Headaches: Causes and Preventions
If you’ve ever dealt with a headache, you know just what a pain it can be. And if they’re a regular part of your life, you also know that headaches can be more than inconvenient: they can be debilitating. When a headache crops up, most people turn to pain pills as the solution. And while pain killers can certainly provide some relief, they don’t get to the bottom of what’s actually causing your discomfort.
Headache Causes
Headaches have many causes. Some of the most common include:
- Stress
- Dehydration
- Certain foods
- Injury
- Insomnia
- Screen time
- Sitting for long periods
- Environmental factors (like bright lights or loud noises)
Headaches can be caused by other factors, including underlying disease, but in the overwhelming majority of cases, the headache isn’t a secondary symptom of an illness. The headache is the main problem that needs to be dealt with. Chiropractic is an effective treatment for most types of headaches, including tension headaches (this is the most common type of headache, affecting about 75% of the population), cluster headaches, migraines, and headaches originating in the neck.
Headache Prevention
What You Can Do
There are many lifestyle changes you can make to reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. In addition to helping prevent headaches, these lifestyle changes also come with many other health benefits, so it’s a good idea to implement these as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Here are our recommendations:
Take care of yourself physically. Dehydration and insomnia are both common causes of headaches, so make sure you’re staying hydrated (water is best) and getting enough sleep.
Stay active. A sedentary lifestyle is very common, and in addition to its other health drawbacks it can also cause or worsen headaches. If you spend many hours a day in one position (such as sitting in front of a computer) it can put strain on your spine, resulting in back pain, neck pain, and headaches. To combat the effects of having to spend long periods of time in one posture, aim to get up every 30 minutes or so to stretch and move around.
Focus on ergonomics and posture. Ergonomics refers to setting up your work environment in a way that promotes health and efficiency. Adjusting the position of your chair or the height of your computer screen may be small actions, but they can have big benefits on your health and comfort. We’ve got more tips on how to maintain good posture here.
Take time to relax and decompress. Stress is another root cause of many headaches, so practice good self-care by regularly allowing yourself to unwind and do things you enjoy. Your headaches won’t be the only thing that improves as you take steps to reduce stress in your life!
Identify headache triggers. If you suffer from frequent headaches, it may be worthwhile to keep a headache tracker for a while and see if you can identify what brings on a headache for you. This can help you make lifestyle adjustments that are specific to your situation. For example, if high-intensity exercise tends to result in a headache later, switch to low-impact exercise and see if that helps. Or if you often experience headaches after consuming sweets or caffeine, limit your intake of those types of foods for more pain-free days.
Ask your chiropractor. We also recommend seeing your chiropractor for additional support, particularly if you experience frequent headaches, are having trouble identifying what causes your headaches, or struggle with other factors (such as a sedentary job or insomnia) that make it more likely that you’ll experience headaches.
How a Chiropractor Can Help Prevent Headaches
There are several ways in which a chiropractor can help you prevent headaches. Your chiropractor can:
- Perform spinal manipulations and other adjustments to relieve physical stress and improve spinal functioning
- Promote relaxation and reduce stress hormones like cortisol
- Provide nutritional advice and supplements
- Provide exercise and relaxation techniques
- Provide advice on ergonomics and posture
Living with pain diminishes quality of life, whether that pain is debilitating or just uncomfortable. At Tracy and Keim, we believe everyone deserves their best chance to feel healthy and live pain-free. Chiropractic is such an effective treatment for headaches because, unlike pain killers, it isn’t just about managing pain. Chiropractic can also help you in a variety of unexpected ways—including reducing or eliminating many of the factors behind headaches, such as stress, insomnia, inflammation, and muscle tension.
Our chiropractors, physical therapist, and massage therapists work closely together to provide each patient with individualized treatments as well as pain management techniques that are safe, natural, and effective. Rather than merely treating the symptoms, we focus on holistic, comprehensive care that can help you unlock your body’s true potential and natural healing power.
If headaches are getting in the way of your best life, contact us today. We would be honored to provide you with the compassionate expertise you need to live your happiest, healthiest life.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/73936
https://www.acatoday.org/patients/headaches-and-chiropractic/
https://www.laurelmdchiropractor.com/blog/how-can-chiropractic-adjustments-help-with-headaches
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