Category Archives: Headache Pain

If you have ever suffered from headaches, then you know just how debilitating they can be. When you do suffer, you probably don’t care what you to do get rid of it, and like many people you probably feel like crawling under a rock and being left alone until it goes away.

Did you know that the National Institue of Health (NIH) categorizes headaches into  four types? The four types of headaches are 1)  vascular, 2) muscular contraction or tension, 3) inflammatory, and 4) traction.

Vascular Headache:  Migraine headaches are the most common form of vascular headaches. Increased sensitivity to light or noise, requiring the migraine sufferer to lay in a dark quit room until the migraine passes, is often reported.

The migraine sufferer usually complain of severe pain on one or both sides of the head, nausea and vomiting, and sometimes visual changes.

The second most common vascular headache is the toxic headache produced by a fever.  Other vascular headaches include "cluster" headaches, which are characterized by repeated episodes of intense pain that starts in one spot and spreads out from that spot.

They may last for an hour or a few mintues, but they are usually very painful and trying to be active makes them worse. High blood pressure can also produce yet another type of vascular headache.

Tension or Muscular Contraction Headaches: these type of headaches are characterized by tightening of the neck and facial muscles.

The tension or muscular contraction headache like the name suggests start in the muscles in the neck, and radiate over the top or to the sides of the head.

Because the muscles of the neck are extremely tight and tender, pressure applied to these muscles applied by the finger or thumb, will result in radiation of pain into and/or over the top of the head.  These headache can also result in significant activity intolerance but usually not as severe as migraine or cluster headaches.

Traction and Inflammatory Headaches: These headaches result because of other conditions that range from a sinus infection or stroke. These type of headaches can serve as a warning sign of a more significant or serious condition. Meningitis as well as other conditions affectiing the sinuses, neck, ear, spine, and teeth.

The NIH suggests when headaches occur 3 times a month or greater, that…"preventative treatment is usually recommended"

More serious conditions must always be ruled out when frequent headaches occur. When ruled out, medication may be indicated but I would suggest that medication is taken only when less invasive treatment with fewer side effects are exhausted.

So what are some less invasive treatments or preventative treatments for headaches?

Well, the America Chiropractic Association recommends:

1) Exercise-walking, low impact aerobics. Reducing muscles tension, reducing anxiety, increasing blood flow and circulation are work together to prevent the frequency and intensities of headaches

2) Avoid long time periods of staying in one position ( computer, sewing machines, reading, cell phones, driving, etc) and take stretching/neck range of motion exercise breaks every 1/2 to 1 hour (fundamental principle in my lose the neck pain system)

3) Avoid teeth clenching (due to straining the temporomandibular joint/TMJ/or jaw joint)

4) Drink lots of water – stay hydrated. 

Other preventative techniques are focusing on nutrtion (knowing certain food allergies or intolerances, vitamin/mineral options, such as a B complex) posture retraining, and relaxation techniques. 

So if you, a friend, or family member suffer from headaches, identifying what type of headaches you suffer from, looking at your lifestyle on a daily basis, and doing preventative techniques discussed above should all help to allievate pain, and help you conquer the rock like a skilled climber instead of crawling underneath it.

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HEADACHES????

Vice like, crushing, pulse pounding, and griping, are all good descriptive words for headache pain. What a nuissance, for anybody who knows it. Especially when you or you’re significant other uses the old familiar 6 word phrase. You know,  "not tonight, I got a headache" one.

But on a serious note, headaches can and do interfere with doing the things we love to do, especially if you tend to get them frequently.

Taking advil and other over the counter medication becomes a habitual occurence far too often, and many times, doesn’t even help anyways. The headaches keep coming back, and you’re probably looking for a nice alternative to manage your headache on your own.

Muscle tension along with abnormal spinal joints, both occurrying in the neck, are well documented causes of both migraine and tension headaches. 

With this in mind, many choices are available when considering headache treatments whether it’s a tension-type or migraine type. So the question then becomes "which of the many options offer the best benefit"?

Well,  whatever way one decides to manage headache pain, it stands to reason that focusing on addressing in the very least, muscles and joints in the neck, should be part of the game plan. Right????

Well, one study compared how effective physical therapy (PT) to that of relaxation and thermal biofeedback (RTB). Biofeedback is basically techniques that trains people to improve their health by teaching them to control involuntarily body functions, like heart rate,  blood pressure, muscle tension, and skin temperature. Very similar to meditation techniques.

In this particular study, both groups were treated using one of these approaches, and if at least a 50% improvement was not achieved, the other form of treatment was then utilized. Results were calculated at 3, 6, and 12 month timeframes. 

The PT group of 30 females used standard physical therapy approaches that included:

•    Posture correction for alignment of head and spine
•    Cervical range of motion for neck and shoulders
•    Isometric strengthening of the neck
•    Flare-up management techniques
•    Active self mobilization of the spine
•    Whole body stretching
 

The goal was to target  the muscles in the neck that were painful, tight, rigid, and tense. Those in this group were to perform the above twice per day for 30 min.

The RTB group were instructed in relaxation and thermal biofeedback (RTB) treatment that focused on muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, and the use of a thermal feedback device that determines when the subject’s temperature changes telling them if they are successfully relaxing. 

The participants were to practice at home and utilized audiotapes for relaxation and monitor success with the portable biofeedback unit.

Using the PT approaches, only 13% reported a successful outcome compared to 51% in the RTB group.  In the follow-up of 3, 6 and 12 months, both groups reported continued benefit.  Now I know,  13% doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but wait, let me explain. 

These findings suggest that treatments that focus on muscle tension reduction (such as the RTB  and the PT group) might result in a better outcome compared to only addressing posture, range of motion and flexibility,but both taken toghether are going to help more then half the people who do them.  

But, I would also add, the it also depends on what posture exercises, range of motion exercises and flexibility exercises are being recommended. I guarantee and have seen in practice over and over again, what posture, range of motion and flexibility exercises that are super succesful for helping headaches.

So it is very important to learn the proper exercises when trying to manage your headache pain. When teaching patients to self-manage their condition by instruction and training, the greater the likelihood is for a successful outcome.

Self Management should focus on-management training procedures including (but not limited to) the training of the use of ice vs. heat, exercises, proper methods of bending and lifting, as well as posture and strength.  The use and instruction of relaxation is also a commonly recommended form of care, which this study found to be most beneficial.

If  your wondering where to learn these specific posture, range of motion and flexibilty exercises, that are super easy to do, and does’nt actually require going 3 times per week to the chiropractor or physical therapist office, then keep posted on my website where I post these techniques throughout these pages, and have developed my lose the neck pain system is completely based. 

STAY  TUNED

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