There are many kinds of headaches, and it is important to find out which one you are suffering from in order to get the proper help. However, there is natural help available for almost all headache types. We will discuss what this is later in the article. First, let’s examine what kind of headaches there are.
Headache Types
Rebound headaches
These are often called medication overuse headaches. Much like you may get a stuffy nose from using too much nasal decongestant, you can get a headache from using too much headache medication. If you take any type of pain reliever – Tylenol, aspirin, or ibuprofen – more than 10 days in a month’s time, you can be at risk of developing rebound headaches in just a few months. Seek a doctor’s help if you notice that you are getting worse headaches after taking medication to treat one.
Tension headaches
The most common headache, they feel as if you have pressure on both sides of your head or the back of the head and neck or a constant ache. Triggers can be anxiety, clenching your jaw, and bad posture. Tension headaches are often chronic but usually not severe. The exact cause remains unknown, but altered brain chemicals or issues with nerve signals may be to blame.
Dental headaches
There are some dental related problems that can bring about headaches or facial pain, such as TMJ (affecting the joints located just in front of the inner ear) or bruxism (grinding your teeth while you sleep). TMJ can be due to poor posture, bad jaw alignment, or arthritis. Your dentist can help diagnose what you are suffering from.
Cluster headaches
These headaches only affect one side and are short-lived. They often only last 15 minutes to 3 hours but are one of the most severe and excruciating types of headaches. Cluster headaches are sometimes referred to as suicide headaches. They occur regularly and often multiple times during a day for a certain period of time. This may be followed by a time with no headaches for months or even years. With cluster headaches, you can expect tearing and redness in one or both eyes. They are more common in men than in women. Triggers include alcohol, high altitudes, certain food, and cigarettes.
Migraines
These are severe headaches that affect women 3 times more often than men. The exact cause is not known but genetics may play a role. Brain cell activity may affect the function of blood vessels and nerves. A common trigger is a change – hormonal, stress, sleeping and eating patterns, and weather conditions. Skipping meals can lead to low blood sugar triggering a migraine. Combining triggers can be a problem. Skipping meals while having a late night out during menstruation can be a recipe for a migraine to occur.
Caffeine headaches
Coffee is wonderful in some ways and can wreak havoc in others. Enjoying your two cups of coffee during the week can backfire on you during the weekends when you oversleep and miss them. This can bring about a headache. You can also develop a headache if you have more than the usual amount of caffeine during a day.
Morning headaches
There may be several reasons for waking up with a headache. They may include medication leaving your body as you sleep. A rebound headache or a migraine may be more likely to develop in the morning. Sleep apnea and dental headaches may occur in the morning as well.
Sinus headaches
These headaches are often over-diagnosed. Migraines are often diagnosed as sinus headaches. (A study revealed that 88% of people who had sinus headaches diagnosed most likely had a migraine.) The same symptoms – nasal congestion, watery eyes, sinus pressure – can happen with both conditions. An actual sinus headache is related to an infection and has green discharge. They don’t cause nausea or light sensitivity. Those are symptoms of a migraine.
Ice cream headaches
Also known as brain freeze, this kind of a headache happens when eating cold foods on a hot day. People who also have migraines may get these more often than others. It is theorized that a cold sensation on the roof of the mouth causes the brain to have an increase in blood flow.
Chronic daily headaches
Headaches for more than 15 days during a month are considered chronic. These may be rebound headaches, tension headaches, trauma to the head, meningitis, or tumors. These may be due to your body’s pain signals being heightened or not working correctly.
Menstrual headaches
A sudden drop in estrogen just before your period may trigger a migraine. This usually comes about 3 days before or 2 days after your period started.
Finding a Way to Help Headaches Naturally
No matter what type of headache you are experiencing, it is important to make sure that your spine is in the best shape possible. The way to do this is by visiting an upper cervical chiropractor. We specialize in making sure the top bones of the neck are in alignment. Much like a row of dominoes, if one vertebra is out of place, the others may follow suit. The opposite is true of the vertebrae being in proper alignment if the top ones also are. We have been specially trained to find these misalignments and then gently work to correct them without the need to pop or crack the spine. This results in a longer-lasting adjustment. Many of our patients see a great improvement in their headaches after just one or two adjustments. Some see their headaches go away and not return.
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