Having just evaluated a new patient with "migraine headaches'' I thought I'd write more about them. Firstly, migraine headaches are commonly misdiagnosed. Physicians used to believe that migraines had a vascular component to them (meaning the blood vessles to the head were involved). Newer research is pointing in the direction of genetic involvment, not suprisingly. These headaches are debilitating to most sufferers. They are often associated with a "trigger" that starts the cycle of nausea, throbbing pressure in the head, light/sound sensitivity etc. Determining and avoiging the trigger is really the best approach in reducing their frequency. Common triggers include: caffeine, lights or stress. Headaches.org has a great site that discusses migraines more in depth.
If you suffer from headaches I'd suggest seeing a headache specialist, or a physical therapist who can help with cervicogenic or tension headaches. These types of headaches originate in the cervical spine, which can be malaligned, or are the result of tight upper back and neck muscles.
No comments:
Post a Comment