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HEADACHES

Article by Dr Finkle Published  2-2011

Text Box: There are many causes for headaches, as well as a number of different
types of headaches:

• Muscle Tension Headaches,
• Migraines,
• Stress Headaches,
• Cluster Headaches,
• Allergenic Headaches, and
• Headaches Caused by Organic Pathology (Tumors).

Most headaches respond very favorably to spinal manipulation, those that
do not warrant further diagnostic tests and investigation.
Headaches are a very common condition seen in a Chiropractic office.
Most headaches are usually reduced or diminished following the first
treatment. Although, some headaches will cycle and require more frequent
care. However, when a headache does not respond to chiropractic care,
organic pathology must be suspected and ruled out.
The causes for headaches are numerous. Allergies, traumas, structural
deformities, chemical, foods, stress, vascular, hereditary, menstrual cycle,
vision, are only a few of the common causes of headaches.
All patients with headaches require a thorough workout to determine
the cause of the headache and the appropriate treatment. It’s essential
to determine the type of headache, and the most likely cause, to initiate
the proper type of therapy to break the cycle headache. Whether that be
spinal manipulation or hormonal replacement therapy.

MIGRAINE
A migraine is a very painful type of headache. People who get migraines
often describe the pain as pulsing or throbbing in one area of the head.
During migraines, people are very sensitive to light and sound. They may
also become nauseated and vomit.
Migraines are three times more common in women than in men. Some
people can tell when they are about to have a migraine because they see
flashing lights or zigzag lines or they temporarily lose their vision.
Many things can trigger a migraine. These include:
• • Anxiety
• • Stress
• • Lack of Food or Sleep
• • Exposure to Light
•  Hormonal Changes (In Women)


Symptoms of a Migraine

Classic and common. The major difference between these two types is the
appearance of neurological symptoms 10 to 30 minutes before a classic
migraine attack. These symptoms are called an aura. The person may see
flashing lights or zigzag lines, or may temporarily lose vision. Other classic
symptoms include speech difficulty, weakness of an arm or leg, tingling of
the face or hands, and confusion.

Classic migraine – The pain of a classic migraine headache may be
described as intense, throbbing, or pounding and is felt in the forehead,
temple, ear, jaw, or around the eye. Classic migraine starts on one side of
the head but may eventually spread to the other side. An attack lasts 1 to 2
pain-wracked days.

Common migraine – a term that reflects the disorder’s greater occurrence
in the general population - is not preceded by an aura. But some people
experience a variety of vague symptoms beforehand, including mental
fuzziness, mood changes, fatigue, and unusual retention of fluids. During
the headache phase of a common migraine, a person may have diarrhea
and increased urination, as well as nausea and vomiting. Common
migraine pain can last 3 or 4 days.
Both classic and common migraines can strike as often as several times
a week, or as rarely as once every few years. Both types can occur at any
time. Some people, however, experience migraines at predictable times
- for example, near the days of menstruation or every Saturday morning
after a stressful week of work.
The Migraine Process
Research scientists are unclear about the precise cause of migraine
headaches. There seems to be general agreement; however, that a key
element is blood flow changes in the brain. People who get migraine
headaches appear to have blood vessels that overreact to various triggers.
Scientists have devised one theory of migraines which explains these
blood flow changes, and also certain biochemical changes, that may be
involved in the headache process. According to this theory, the nervous
system responds to a trigger such as stress by causing a spasm of the
nerve-rich arteries at the base of the brain. The spasm closes down or
constricts several arteries supplying blood to the brain, including the scalp
artery and the carotid or neck arteries.
As these arteries constrict, the flow of blood to the brain is reduced. At
the same time, blood-clotting particles called platelets clump together-a
process which is believed to release a chemical called serotonin. Serotonin
acts as a powerful constrictor of arteries, further reducing the blood
supply to the brain.
Reduced blood flow decreases the brain’s supply of oxygen. Symptoms
signaling a headache, such as distorted vision or speech, may then result,
similar to symptoms of stroke.
Reacting to the reduced oxygen supply, certain arteries within the brain
open wider to meet the brain’s energy needs. This widening or dilation
spreads, finally affecting the neck and scalp arteries. The dilation of
these arteries triggers the release of pain-producing substances called
prostaglandins from various tissues and blood cells. Chemicals which
cause inflammation and swelling, and substances which increase  sensitivity to pain, are also released. The circulation of these chemicals and
the dilation of the scalp arteries stimulate the pain-sensitive nociceptors.
The result, according to this theory: a throbbing pain in the head.

