What is a Tension-Type Headache?

A tension headache or tension-type headache is thought to be the most common type of headache. Usually people describe tension headaches as a tight and constricting band around their head. Pain generally increases as the day progresses with the pain at its worst in the late afternoon and early evening. Generally, the discomfort is reported as a dull and aching feeling across the forehead, at the temples, or at the base of the neck. Tension headaches can last from 30 minutes to a week. Some people experience these headaches rarely to occasionally while others report frequent episodes. A tension headache is different from migraine in that tension headaches are not usually associated with neurologic disturbances (changes in vision, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, sensitivity to light, sound and smell), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Although muscle tension and trigger points play a role in tension headaches, researchers now believe that abnormal changes in neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) may be contributing to the cause. These headaches may be triggered by stress, anxiety, posture, clenching of the jaw, straining of the eyes and fatigue.

Chances are good you’re here because you are searching for the right treatment for your migraine. If you’re looking for ways to manage your migraines without medicine or with less medicine, you’ve come to the right place. Less medicine can mean more life. Okay, let’s talk about how the Lehigh Valley Chiropractic’s migraine treatments might just be the answer you are looking for.

Migraine sufferers are always looking for their migraine triggers. Figuring out migraine triggers can often be tricky. Studies show that migraine triggers can be as variable as stress, hormonal imbalance, not eating often enough, changes in weather, difficulty sleeping, olfactory (smell) stimulants, sitting in front of a TV/computer, neck pain, lights (especially flashing lights), alcohol, certain foods, smoke, sleeping-in, heat, intense exercise, and sexual activity.

Many people ask if stress and migraines are linked. The answer is absolutely. Stress and migraine can go hand in hand. At Lehigh Valley Chiropractic, our chiropractors understand this stress and migraine connection and can give you simple yet effective strategies for managing the physiologic effects of stress.

Migraine Headache and Stress Hormones

When you feel stressed (work, home, kids, house, family, friends, the list goes on and on…), your body pumps catecholamines (stress hormones like epinephrine, norepinephrine). These are your fight or flight hormones. In other words, when if you needed to run from or fight a bear, these are the hormones that will give you a boost of power to make that happen. Now, in our every day lives, it’s rare that we are actually up against a bear. Instead, we are up against stresses like a bear-like boss, traffic or a toddler tantrum. Our body will pump those catecholamines regardless and our body will physiologically respond.

Migraine Headaches and Pregnancy presents an uncomfortable scenario for many women. Suffering though migraine headaches while pregnant can be a real challenge. Most of the commonly prescribed medical treatments for migraine aren’t safe during pregnancy. NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen, aspirin, ergotamines, and triptans are linked to pregnancy complications like miscarriage, bleeding, blood pressure complications, complications during delivery, premature birth and birth defects. So what are the migraine relief options available during pregnancy? Let’s talk about a few.

Migraine Diagnosis is generally based off your history and exam. Often, migraine headaches are precipitated by an aura. For many people, an aura is the first sign that a migraine is brewing. What’s it like when you have an aura? Well a lot of people describe a focal area of blindness, increased sensitivity to light, sensitivity to smells and noise, seeing zigzagging bright light waves, nausea and occasionally numbness. When these symptoms precede a migraine, the migraine diagnosis is–migraine with aura. However, not all people with migraines suffer from auras. They are diagnosed with migraine without aura.

Many research studies support the use of chiropractic for the management of migraine headaches. Let’s take a look at the conclusions from few of these research articles.

In an Evidence Report published by Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Research Center for Clinical Health Policy Research, the effects of drug-free options for headache are discussed. The authors concluded the following: “Cervical spine manipulation was associated with improvement in headache outcomes in two trials involving patients with neck pain and or/neck dysfunction and headache. Manipulation appeared to result in immediate improvement in headache severity when used to treat episodes of cervicogenic headache when compared with an attention-placebo control. Furthermore, when compared to soft tissue therapies, a course of manipulation treatments resulted in sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity.”

Neck Pain and headaches go hand-in-hand
find headache relief at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic.

What is a Cervicogenic Headache?

Headaches sometimes originate from the neck. There are many muscles, joints, discs and ligaments in the neck that may refer pain to the head. These headaches are generally associated with neck pain and reduced movement. You may be interested to know that this type of headache is commonly misdiagnosed and often goes unrecognized. Classically, pain originates at the base of the neck (suboccipital region) and spreads to the head; however, cervicogenic headaches could be caused by dysfunction anywhere in the neck or shoulders. Patients report pain ranging from mild to severe; their headaches may be occasional or daily. When anatomical structures of the neck are stressed excessively (poor posture, prolonged slouching, injury, repetitive motion), imbalance and pain ensues. The chiropractors at LVC are trained to diagnose and treat cervicogenic headaches; with the appropriate management, most patients with cervicogenic headache will experience relief.