What are some of the causes of headaches?
Headaches are a common complaint among Australians which can be caused by these factors and so many more:
- Poor Posture: Prolonged periods of poor posture, especially while working at a desk or using devices, can strain the neck and shoulder muscles. This strain can contribute to tension headaches or cervicogenic headaches, which originate from the neck.
- Muscle Tension & Neck Strain: Tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulders can lead to tension-type headaches. These headaches often feel like a constant, dull ache and can be caused by stress, anxiety, or poor ergonomics.
- Dehydration: Inadequate hydration can lead to dehydration headaches. When the body lacks sufficient fluids, blood volume decreases, reducing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. This can result in a headache.
- Food Reactions: Certain foods and food additives can trigger headaches in some individuals. Common triggers include caffeine, alcohol, aged cheeses, and foods containing additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG).
- Eye Strain & Device Overuse: Staring at screens for extended periods, reading in poor lighting, or using screens with flickering displays can strain the eye muscles and lead to tension headaches or digital eye strain headaches.
- Hormonal Changes: Hormonal fluctuations, such as those occurring during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, can trigger hormonal headaches, including migraines.
Common Headache Types and Symptoms we help relieve at Wynyard Chiropractic
- Tension Type Headache: A tight band like feeling around the head, brought on from stress, poor posture and muscle tension.
- Migraine (with or without aura): A severe headache often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
- Cervicogenic Headache: One sided pain that originates from the neck and radiates to the head.
- Cluster Headache: Frequent episodes "clustered" together, causing one sided pain especially behind the eye.
- Many, many more: The International Headache Society recognises more than 200 different types of headaches. For more information, contact us!
Headaches & Your Chiropractic Consultation
At Wynyard Chiropractic, we take the time to asses everyone individually as no two spines are ever the same. The options for care will be discussed by your practitioner, which are patient centred and tailored to your needs as there is no “one size fits all” adjustment. As part of a thorough consultation, our chiropractors will assess and chat to you about your current and previous headache episodes, previous injuries, posture, workplace ergonomics, daily habits, types of exercises and even your diet to understand the underlying causes of your current issue.
Our chiropractors will then examine movement restrictions of the neck and surrounding areas, along with a thorough examination of nerve function as our starting point to establish the underlying cause of the headache. The appropriateness of chiropractic treatment for your headaches will be dependent on function, age, previous injuries and experience, and patient preference.
Traditionally, chiropractic care has been centred around the use of spinal adjustments to restore movement. Adjustments can be specific movements or pressure applied to the spine at key points to restore movement of each involved segment, which importantly stimulates the nervous system to normalise its function. Your care may consist of a combination of adjustments, dry needling, cold laser, massage, exercises, stretches, postural advice, lifestyle advice and more.
The Chiropractic Approach to Headaches
- Spinal adjustments to restore proper alignment and reduce tension.
- Targeted soft tissue therapies to release muscle tension and improve blood flow.
- Lifestyle strategies to manage stress and minimise headache triggers.
Preventing Headaches
At Wynyard Chiropractic, we believe in empowering you to prevent headaches by:
- Providing ergonomic advice for work and daily activities.
- Teaching relaxation techniques and stress management.
- Suggesting exercises and stretches to improve neck and spine health.
Take charge of your headache relief journey. Schedule a consultation with Wynyard Chiropractic and discover effective, non-invasive options to manage and prevent headaches.
Call us on 02 9235 2464 for more!
Headache, Victoria Government Better Health website: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/headache
International Headache Society https://ihs-headache.org/en/resources/
Souza, T. A. (2016). Differential diagnosis and management for the chiropractor: Protocols and algorithms. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.