HEADACHES – What’s actually going on? Headaches are very interesting. Some people get them occasionally for no obvious reason. Others are victims of them daily. They can dominate your life for weeks straight. They can even affect your social life. What is causing them?
Most commonly, pressurization of tight anatomical spaces in the head is what causes headaches. Some headache causes are severe, but less common. This would be something like an aneurysm or a tumor. With these types, fluids and tissues exert direct pressure to the head. We may know people who have had theses, but luckily they are the less common causes of headaches.
Some people have allergies that cause inflammation around the eyes. This is ultimately a fluid that occupies and irritates tissue space in the head. Sometimes poor vision can cause headaches. Straining the muscles around the eyes causes swelling of the muscle and surrounding tissue. You have probably heard the term “swole” after exercise. There is an estimate that muscles can gain 20% in volume from the swelling related to muscle strain. This principal also applies to the strain of eye muscles. Increased volume in the confined space of the eyes equals increased pressure, leading to headaches.
The most common cause of the headaches, believe it or not, comes from the back of the head (and upper neck)! The two upper neck bones have unique anatomy. The muscles around these bones have specific function related to the rotation of the head. When they get aggravated, they become tighter and thicker. Irritation leads to inflammation. Suddenly, the upper neck is in a cycle that causes pressurization of a tight compartment. The difference in this area is that there are nerves travelling through this compartment. They serve as sensors for parts of the head.
When these nerves are aggravated, it is very common to have headaches at the base of the skull, behind the eye, or on the side of the head. If the pressure is great enough, it can even cause tingling or numbness in the scalp or bottom half of the ear! This can be deceiving because the source of the problem is in another area. Pretty fascinating, but what do you do to correct this?
Typically we perform cervical decompression and ultrasound on the neck to alleviate neck based headaches. These therapies are typically comfortable and affordable. They are aimed at reducing swelling and providing mobility to the neck. Poor posture, arthritis, and injuries to the neck can cause chronic issues with inflammation, muscle spasm, and joint restriction. When these cycles reach the upper neck, the likelihood of headaches increases.
If you would like to talk to us about your headaches, feel free to call us and schedule a consultation. Usually a few questions and a couple simple tests will tell us if your headaches are stemming from a neck condition. We can also get a quick image with our digital x-ray machine if needed. Our number is 316-729-2528.
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