Unfortunately, headaches are very common in today’s world due to several factors such as neck pain, poor sleep, poor hydration and nutrition, increased screen time, and our ever-increasing stressful lives. It is important to be able to distinguish between different types of headaches as well. Some of the more common headaches you may experience include:
Tension headaches
The most common type of headache. Typically, tension headaches feel like a band is squeezing the head – around the forehead, like wearing a very tight hat.
Stress headaches
Often running from the neck to the top of the skull. As the name suggests, this type of headache is induced via stress, this may be external stress or physical stress in the neck and shoulders.
Migraines
Migraines are categorised as intense pain on one side of the head, behind an eye. This type of headache can include feelings of dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Visual and hearing disturbances can occur.
Hypertension (high blood pressure) headaches
Hypertension headaches are often felt in and around the back of the skull on both sides. Often a pulsating feeling will accompany them. This type of headache is worsened via movement and physical activity.
Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are considered one of the worst headaches out there, often nicknamed the “Suicide Headache”. These headaches are intense, can wake the person from sleep and can feel like an ice pick stabbing into the eye. They often last only up to 30 seconds but can come in waves of consecutive attacks.
Sinus headaches
When these headaches occur, you may feel pain into your eyes and teeth, but the most common symptoms include pain getting worse in the sinus and head area (throbbing as well) when bending forward or lying down.
Tips to help prevent headaches
Sleep
When it comes to headaches, sleep can be a very useful tool. Sleep not only can help to prevent headaches, but it can also be the difference between a headache lasting for hours (if not days) and it lasting only a fraction of that time. When it comes to preventing headaches, having a regular sleep schedule can be beneficial. This is because when you start going to sleep and waking up at similar times each day, your body starts to get into a healthy routine, thus, in turn, reducing helping to reduce tension-type and stress headaches.
Sleep can be used to help cope with headaches, as that time spent resting in a dark, quiet, cool room allows the body and mind to relax and restore. In turn, reducing the headache symptoms.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is one of the easiest ways to keep your body in check. Throughout the day your body excretes fluids in the forms of sweat, urine, saliva, etc. As we lose this fluid, we are also losing vital minerals needed to maintain good bodily functions. The reason we get dehydration headaches is that, as we lose this fluid, and don’t replace it, we are causing the blood vessels and brain to shrink due to its lack of fluid, thus becoming tort.
As a general rule, to stay hydrated, adult men should aim for 10 cups of water a day, while women should be aiming for 8 cups of water a day.
Exercise
Exercise is great for your health for several reasons. It helps strengthen your Cardiovascular system, strengthens your musculoskeletal system, and improves sleep, energy, and overall mood. Exercise can be great for headaches as it encourages your body to release endorphins, which in turn reduces stress in the body, thus headaches such as tension, stress, and hypertension headaches are reduced.
Any exercise from walking to running, lifting weights or HIIT workouts can be extremely beneficial for those who suffer from headaches, and for their overall health.
Reduced strain on eyes and tension in the body
With people being on their screens more than ever, the strain on our eyes and tension in our bodies is at an all time high. As we are looking at screens for longer periods of time, a lot of us are straining our eyes without even knowing it. As we strain the eyes our posture tends to roll forward and we hunch over which in turn increases tension in the neck and shoulder region.
Getting your eyes checked a minimum of every 24 months may help catch any changes in your sight that may require glasses. And for those with glasses who avoid wearing them (I know you’re out there!), making sure you are wearing them while in front of screens can make a major difference!
Regular Chiropractic care:
Regular Chiropractic care may be a great option. But in terms of those who suffer from headaches, Chiropractic care may help to make major changes in your life as Chiropractic care aims to restore normal function to the nervous system, while helping to encourage the body’s posture to be in its ideal position. With the body feeling, functioning, and moving at its optimal range, headaches from neck muscle tension, neurological compressions and even migraines may be greatly reduced.
Overall, Chiropractic may make a massive difference in both the prevention and the treatment of headaches. Chiropractic may help through:
Manual adjustments
Low force techniques
Soft tissue techniques
Ergonomic advice
If you have any further questions or issues with ongoing headaches, please do not hesitate to contact Total Health Chiropractic or any other healthcare professional for tailored advice.
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