|
|
Are Your Headaches Coming From Your Neck?
Dr. Don Parkerson, Jr.
What do you do when you get a headache? If you are like millions of Americans, you take
a pill and pray it goes away. But, what
if your headache is really coming from your neck?
What Causes Headaches?
Roughly 5% of all headaches are warning signals
caused by underlying physical problems.
A routine medical physical will normally determine if you fall into that
unfortunate 5% camp.
The other 95% of headaches are primary headaches,
such as migraine, cluster, or muscle tension headaches. These types of headaches usually stem from
one or more of the following four sources:
1.
Nerve irritation
in the neck – typically caused by misalignment of the neck vertebrae, which
results in irritation of the spinal cord and spinal nerves in the neck
region. Irritation of these nerve
structures will then cause muscle spasms and tension in the surrounding head
and neck muscles, often resulting in tension or cluster headaches.
2.
Blood flow
changes in the neck – may also be caused by misalignment of the neck vertebrae,
thereby altering blood flow into the brain via the vertebral arteries on each
side of the spine. Altered spinal blood
flow is especially critical in migraine headaches.
3.
Hormonal changes
in the body – changes in hormones secreted from the pituitary gland tend to
cause cyclical migraine headaches in many women. Hormonal headache sufferers often begin
having headaches at the onset of their first menses, or at the beginning of
menopause.
4.
Sources of toxicity – these are environmental
triggers that set off headaches. The
experienced headache sufferer will typically know quite well which environmental
issues tend to trigger their headaches.
They may include:
Stress/Anxiety
Certain foods
Certain perfumes
or smells
Bright lights
Loud noises
Blood sugar
changes
Household
chemicals
Allergens in the
air
Sinus infections
Insomnia
Visual problems
Headaches and the Upper Cervical
Adjustment
Upper Cervical chiropractors concentrate on aligning
the top two vertebrae in the neck with the head and the remaining spinal
structure. Since the 1940’s, this
chiropractic approach has been shown to be effective in treating migraine and
muscle tension headaches.
When the vertebrae of the upper cervical spine lose
their normal position, sensitive nerves and blood vessels to the head can be
affected. When spinal nerves and related
tissues are constricted or irritated, they can produce throbbing headaches.
From an upper cervical viewpoint, we usually see two
distinct spinal patterns in headache patients:
1.
Reversal of the
normal cervical curvature – notice the neck x-ray to the right. The curve in the neck is the reverse of what
should be. This abnormality of the neck
structure causes both nerve and blood flow alterations in the neck and head.
2.
Opposite
rotation of the top two vertebrae – when analyzing the x-rays of headache sufferers,
the great majority will have a distinct type of misalignment termed “opposite
rotation.” This occurs when the top
vertebra in the spine (C1 – the atlas) rotates in one direction, and the second
vertebra (C2 – the axis) rotates in the opposite direction. This twisting creates a wringing effect on
the upper neck, spinal cord, and brainstem.
The goal of each upper cervical adjustment is to
align the head and the top 2 vertebrae in the spine, thereby allowing proper
nerve and blood flow between the brain and the rest of the body. In addressing headaches, it is absolutely
imperative that this upper cervical area of the spine be corrected.
What Else Can You Do?
Other than maintaining the proper alignment of your
head and neck, there are several interventions that you may choose to
incorporate in your battle against headaches.
For immediate relief, you may use heat and/or cold therapy in the
following manner:
For tension
headaches – use mild heat on the back of the head, neck, and shoulders
For migraine
headaches – use ice on the back of the head and neck
For sinus
headaches – use ice on the forehead
Most other
headaches – use ice on top of the head
For the long-term fight against headaches, you will
definitely want to incorporate exercise into your daily schedule. Regular sessions of physical activity can be
a great non-drug tool for preventing and/or relieving headaches. In regards to headaches, exercise offers the
following benefits:
Releases
endorphins, your body’s natural pain relievers
Reduces stress
and releases anxiety
Increases muscle
tone needed for better posture
Other Suggestions to Prevent Headaches
1.
If you spend a
lot of time in front of a computer or at a desk, take a break every 30
minutes. Changing the position of your
head and neck will ease muscle tension.
2.
Drink at least
64 ounces of water each day to avoid dehydration, which can cause headaches.
3.
Don’t clench
your teeth. Teeth clenching can result in
stress on the Tempero-Mandibular joints (TMJ) – the joints that connect your
jaw to your head – which can cause tension headaches.
4.
Avoid
caffeine. Chocolate, coffee, and soft
drinks contain high levels of this stimulant.
5.
Don’t eat foods
containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), a food flavor enhancer.
6.
Avoid foods with
a high salt or sugar content, which may trigger migraines.
7.
Avoid alcoholic
beverages, which lead to dehydration.
8.
Get some
sleep! Never underestimate the healing
power in a good night’s sleep.
For further information on this topic, you may contact Dr. Parkerson at
770.952.5353, by email at Parkerson@humberparkerson.com,
or visit our clinic on the web at www.HumberParkerson.com.
The Highest Level is the monthly e-mail newsletter of the
© Humber Parkerson
Clinic 2006
February 2006 issue of The Highest
Level
