Hey, everybody. This is Dr. Pat, your chiropractor for headaches from the Springfield Wellness Center, your favorite Springfield, IL chiropractor.
And today I wanna talk to you about how you can tell what kind of headache you have.
Headaches are one of the most common things we see in the office.
And one of the things we get a sense for is really just what kind of impact it has on people’s lives.
So we talk about or we hear lots of stories about people missing family events, missing work, and just really missing out on the joys of life, because their headaches are getting in the way.
And there’s many different kinds of causes for headaches. So it’s up to us to figure out is there a nerve problem, a disc problem, a muscle problem, or is there some other source that’s generating these headache episodes to occur?
Headache Types Chiropractic Springfield, IL
Now, there’s many different types of headaches.
And so we’re gonna talk about three of the most common types of headaches and some of their unique characteristics. So we’re gonna talk about migraines, tension headaches, and sinus headaches.
So starting off with migraines, this is one of the more debilitating types of headaches that people experience.
Some of the features of migraines would include deep, severe, throbbing pain, usually on either one side or the other. So usually only one side.
Many times it can be felt behind the eye, creating this deep, uncomfortable feeling where people just wanna keep their eyes closed, because it’s more comfortable that way.
Now, migraines can also cause things like light and sound sensitivity, which means that bright lights and loud sounds are really, really disturbing for these people.
And so, many times I hear people just wanna be in the dark and just go to sleep and see if they can kind of work or sleep through the episode there.
Migraines can even cause nausea and vomiting. You can get to that point where it’s affecting them in a digestive way.
So, migraines can really take a toll and really have a debilitating impact on people. So, it’s important that with migraines, we get those addressed as quickly as possible whatever the cause is.
Tension headaches are the second type of headache we’re gonna talk about.
And these are very common for people who work at computers, sit at desks, even look at their phones a lot, ’cause the main source of this problem is a postural problem.
A lot of times, people who have tension headaches, they will come into the office, and we will see that they have forward head posture.
So their head is forward ahead of the shoulders, which creates a ton of stress on the muscles in the back of the head, the neck, the shoulders, and the upper back.
And it creates this tension that sits in the back of the head and also wraps around to the front of the head as well.
It’s very uncomfortable, and it’s very nagging. I hear the word annoying thrown out a lot with this type of headache and something that people just want to get rid of, especially if it’s happening at work, and they just wanna be productive with their work.
So tension headaches, another very common type of headache we see.
The third one would be sinus headaches. Now these are gonna be especially prevalent in areas with lots of changing weather and, in particular, allergies.
And it’s one of those that really causes a lot of discomfort, especially in the face area, so around the eyebrows, the cheeks, behind the nose.
It’s a deep pressure feeling. It’s a very, very uncomfortable feeling, especially if you have them very often.
Headache Causes Chiropractic Springfield, IL
So with sinuses, we know that the spine, especially the upper part of the neck in the spine is what controls how your sinuses function.
And so if they’re not draining properly, that may be a reason why you’re prone to getting these types of headaches or sinus infections and other things that can come with that.
So, migraines, tension, headaches, sinus headaches, three of the most common headaches we do see here in the office.
We do see lots of other types of headaches, and those are the ones we figure out based on your history.
Headache Consultation Chiropractic Springfield, IL
So we’ll have a patient come in, talk about their history, see what kind of issues they’re having, so we can figure out, A, what’s the cause of your headache, and, B, how do we go about fixing that problem, so you can get back to living the life you wanna live, doing all the things you wanna do.
So, if you’re having headaches and you’re struggling with them and you’re looking for answers, please give us a call.
We’d love to work with you and see how we can best help you live the life that you wanna live.