to four times a day over several days. Also known as ‘suicide headaches’ once the bout is over they may not occur again for month or even years.

How can we help with your headaches

Lots of research has shown that chiropractic is very effective in the treatment of tension headaches, by far the most common type of headache, especially for those originating in the neck.

One study at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that "spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than commonly prescribed medications." These findings support an earlier study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics that found spinal manipulative therapy to be very effective for treating tension headaches. This study also found that those who stopped chiropractic treatment after four weeks continued to experience a sustained benefit in contrast to those patients who received pain medication.

A full evaluation is necessary from your chiropractor in order to determine the proper course of care. Each individual’s case is different. In most cases, however, significant improvement is accomplished through manipulation of the upper two cervical vertebrae, coupled with adjustments to the junction between the cervical and thoracic spine. These techniques have also shown to be helpful in most cases of migraine headaches, as long as food and lifestyle triggers are avoided as well.

What can you do to avoid Headache Triggers

• Stress may be a trigger, but certain foods, odours, menstrual periods, and changes in weather are among many factors that may also trigger headache.
• Emotional factors such as depression, anxiety, frustration, letdown, and even pleasant excitement may be associated with developing a headache.
• Keeping a headache diary will help you determine whether factors such as food, change in weather, and/or mood have any relationship to your headache pattern.
• Repeated exposure to nitrite compounds can result in a dull, pounding headache that may be accompanied by a flushed face. Nitrite, which dilates blood vessels, is found in such products as heart medicine and dynamite, but is also used as a chemical to preserve meat. Hot dogs and other processed meats containing sodium nitrite can cause headaches.
• Eating foods prepared with monosodium glutamate (MSG) can result in headache. Soy sauce, meat tenderizer, and a variety of packaged foods contain this chemical which is touted as a flavour enhancer.
• Headache can also result from exposure to poisons, even common household varieties like insecticides, carbon tetrachloride, and lead. Children who ingest flakes of lead paint may develop headaches. So may anyone who has contact with lead batteries or lead-glazed pottery.
• Foods that are high in the amino acid tyramine should also be avoided, such as ripened cheeses (cheddar, brie), chocolate, as well as any food pickled or fermented foods.

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