A headache can be a minor one-time inconvenience or a recurring pain that develops frequently and holds a lasting effect on someone’s daily life. While not everyone will experience chronic headaches, the help of Buford headache specialists can be a life-changer for those who do. Headaches are caused by many different things and can require different methods of prevention and relief. We are prepared to fully diagnose any underlying issues and develop personalized treatments that get to the root of any headache issues you are experiencing.
Headaches are often described as a throbbing, consistent pressure that can be either sharp or dull. Most people will experience this sensation at one point or another. In fact, headaches are the most common reason cited for missed work or school days. Most of the time, headaches aren’t serious, but that fact doesn’t alleviate the pain or stop any concern. Further, chronic headaches impact daily quality of life while potentially hurting the sufferer’s ability to perform tasks like driving and using a computer. A skilled professional from Optimum Health Rehab in Buford can help you make the right adjustments to heal your body.
When you work with a headache treatment specialist at Optimum, you gain a knowledgeable team of professional advocates whose main objective is to help you minimize symptoms or feel fully pain-free again. Take control of your health with the resources available from our local team of professionals. To speak with a trusted member of our team, contact us online or call (678) 714-3058.
Why Am I Getting a Headache Every Day?
A headache can arise for a wide variety of reasons. When you are researching possible causes for your headache symptoms, remember not to rely on self-diagnosis before talking to a medical professional. With such a wide variety of causes out there, a professional opinion is the most efficient way to understand your body’s pain.
A consistent headache that persists every day most likely has something to do with your habits and routine. It could also possibly be a warning from your body about a serious underlying condition, such as nerve impedance, nutritional deficiencies, or an untreated injury. Getting a headache every day isn’t normal, but it is by no means a reason to immediately start panicking about alarming medical conditions.
There are many causes for persistent headaches that are not considered serious, including but not limited to:
- Lack of sleep: Particularly relevant for new parents or those in demanding job positions, a lack of sleep or sudden change in sleep schedule can trigger frequent headaches. 1 in 3 adults is under-rested, and because most adults don’t get enough sleep, headaches are an extremely common consequence.
- Jaw clenching: This is a common response to stressful situations and can even happen in your sleep. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is what connects the skull to the lower jaw. This is a sensitive location because of the nerves that sit in the base of the skull. If you notice headaches arising after a long day at work, running errands, or otherwise engaging in high-energy and stressful situations, you may have a jaw-clenching problem. Some people may not even realize they clench their jaw, either.
- Unbalanced diet: Many people have an unbalanced or irregular diet which can have a serious and lasting effect on the body. A normal symptom of under eating or eating the wrong foods is headaches. A headache is a way for your body to let you know that it isn’t getting what it needs. Most commonly, headaches are a response to too much sugar or overconsumption of substances like caffeine.
- Incorrect eyeglass prescription: Wearing the wrong eyeglass prescription can lead to headaches because of eye strain. As your eyes fight to see correctly, the connected muscles grow overworked and begin to feel irritated. If your headaches are caused by your glasses, you will most likely feel pressure behind the eyes and above the eyebrows.
- Stress: This is a type of tension headache that happens when the muscles around the neck and scalp repeatedly contract or become tense. Stress headaches are common among adults and older teenagers. While stress headaches are slightly more common in adult women and tend to run in families, they can affect anyone at any age. Tension headaches are often times described as a squeezing pain that feels like someone is putting pressure on either side of your head, with the most intense pain sitting at the front of the skull.
- Overuse of headache medication: Too much of a good thing can come with serious consequences. The blissful relief that comes from over-the-counter headache medication won’t last long if you begin to rely on it. These pills should only be taken occasionally, or they could have the opposite effect on your symptoms.
More serious cases are less likely but should be ruled out by a professional, and include some of the following:
- Inflammation around the brain: Infectious encephalitis, or an inflamed brain, is a serious concern that should be treated immediately. Inflammation could also be the beginning stage of a stroke. Symptoms include headache, nausea, fever, stiffness of the neck, vomiting, double-vision, drowsiness, and confusion.
