Headaches are a highly prevalent condition, affecting about 45 million Americans yearly. They can be of many types, differing in terms of symptoms, causes, duration, and severity.
Headaches are mainly classified into primary and secondary headaches, which we will discuss below!
Causes
The exact cause of headaches is unknown. However, various risk factors can trigger them, including:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Hormonal changes
- Caffeine withdrawal
- Alcohol and smoking
In many cases, headaches are caused by something in the body sitting out of its natural alignment. Misaligned spinal bones, such as due to an injury, accident, or poor posture, can affect the nearby nerves, causing muscle tension.
Primary Headaches
Primary headaches refer to headaches that do not have an underlying reason, like a disease or disorder. They make up 98% of all headaches. The most common types include:
Tension Headache
It is the most common of all headaches. Tension headaches cause mild to moderate aches around the head, more like feelings of tightness. They do not have any other symptoms.
Migraine
Migraines are associated with severe pain. It typically occurs on one side of the head, around the eye. These types of headaches are quite disabling due to the intense pounding or throbbing pain.
Nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to brightness and noise, irritability, and difficulty talking are a few common symptoms that accompany a migraine attack.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches are the rarest type of primary headaches and cause sharp pain on one side of the head. They last anywhere between 15 minutes to 3 hours and can occur as much as 8 times each day for weeks or several months. Likewise, you may not experience cluster headaches for long periods.
Restlessness, drowsiness, red eye, and swelling around the eye (s) are a few symptoms that may accompany cluster headaches.
Exposure to bright lights, smoking, alcohol, and stress are some common triggers.
Secondary Headaches
Secondary headaches are rare, with only 2% of people experiencing this type of headache. They are a symptom of an underlying condition or disease, such as:
- Sinus infection
- Neck or head injury
- Brain aneurysm
- Brain tumor
While uncommon, they cause excruciating pain and can be potentially life-threatening in some cases.
Get Rid of Chronic Headaches By Visiting Logan Osland Chiropractic
Many people rely on medications and other remedies to relieve headaches while failing to discover the root cause of it.
Spinal misalignment is often the main culprit for chronic headaches, particularly migraines. A misaligned spinal bone can compress or irritate the surrounding nerves, leading to muscle tension around the head and causing migraines.
Chiropractic interventions like spinal manipulation restore the healthy function of the spine by bringing back the joints into their original position, offering long-term relief from related pain.
Don’t prolong your suffering.
Contact Dr. Logan Osland Ventura Chiropractic Clinic for a healthy and pain-free life!
