Headaches are defined as pain in any part of the head and may be felt on one or both sides of the head. In addition, it may be isolated in one location, can radiate from one area, or feel like a vise is gripping your head. Also, it may feel like a sharp pain, a throbbing sensation, or a dull ache. Head pains may come about slowly or all of a sudden and can last anywhere from under an hour to several days.
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Headaches have two categories: primary and secondary. Let’s take a closer look at these types and see exactly what they mean.
These head pains are caused by actual pain-sensitive structures in the head. These structures may be overactive or malfunctioning for some reason. Primary headaches are not due to an underlying condition.
Primary headaches are brought about by the chemical activity going on in your brain, the nerves or blood vessels surrounding your skull, or the muscles of your neck and head. There can be a hereditary factor as some people carry genes that make them more predisposed to primary headaches.
Most common primary headaches are:
Triggers known to bring on primary headaches are:
These head pains occur because of another underlying cause or disease that is activating the pain-sensitive nerves in your head. Many conditions can cause secondary headaches. Here are some possible causes:
Types of secondary headaches can include:
One way doctors determine if your head pain is primary or secondary is to use the “SNOOP” method listed below:
As you can see from the above information, relying on medication to care for headaches can bring on further problems long-term. Many headaches can be linked back to a problem going on with the bones of the upper cervical spine. Issues here can cause both primary and secondary headaches to occur. How so?
The bones of the upper cervical spine, especially the top bones of the neck (the C1 and C2 vertebrae), were created to protect the brainstem from damage. The brainstem is the communication highway of the entire body, sending messages to and from the brain. If the C1 or C2 become misaligned due to an accident or minor blow to the head or neck, they can actually put pressure on the brainstem and cause communication to be disrupted. A misalignment here can also hinder the flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid from leaving or getting to the brain. All of these scenarios can lead to headaches.
Upper cervical chiropractors are specially trained to find the tiniest of misalignments and then work to correct them through a gentle, effective method. We are not required to force or crack the spine to get positive results. Many patients report seeing improvement in their headache conditions in only a few visits.
TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.