How to Get Rid of Headaches Part 1: Symptoms and Causes of Tension & Cervicogenic Headaches

How to Get Rid of Headaches Part 1!!

Are you suffering from daily headaches? Are these headaches one sided? Have you noticed when your headaches come on? Are your headaches triggered by certain foods? If any of these issues affect you, our East Vancouver Chiropractor at Backs in Action Wellness Centre are here to help!

Understanding Headaches

Headaches have many causes or triggers. These may include stress, behaviors (dehydration, constipation, insomnia, blood sugar changes), and certain types of food, sounds, or light.

95% of headaches are primary headaches of which there are 4 types; Tension, Migraine, Cluster, or Cervicogenic.

Tension vs Cervicogenic Headaches

Tension Headache

  • Most common type of headache
  • More likely in Females and Young Adults
  • Intermittent Headache
    • Feels like there is band of pain around one’s head (like a head band)
  • Can progress to a migraine headache (look for our next blog “Migraine vs Cluster Headaches”)

Tension Headaches Causes

  • Emotional Stress
    • Difficulty Concentrating
    • Insomnia
  • Muscular Stress
    • Tightness/Stiffness in the neck
  • Lack of rest/sleep

Cervicogenic Headache

  • Head pain originating from the spine
    • May radiate to the forehead, temples and ears
    • Similar to the tension headache
  • More likely in females
  • Aggravated by certain neck movements or sustained awkward posture

Cervicogenic Headache Causes

  • Previous neck trauma
  • Pain referral from upper cervical area (muscles, ligaments, joints and vertebral discs)

Regardless of the cause, if you have headache you want it to end! If you think you may have migraine headaches or cluster headaches, look for our upcoming blog Treatment for Headaches: Kick Your Headache to the Curb for treatment options to help cure your headache.

Headache Treatments in Vancouver

We want to help you get rid of your headache and get back into action today! To learn more about how we can help treat your headaches, visit our Backs in Action Wellness Centre in East Vancouver Chiropractor today!

Call 604-876-9977 or email info@backsinaction.ca to book an appointment.