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Primary Causes
of Headaches
By primary
cause, we mean that the headache is not due to some other underlying
health condition. The three types of primary headaches are
migraine,
tension and
cluster headaches.
Secondary
Causes of Headaches
About 90% of
the people seeking help for headaches have one of the primary headache
disorders discussed above. In secondary headaches, there is an underlying
disorder that produces the headache as a symptom. Many conditions produce
headache; some of the most common are listed below.
Sleep
disturbances; anxiety or depression.
There are many ways to treat these syndromes, both with chiropractic and
nutrition (see below).
Excessive eating or drinking.
Too much food or the wrong foods can cause any number of organs to
malfunction. This includes the liver, pancreas and the intestines.
Eye
strain, including sun glare.
Because the nervous system is being bombarded with excessive light or
because the eye muscles themselves have to work harder.
Use of
drugs or alcohol; low blood sugar.
One of the most common causes for headaches, if you take drugs, either
recreationally or by prescription. Low blood sugar can be corrected by
diet and nutritional supplementation (see below).
Hormone
changes during the menstrual cycle.
Excessive estrogen that can not be metabolized by the liver.
Allergic
reactions.
This can be from food or other noxious environmental substances.
Headache
Due to Neck Problems
Some headaches may be caused by abnormalities of the neck muscles
resulting from prolonged bad posture (such as sitting in front of a
computer keyboard or daily driving for long periods), arthritis,
injuries of the upper spine, or abnormalities in the cervical spine (the
spinal bones in the neck). Nerves in the neck converge in the trigeminal
nerve in the face and can generate pain signals that the brain may
interpret as headache. Pain is usually on one side; even if it effects
both sides of the head it is usually more severe on one side. The
quality of the headache may be similar to an aching tension headache or
a mild migraine without auras. Detailed information on the neck can be
found here.
Sinus
Headache
Fever, runny nose, congestion, and general debilitation accompany
headaches produced by sinus infection. Sinus headaches are usually
around the eyes, across the cheeks, or over the forehead. They are
usually mild in the morning and increase during the day. Many primary
headaches are misdiagnosed as sinus headache when, in fact, there is no
infection; a true sinus headache lasts until the infection is treated.
Go here to read about sinusitis.
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
TMJ is caused by clenching the jaws or grinding the teeth (usually
during sleep), or by abnormalities in the jaw joints themselves. This is
known as bruxism. The cause of bruxism must be addressed whether
stemming from a physical or psycholgical cause. Physical causes include
structual neck and jaw joint problems.
Psycholgical causes can be any unresolved situation the person cannot
find a solution to. This includes personal, marriage and work
situations. The diagnosis is easy if chewing produces pain or if jaw
motion is restricted or noisy. TMJ pain can occur in the ear, the cheek,
temples, or neck and shoulders. For more information go
here.
Glaucoma
Acute glaucoma is caused by increased pressure in the eye and requires
immediate medical attention. Throbbing pain may be felt around or behind
the eyes or in the forehead. Patients have redness in the eye and may
see halos or rings around lights. Pain may be referred to other areas.
Brain Tumor Fear of brain tumor is common among people with headaches, but
headache is almost never the first or only sign of a tumor. Changes in
personality and mental functioning, vomiting, seizures, and other
symptoms are more likely to appear first. When the headache does
develop, it is often worse early in the morning or may awaken sufferers
during the night.
Hypertension
Although many people attribute headaches to high blood pressure, the two
are rarely associated. An exception is malignant hypertension, an
uncommon medical emergency, in which the blood pressure abruptly rises
to extreme levels, causing damage to blood vessels in the brain, heart,
and kidneys. For more information on high blood pressure go
here.
Strokes
Caused by Blood Clots or Hemorrhages
A blood clot or hemorrhage in the brain leading to a
stroke can cause a severe
headache, sometimes referred to as a thunderclap headache when it is
very sudden and severe. The onset of such a headache, particularly if it
is associated with confusion, stupor, or other neurologic symptoms,
mandates prompt medical attention. It is important to determine if a
clot or bleeding is causing the stroke, since treatments are very
different. For information regarding strokes, go
here.
Head
Injuries
It is obvious that a significant blow to the head will cause pain.
Post-injury headaches, however, can reflect serious damage, ranging from
skull fractures to internal bleeding.
Disorders
of the Meninges The meninges are the membranes covering the brain and the
spinal
cord. In very rare instances, ordinary physical strain may injure or
weaken the meninges, causing a leakage of cerebrovascular fluid. This
can cause severe headache and nausea, which are relieved by lying flat.
The condition is very treatable. Meningitis, which is an infection or
irritation of these membranes, is an uncommon but potentially serious
cause of severe headache. Other symptoms include nausea and stiffness or
pain in the neck. Detailed information regarding the spinal cord can be
found here.
Gynecologic Problems
Many clinicians have anecdotally linked gynecologic problems, such as
ovarian cysts and menstrual disorders, to chronic headaches, and new
data are emerging to support this association.
Symptoms can
be any of the following:
Dull,
aching feeling on both sides of the head.
Tight
muscles in the neck or scalp.
Not
preceded by warnings (aura, prodrome).
Feelings of
fatigue, weakness.
If severe,
nausea, light and sound sensitivity.
Headaches
indicating a serious underlying problem, such as cerebrovascular disorder
or malignant hypertension, are uncommon. (It should be emphasized again
that a headache is not a common symptom of a brain tumor.) People with
existing chronic headaches might miss a more serious condition believing
it to be one of their usual headaches. Such patients should call a
physician promptly if the quality of a headache or accompanying symptoms
has changed. Everyone should call a physician for any of the following
symptoms:
Sudden,
very severe headache, worse than any headache ever experienced (possible
indication of hemorrhage or a ruptured
aneurysm);
Sudden,
severe headaches that persist or increase in intensity over 24 hours;
Chronic or
severe headaches that begin after age fifty;
Headaches
accompanied by memory loss, confusion, loss of balance, changes in
speech or vision, or loss of strength in or numbness or tingling in arms
or legs;
Headaches
after head injury, especially if drowsiness or nausea are present
(possibility of hemorrhage);
Headaches
accompanied by fever, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting (possibility of
spinal meningitis);
Headaches
that increase with coughing or straining (possibility of brain
swelling).
A throbbing
pain around or behind the eyes or in the forehead accompanied by redness
in the eye and perceptions of halos or rings around lights (possibility
of acute glaucoma).
A one-sided
headache in the temple in elderly people; the artery in the temple is
firm and knotty and has no pulse; scalp is tender (possibility of
temporal arteritis, which can cause blindness or even stroke if not
treated)
Sudden
onset and then persistent, throbbing pain around the eye possibly
spreading to the ear or neck unrelieved by pain medication (possibility
of blood clot in one of the sinus veins of the brain)
Take this
preliminary
to see if your condition could respond to treatment.
Part
3
