Providing high quality and thorough chiropractic care to people of all ages.
Chiropractor for Headaches & Migraines
Headaches are one of the most common presentations we see at Total Health Chiropractic. Our Chiropractors have over 25 combined years of experience in dealing with tension headaches, cervicogenic headaches, stress headaches, migraines and more!
We have been helping manage patients with headaches all over the East Coast of Australia, with practices across Queensland Victoria.
What are the common causes of headaches and migraines?
The World Health Organisation in 2007 (1) documented the prevalence of headaches worldwide and showed that 46% of adults suffer from headaches at some stage. They also stated that headaches are in the top 10 most disabling conditions, and rank in the top 5 for women.
Headaches, whilst can be a serious condition, are often caused by tightness in the muscles or tension in the joints of the spine. Headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors, including poor posture, stress and changes in sleep. They can also be triggered by diseases that activate the pain-sensitive nerves of the head.
Migraines can be and is a debilitating condition that gets in the way of day to day life. Migraines can occur with aura or without aura. Migraines with aura refer to migraines that are accompanied by visual stimuli, such as flashing light. Migraines can be caused by quite a number of different factors such as tight muscles around the neck and upper back, tension in the joints on the neck and upper back, stress levels, certain foods and drinks, hormonal changes and many other factors.
What are the different types of headaches?
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache, affecting 1 in 20 people daily. A tension headache is a mild to moderate pain that feels like a tight band around the head. These tension headaches stem from many different factors such as tight muscles, restricted joints and stress.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches are a more rare type of headache, affecting 1 in 1000 people. Men are three times more likely to be affected than women. A cluster headache builds up quickly once it starts and is usually experienced as a deep, intense pain around/behind the eye or in the temple. This type of headache can last from 15 minutes to 3 hours, repeating up to eight times a day. This type of headache is one of the worst due to its intense pain.
Sinus Headaches
Sinus headaches happen when the sinus passages behind the eyes, nose, cheeks and forehead are congested. A sinus headache can be felt as an uncomfortable pressure behind the forehead, but can also be felt anywhere in the sinus area. Pain can worsen when bending forward or lying down – a symptom that is shared with migraines. Because of this shared symptom, people often assume they are experiencing a sinus headache, when they in fact have a migraine.
Migraine
Migraines are typically classified as one sided, throbbing headaches that are moderate to severe in intensity, and can be made worse by movement. Migraines are often associated with nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light, sound and even smell. Approximately 20% of people experience migraines at some point in their lives. Migraines affect both children and adults.
Migraines can be triggered by a number of factors such as tight muscles around the neck, tension in the joints on the neck, stress levels, certain foods and drinks, hormonal changes and more.
How can Chiropractic care help with headaches?
A study in 2011, published in the Journal of Manipulative Physiotherapy, states that manipulation improves headaches and migraines (2) and the type and frequency is dependent on each case. The team at Total Health Chiropractic assesses and evaluates each individual according to their unique requirements. Our Chiropractors look deeper at what may have caused or has contributed to their headaches.
Often, we hear that patients have experienced some sort of physical stress in their life, mostly related to –
Poor posture
Long durations of being seated (i.e. working in an office environment)
Constantly looking down
Previous trauma (i.e. car, motorcycle or horse accident)
Poor range of movement in the neck
Tight muscles in the neck and shoulders
Chiropractic care for headaches usually depends on a number of factors, including –
Type of headache
Frequency and intensity of the headache
Impact the headache/s is having on the individual’s life
Chronicity – how long the individual has been experiencing them
Sources
(1) The Global Burden of Headache: A Documentation of Headache Prevalence and Disability Worldwide
If you have any questions, or wish to book an appointment with one of our experienced Chiropractors, head to our contact us page and select your preferred practice.
Total Health 
