Understanding Headaches and Migraines: Causes, Treatment, and Relief

Headaches and migraines can oftentimes be debilitating. If you are someone who suffers from chronic or repetitive headaches you may be frustrated about what to do for them or how to stop them. The good news is that there are a number of different causes and treatments for headaches, many of which are simple and non-invasive.

Types of Headaches

Headaches come in a number of different shapes and sizes. They can vary in intensity, location, and associated symptoms, and even the potential cause of them can be different. In general, headaches can be bundled into a number of different categories but some of the most common are listed below:

• Tension headaches
• Cervicogenic headaches
• Migraine headaches

The headache solution will likely depend on the trigger and the cause.

Tension Headaches

The most common type of headache is tension-type headache. They are so common that if you have ever had a headache in the past, there is a decent chance that at least one of them was a tension-type headache. This type of headache will typically wrap around the front of your forehead and around the sides of your head, along the lines of where a headband would fall on your head.

They can feel tight, and throbbing, and usually last in shorter episodes. They can be caused by stress, dehydration, sitting at a computer for too long, and a number of other possible triggers. These headaches are usually not associated with other symptoms. Treating these headaches often boils down to identifying the trigger and eliminating that source of pain.

If it is stress, try some mindfulness, breathing techniques, and/or segmental relaxation techniques. Try drinking some water or moving your head around some if you have been still for too long.

Cervicogenic Headaches

Another very common cause of headaches is cervicogenic headaches. Cervicogenic just means originating from the neck. It may seem odd, but if there are any problems in the cervical spine, it can often radiate pain up and around the head. The pain will feel like a tightness and dull pain which will wrap around from the base of your skull, up and around to the top of your forehead.

You may feel this pain along one side or both sides of your head along the classic ‘ram’s horn’ pattern as well. This type of headache can be persistent until the source of the neck problem is addressed. It is best to seek care from a professional such as a physical therapist or chiropractor to create a plan of care for you to address this issue. If this is not possible for you, try some mild neck exercises such as cervical chin tucks, rotations, and extensions along with some mild massage to the muscles at the base of the skull.

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are one of the most common headaches and they can be truly debilitating to some. Migraines typically will present on one side of the head only and can often be associated with other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound, and even smell.

The true cause of migraines can be hard to diagnose, but each person who suffers from migraines typically has a trigger that they will be aware of. This can include alcohol, stress, certain foods, exercise, lack of sleep, medications, or even weather changes and excessive screen time, and this does not cover all possible triggers as every person is different and will have different triggers.

The primary treatment for migraines is tricky. It will consist of symptom management, often with the use of medication and removing yourself from aggravating stimuli. Prevention is the best plan of action, though this can still be difficult to do successfully. It is best to seek care from your primary care provider to see if medication would be right for you. You should seek care at the emergency room if you experience symptoms such as weakness on one side of your body, loss of vision, or difficulty swallowing as these could be signs of a much more severe condition.

Conclusion

Headaches can be a difficult ailment to deal with and treat on your own. It is always best to seek care from your primary care physician, physical therapist, or chiropractor to help guide you along your journey and see what the best course of action would be to mitigate your symptoms and eliminate the problem at the source.