CLUSTER HEADACHES
Cluster headaches are a rare form of headache notable for their extreme
pain and their pattern of occurring in “clusters”, usually at the same time(s)
of the day for several weeks. A cluster headache usually begins suddenly
with excruciating pain on one side of the head, often behind or around
one eye. In some individuals, it may be preceded by a migraine-like “aura.”
The pain usually peaks over the next 5 to 10 minutes, and then continues
at that intensity for up to an hour or two before going away.
People with cluster headaches describe the pain as piercing and
unbearable. The nose and the eye on the affected side of the face may
also get red, swollen, and runny, and some people will experience nausea,
restlessness and agitation, or sensitivities to light, sound, or smell. Most
affected individuals have one to three cluster headaches a day and two
cluster periods a year, separated by periods of freedom from symptoms.
A small group of people develop a chronic form of the disorder,
characterized by bouts of cluster headaches that can go on for years with
only brief periods (2 weeks or less) of remission.
Cluster headaches generally begin between the ages of 20 and 50,
although the syndrome can also start in childhood or late in life. Males
are much more likely than females to develop cluster headaches. Alcohol
(especially red wine) provokes attacks in more than half of those with
cluster headaches, but has no effect once the cluster period ends.
Cluster headaches are also strongly associated with cigarette smoking.
Scientists aren’t sure what causes the disorder. The tendency of cluster
headaches to occur during the same time(s) from day to day, and more
often at night than during the daylight hours, suggests they could be
caused by irregularities in the body’s circadian rhythms, which are
controlled by the brain and a family of hormones that regulate the sleepwake
cycle.

Early Chiropractic treatment is essential. If chiropractic care is
instituted in the earlier stages the response is more dramatic. In the latter
stages the response is more protracted. Usually patients with recurring
headaches have a period before the onset of a headache, they know they’re
about to have a headache, that is when care should be initiated to try to
avoid a headache rather than treat the headache. 

What Are Muscle-Contraction Headaches?
Tension headache is named not only for the role of stress in triggering the
pain, but also for the contraction of neck, face, and scalp muscles brought
on by stressful events. A tension headache is a severe, but temporary
form of muscle-contraction headache. The pain is mild to moderate and
feels like pressure is being applied to the head or neck.The headache
usually disappears after the period of stress is over. Ninety percent of all
headaches are classified as tension/muscle contraction headaches.
By contrast, chronic muscle-contraction headaches can last for weeks,
months, and sometimes years. The pain of these headaches is often
described as a tight band around the head or a feeling that the head and
neck are in a cast. “It feels like somebody is tightening a giant vise around
my head,” says one patient. The pain is steady, and is usually felt on both
sides of the head. Chronic muscle-contraction headaches can cause sore
scalps - even combing one’s hair can be painful.
Occasionally, muscle-contraction headaches will be accompanied by
nausea, vomiting, and blurred vision, but there is no pre-headache
syndrome as with migraine. Muscle-contraction headaches have not
been linked to hormones or foods, as has migraine, nor is there a strong
hereditary connection.
Research has shown that for many people, chronic muscle-contraction
headaches are caused by depression and anxiety. These people tend to
get their headaches in the early morning or evening when conflicts in the
office or home are anticipated.
Emotional factors are not the only triggers of muscle-contraction
headaches. Certain physical postures that tense head and neck muscles
- such as holding one’s chin down while reading - can lead to head and
neck pain. So can prolonged writing under poor light, or holding a phone
between the shoulder and ear, or even gum-chewing.
More serious problems that can cause muscle-contraction headaches
include degenerative arthritis of the neck and temporomandibular joint
dysfunction, or TMD. TMD is a disorder of the joint between the
temporal bone (above the ear) and the mandible or lower jaw bone. The
disorder results from poor bite and jaw clenching.
Treatment for muscle-contraction headache varies. Early initiation of
chiropractic care with physical medicine/physical therapy techniques can
dramatically reduce intensity and the duration of the headache.
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