- Injury: Every year, about 1.5 million people survive a traumatic brain injury (TBI). An injury-related headache will usually develop within seven days of the incident and should be assessed by a doctor. Symptoms of a serious head injury include loss of consciousness, a headache that persists or worsens, dilation of one or both pupils, weakness, slurred speech, and vomiting.
- Too high or low intracranial pressure: Unbalanced intracranial pressure is caused by serious health conditions which should be addressed by your doctor. Symptoms include a headache, blurred vision, changes in behavior, weakness or trouble walking or talking, feeling less alert than usual, getting less sleep, and vomiting.
- Infections: A headache is one of the first symptoms that can arise when a person is suffering from an infection. You could get a headache from something as common as the flu, or something more serious like meningitis. If you are experiencing a headache accompanied by photophobia (sensitivity to light), unusual sleepiness, stiffness in the neck, irritability, or vomiting, it could be an infection.
What Treatments Do Buford Headache Specialists Offer?
To comprehensively treat persistent headaches, a licensed professional at Optimum Health Rehab will help you tackle the root of the problem. A chiropractor can introduce you to spinal manipulative therapy to restore a normal range of motion to the affected area. This treatment can relax tension in your muscles and promote long lasting wellness that is unachievable for many patients with traditional treatments.
You’ll find a wide variety of relief services at Optimum Health, including therapeutic massages, strategic stretching, traction, and trigger point injections. Choosing the right care team can make a huge difference in your healing journey, as you don’t want someone inexperienced or someone stuck in their ways. Our chiropractic, wellness, and injury treatment teams have years of experience and a passion for continued education to always ensure that we are offering the most effective and up-to-date experience for patients.
What are Common Types of Headaches?
While headaches are common, the type of headache we suffer from can go a long way toward determining a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Headaches are placed into either the primary or secondary category. Primary headaches are not considered the result of an underlying medical condition and could even be caused by genetics. This type of headache is typically due to dysfunction or overexertion of pain-sensitive areas in a person’s head.
The types of primary headaches are as follows:
- Tension headaches
- Migraines
- Cluster headaches
- New daily persistent headaches (NDPH)
Oftentimes, these headaches are triggered by habits or lifestyle choices including but not limited to overconsumption of alcohol (e.g. red wine), nicotine intake, bad sleep routine, poor posture, and an unbalanced diet.
On the other hand, secondary headaches are related to an underlying medical condition. This type of headache is considered a sign or symptom of a condition. This status does not necessarily mean that they are always more dangerous, as they can resolve when the condition is treated.
Secondary headaches that are not considered serious and should usually stop when treated include:
- Dehydration headaches
- Sinus headaches
- Medication overuse headaches
There are more serious and potentially life-threatening types of secondary headaches such as:
- Spinal headaches: These are intense headaches caused by fluid leaking out of the membrane which covers your spinal cord. This can happen after a spinal tap. A prolonged, untreated spinal headache can have life-threatening complications.
- Thunderclap headaches: This is an extremely painful headache that suddenly appears like a clap of thunder, hence the name thunderclap headache. These headaches don’t typically last very long but can be inhibiting because of the intense pain. A thunderclap headache can be harmless but could also be a symptom of serious concerns like a head injury, brain bleed, reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, or a sudden rise in blood pressure.
Relief From Recurring Headaches
If you are looking for chronic headache treatment, look no further than Optimum Health Rehab in Buford. A member of our experienced team of chiropractic professionals is standing by to help you get started on your journey to relief.
While frequent headaches have been normalized by our high-stress society that is prone towards treating them with over-the-counter medications, oftentimes temporary fixes aren’t sufficient enough. Our services offer comprehensive treatment that looks to tackle the root of the problem and prevent it from returning. To speak with a trusted member of our team, contact us online or call (678) 714-3053.