Why Do You Have Headaches?

Did you know, there are 7 Primary Contributing Factors to Headaches and Pain?

1. Musculoskeletal Imbalance: Musculoskeletal headaches are also commonly referred to as tension headaches.   Musculoskeletal, or tension headaches are caused by stress on the nerves where the skull meets the very base of the neck.

2.Postural Distortion: Postural distortions lead to underdevelopment of the supporting muscles, which causes their weakening. As a result, headaches frequently occur.

3 .Lack of blood to the area: Some migraines or headaches can be related to blood vessels. Studies have shown that people who suffer from migraines typically have blood vessels that overreact to various triggers.

4. Trigger Points: The common headache is a very good example of unrecognized trigger point “referred pain.”

5. Nerve Compression and entrapment: If you describe your headache as located in the back of the head and the neck, this suggests a ‘cervicogenic’ headache or a compression (also called ”pinching”) of the occipital nerve(s). Movement of the neck is restricted, especially in the upper part of the neck, causing headaches.

6.Nutrition: Your arteries are affected by insulin. If the food you eat is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, then the pancreas has to respond with a strong hit of insulin. The sudden drop in blood sugars seems to encourage the arteries in the head to constrict, causing headaches. There are some main foods/food products that have been linked to contributing headaches: Monosodium glutamate (MSG)-a common flavor enhancer, but also found naturally in such foods as tomatoes. Nitrites-these preservatives are found in processed meats and some cheeses. Also, Amines-common compounds found in a wide range of foods, including spinach, tomato, potato, small whole fish, tuna, liver, dark chocolate and alcoholic drinks.

7. Emotional State: There are three primary types of stress that contribute to headaches. There is a) Emotional Stress, which is significantly impacted by your day-to-day life by way of relationships, job stress, financial stress, etc. When these types of stresses occur, your body tenses up, often contributing to headaches. There is also b) Physical Stress, which can be attributed to the way you sit at your desk/computer, how you drive your vehicle, etc. In that constant position, your head is flexed forward in a “forward head posture” position, and when the head goes in front of the shoulders, this pulls and causes the muscles and ligaments at the base of the skull to tighten up. Physical Stress can also be related to trauma, such as a motor vehicle collision, a slip and fall, or sports injuries. Lastly, there is c) Chemical Stress. Chemical stress can be a result of things like smoking cigarettes, intake of too much caffeine, imbalanced diet, certain medications, or taking drugs into your system. Typically, anything you put into your body that isn’t designed to be there will put stress on the nerves at the base of the neck. All of these Chemical Stresses can cause muscles and ligaments to tighten up.

ReNu Chiropractic can HELP! Our office has effective treatment options to relieve your pain. We accept most insurance plans!

Call today to schedule your Complimentary Consultation, so that we can help you with a Treatment Plan designed to help you not only manage the pain from headaches, but learn how to maintain great pain relief results! 

We look forward to seeing you soon!