headaches types and treatments

Do you suffer from migraines and headaches? Do you wince when someone thinks they are one in the same? Headaches are one of the most common ailments that humans experience. By the numbers, 90 percent of our global population is predicted to experience a headache at some point during their lives. Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households includes someone with migraine. Amazingly, 12% of the population – including children – suffers from migraine.  Headache pain can range from annoying to debilitating. Learn about common triggers and how to treat them so you can avoid the disabling affect migraines and headaches can have on your daily life.

By the Numbers

Approximately 9 out of 10 Americans experience at least occasional headaches. What causes these headaches? Common culprits are:  stress, sinus infections, or muscle tension.  Common headache types are labeled according to these categories: Sinus, Tension, Migraine, Cluster and Medically-Related. Distinguishing between the types of headaches you are experiencing is critical to knowing how to prevent and treat them effectively.  

Types of Headaches

Types of Headaches

Medically-Related Headaches

A whopping 95% of headaches are primary headaches, meaning there isn’t another medical condition to worry about. However, the remaining 5% are warning signals of an underlying disease. Here are the types of headaches that could be medically related:

  • Random Headaches that affect function: Almost everyone knows how an ordinary headache feels. However, if yours hampers your vision or speech, occurs after exercise, makes you lose your balance, is accompanied by seizures, or limits your ability to work, you should consult a healthcare professional.
  • Thunderclap headaches: When severe pain develops within just 60 seconds, it’s considered a thunderclap headache. Bleeding in the brain from an aneurysm, stroke, or injury is the likely cause.
  • Morning headaches with vomiting: If you wake up every day with a headache and feel the urge the vomit, you should seek medical attention. Your headache may dissipate as the day goes by, but morning headaches with vomiting could indicate a brain tumor.

Even though medically-related headaches are rare, it’s worth visiting Spine Correction Center in Fort Collins for a medical assessment if any of these symptoms sound familiar.

Sinus Headaches

When you have a cold, the flu, or a sinus infection, your sinuses may become inflamed and irritated, resulting in a headache. The pain is usually confined to the areas above, below, and between your eyes, since this is the location of your sinus cavity.

Because you get them when you’re sick, sinus headaches are usually accompanied by a fever and nasal congestion. The painkillers, antihistamines, and decongestants in cold medicine can help ease your symptoms until you get well.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache one can experience.  They are associated with constant pain or pressure all around your head, specifically at the temples or base of the neck. Fortunately, tension headaches are often relatively mild, and respond well to over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin.

As the name suggests, muscle tension in the neck and scalp is to blame for tension headaches. Tense muscles often result from stress, prolonged mental concentration, and changes in brain chemicals.

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are the most severe type of headaches. The pain lasts longer than four hours, often lingering for days, and tends to affect only one side of the head. Potential causes include skipping meals, exposure to bright flashing lights, or smelling strong odors.

Symptoms of migraines often manifest in similar ways. About 15% to 20% of migraine sufferers will experience aura, or visual distortions, before the migraine attack.  Light sensitivity, or sensitivity to loud noises and certain smells are common during a migraine.  Nausea and vomiting can occur with severe migraine symptoms.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches affect more men than women. They often come on suddenly and are come with debilitating pain on one side of the head. Other symptoms are:  watery eye, nasal congestion/runny nose (often on the same side as the headache pain.)

A person experiencing a cluster headache often feels restless. Unlike someone with a migraine, a cluster headache sufferer is unlikely to seek relief by lying down. The cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but genetics may be a factor.

Neck-Related Headaches

A recent study showed that more than 80% of headaches are caused by the neck, most commonly from the loss of the normal saggital curve. As a specialized headache chiropractor, we employ several techniques to correct this and get you back to headache-free living! This curve is designed to give your neck strength, as well as keep mechanical tension off your spinal cord. When there is a weakness, the muscles work overtime to make up the difference, resulting in muscle spasms that cause headaches.

Visit Spine Correction Center for Headache Relief

When you visit Spine Correction Center for headache treatment, you’ll have access to several effective, non-invasive treatment methods. 

At Spine Correction Center of the Rockies, we care for headaches by:

  • Relaxing your neck and back muscles
  • Putting the right amount of curve back into your neck
  • Correcting your body mechanics
  • Taking pressure off the nerves causing pain and headaches

To accomplish this headache treatment, we use a full spectrum of the latest, most effective and non-invasive methods. Our patients find relief through an integrated combination of:

  • Spinal Adjustments
  • Disc Decompression
  • Vibrational Traction
  • Neuromuscular Reeducation
  • Serapin Injections

We’ll rule out the possibility of medically-related headaches and tackle the primary cause of your pain directly. Stop headache pain in its tracks! Call now for a FREE Consultation, (970) 658-5115.