Your Body's Wisdom

Chronic headaches are a fact of life for millions of people. Headaches can last for a few short hours up to several days. Some headaches can also include sensitivity to light and nausea. They can seriously impact the lives of those individuals that suffer from them. According to the Headache Center an estimated 45 million people have chronic headaches and more than 38 million suffer from debilitating migraines according to Migraine.com.  Headaches have resulted in 8 million doctor visits per year.

A headache can be described as an ache or pain that occurs in one or more areas of the head, face, mouth or neck. A headache can be chronic, recurrent or occasional. It can also be mild or it can be severe enough to disrupt your daily activities.

According to the Headache Center, there are two types and classifications of headaches:

• Primary headaches – migraines with and without auras, tension-type headaches, cluster headaches and other general headaches. The headache itself is the primary medical problem. There are many causes that trigger the headache such as increased muscle tension, stress, certain type of foods, or even medications. (See below for more info on these types of headaches.)
• Secondary headaches – headaches related to some other underlying medical problems such as neck problems, post traumatic headaches, brain tumor, stroke, etc.

There are many types of headaches, but the most common are:

Tension Headache–the most common type of headache. As many as 90% of adults will have or have had a tension headache. This kind of headache is caused by basic muscle tension. A tension headache can vary in pain intensity and can produce a dull, constant pain on both sides of the head. It is also commonly called a muscle contraction headache because it is the tightening of the muscles in the head, face, neck and shoulders that causes the pain, which very often feels like a ‘vice-like grip’ at the temples or as a tight band around the forehead or base of the skull.

Even though tension headaches are the most frequent types of headaches, there is little research to confirm the exact cause. The most likely cause is from contraction of the muscles that cover the skull. When these muscles are stressed, they can spasm and cause pain. Tension headaches often occur because of the physical and/or emotional stress that is placed on the body.

Migraine Headache–the second most common type of headache. A migraine is described as ‘pounding’ or ‘throbbing’. It is characterized by intense, one-sided pain, which may include pain in the face, jaw and neck. Migraine headaches are also called vascular headaches and occur when the blood vessels that supply the brain and the muscles in the head swell and constrict. A migraine can last from several hours to several days and could also involve nausea, dizziness, extreme fatigue and sensitivity to light or sound.

Factors that can contribute to the onset of a migraine include stress, lack of sleep or too much sleep, hormones, food allergies, some medications, loud noises, bright lights, missing a meal, also a change in weather and/or temperature.

Cluster Headache–this type of headache gets its name because it tends to go in cycles. You can have 1-8 headaches a day, which can go on for days or weeks and then just as sudden as they appeared, the headaches disappear for a while. The cycle is different for everyone.

Rebound Headache–this type of headache is actually caused from frequent use of prescription or over-the-counter pain medications.

Headache Due to Neck Injury–this type of headache can be caused by a sudden trauma, such as whiplash, or a gradual onset from repetitive activities such as working at a computer all day long.

Post-Traumatic Headache–this is a result of a head injury and can occur shortly after the injury.

Others headache causes are: sinusitis, allergies, TMJ, high blood pressure, tumors and strokes.  Some medications may also cause headaches.

A fantastic hidden benefit of massage is that headaches can be relieved while the side effects of pain medication or over-the-counter medications are avoided. Massage to the head and neck can relieve headaches by releasing tight and shortened muscles, easing muscle spasms plus the important effect of the relaxation of the tension that is held in the muscles of the head, neck and shoulders. When this muscle tension eases, there is less pressure on the nerves and blood vessels. Massage will also have the effect of reducing the anxiety and mental stress that can cause or worsen headaches in the first place.