Causes of Headaches & Migraines
There are many different causes for headaches & migraines, these can include;
- Stress
- Tiredness
- Bright Light
- Tight Neck Muscles
- Head Trauma
- Smoking
- Drugs (both prescription and non-prescription)
- Eye Strain
- Diabetes
- Dehydration
- Infection
- High Blood Pressure
- Neoplasm
Types
There are over 200 different types of headaches, which are split up into 2 main groups: primary and secondary.
Primary headaches are the most common type of headache and include;
- Tension Headaches – radiating from muscles in the back and neck
- Migraines – disabling headaches lasting between 3hrs and 3days
- Cluster Headaches – severe pain which happens in barrages of varying intensity
- Trigeminal Neuralgia – shooting face pain
- Dehydration – lack of fluid intake
Secondary headaches are less common, but include a much wider variety of types and causes including;
- Cervicogenic Headache – pain arising from the neck muscles
- Paradoxical Headache – taking too many pain killers, causing a worse headache
- Thunderclap – due to a bleed on the brain which requires immediate medical attention
- Meningitis headache – accompanied with a stiff neck
- Encephalitis – due to inflammation of the brain due to a viral infection
- Raised Intracranial Pressure – due to a lesion or tumor
- Hypertension – high blood pressure
Symptoms
- Head Pain
- Neck Pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Eye Pain
Treatment
The type of treatment suitable for headaches primarily depends on the type of headache you have. Keeping a headache diary is useful to help work out what type of treatment is most appropriate for you. The headache diary should include dates, duration, intensity, and anything that might be related to a headache, such as what you have drunk and eaten over the day, medications, weather conditions, and your daily activities.
If you experience the worst headache you could imagine, or you have a headache that has lasted more than 3 days, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Every day people visit Osteopaths with headaches and migraines and evidence shows that Osteopathic treatment is effective at treating migraines and cervicogenic headaches. During your New Patient Appointment, your Osteopath will assess your body, complete a medical and symptom history, allowing them to provide a working diagnosis. There may be occasions where Osteopathy is not the right solution for you, and in this event, we will refer you to the correct health practitioner (e.g. General Practitioner).
Osteopathy care can include;
- Spinal Manipulation
- Joint Articulation
- Massage Therapy
- Soft Tissues Release
- Trigger Avoidance Mechanisms
- Stretches
Osteopathy is available at Littlehampton Natural Health Centre Monday to Friday.
For more information on pricing, please click here
