Almost everyone experiences a mild headache at some time during their lives, but recurring headaches that interfere with your daily activities are more serious. There are two kinds of recurring headaches, tension headaches and migraine headaches.
Tension headaches are typically caused by stress, fatigue, tight muscles, poor posture or a reaction to certain medications. Tension headaches may last from a few minutes to several weeks or more.
Generally speaking, migraine headaches are much more severe than tension headaches. Migraines are often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Though tension headaches can be painful, migraines are debilitating without treatment.
No matter which kind of reoccurring headache you have, our chiropractor can help alleviate your pain and reduce future occurrences with non-invasive, drug-free treatments.
What is the “aura” some migraine sufferers talk about?
Some migraine sufferers describe seeing flashing lights or a halo light effect around objects prior to the onset of the migraine. Not all people who have migraines experiences auras and those that do, don’t have them every time. Auras aren't dangerous or painful, they are simply a visual symptom of an oncoming migraine.
What causes tension headaches?
The most common cause of a tension headache is subluxations in the upper back or neck. A subluxation occurs when one or more of the vertebrae moves out of position and causes irritation and pressure on spinal nerves. When the nerves are irritated they malfunction. Subluxations of the upper spine often result in headache. Many things can cause subluxations. Poor posture, injury and stress are a few examples.
What causes migraines?
Certain smells, certain foods, alcohol, bright lights, hormonal fluctuation or changes in sleep patterns can trigger a migraine, but these triggers don’t actually cause a migraine. Triggers activate the brain activity that causes the migraine. Science is still learning about migraines, but research shows that altered blood flow in the brain can cause the release of pain-inducing chemicals. Too much blood in the brain causes swelling of the blood vessels and creates pressure on the nerves which then sends more pain signals back into specific points within the head.
How does chiropractic care help tension and migraine headaches?
Chiropractic has been shown to be an effective treatment for both tension and migraine headaches. Maintaining proper spinal alignment supports the healthy function of nerves and blood vessels that feed the brain. Regular chiropractic care helps reduce stress, correct chronic injury and reverse the damage caused by years of poor posture.
At Michaux Family Chiropractic we take a comprehensive approach to treating reoccurring headaches. In addition to adjustments to keep your spine and surrounding nerves healthy, we also offer instruction on corrective exercises to relieve pain and improve spinal function at home as well as advice on lifestyle nutritional information to help you avoid migraine triggers. Contact our office in Clermont, FL, at (352) 243-7300 we also offer services to Groveland and Minneola, for more information about chiropractic care.