Not All Headaches And Migraines Are The Same
A headache feels like pressure, tightness, aching, or pain in one or both sides of your head. Migraines are different and commonly cause moderate to severe pain, nausea, sensitivity to sound or light, visual changes, and/or tend to worsen with activity. It is common to experience an aura before the migraine, but not everyone experiences this.
A person’s headache varies in frequency and duration. Some people have an occasional headache after long days at work, recurring headaches with neck movement, or severe migraine headaches. When experiencing frequent headaches, it’s important to keep notes about when it happened, what happened right before it, additional symptoms during the headache, hydration, sleep quality, or any current medications to help our evaluation process.
Possible Causes and Contributing Factors
Headaches can be associated with migraine, tension/stress, sickness, medication side effects, sleep disturbances, dehydration, hormones, and many more factors. Headaches which begin in the neck may worsen with joint movement, additional muscle tension, poor posture, or even a previous injury. Symptoms of different headaches overlap but can have different causes; therefore, at Haas Health Regina we perform a thorough exam prior to treatment to be confident where your headache is coming from.
How Are Headaches Evaluated?
At Haas Health in both Regina and Emerald Park, our team reviews where your headache begins, how often it happens, how long it lasts, and what additional symptoms you experience during each particular episode. Our providers may perform exams with neck movement, posture, muscle tension, joint function, and a full neurologic exam including motor, sensory, reflexes, and other central nervous system tests.
When our examination suggests that the neck or surrounding musculature are contributing to your headache, chiropractic care may be a part of the treatment process. Our recommendations are specific to your exam findings, history, and preferences and should be coordinated with a primary care provider or neurologist in cases where medication or diagnostic imaging are warranted.
Management Of Headaches
If your headaches seem related to neck pain, movement, or tension, contact Haas Health in Rochdale Regina and Emerald Park. Our team of Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Nurse Practitioners, Massage Therapists (Emerald Park Only), Acupuncturist (Emerald Park Only), and our Chronic Pain Counsellor can evaluate the musculoskeletal components related to your headaches and explain how we can help or if another referral is warranted.