Most common in the 25 to 55 age range, it also affects children where it\u2019s often undiagnosed. Females experience migraines at a higher rate than males. The effects can be devastating to sufferers. Depression, anxiety, sleep problems,<\/strong> and dependence on medication are common results of regular migraine episodes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is, Osteopathy treatment can effectively treat<\/strong> headaches presenting as migraines and if you do suffer true migraines treatment may still be effective in reducing the intensity and \/ or frequency of your migraines. Often a change is felt within the 1 – 3 treatments. Read on to learn more about headaches versus migraines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is a Migraine and How is it Different From a Headache?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere are subtle differences between headaches and migraines see if you can identify which ones you are experiencing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Migraines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nMigraines<\/strong> can last for days. Sensitivity to light and noise is a common symptom of migraines. The pain is generally felt on one side of the head, it can sometimes feel as if the face is perfectly divided in half. Sufferers often feel the sensation of their heartbeat pulsating in their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Physical activity may increase the pain and migraines can induce nausea and vomiting in sufferers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are four typical stages of a migraine:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Prodrome <\/strong>– symptoms or changes experienced a day or two before a migraine. Symptoms include changes in bowel habits such as constipation and diarrhea, irritability, restlessness, sleepiness, and food cravings.<\/li>
- Aura <\/strong>– typically last anywhere between 10-30 minutes. Usually visual symptoms but can also be motor or sensory. Visual symptoms can be \u2018sparkly\u2019 vision, flashes, floaters, double vision, loss of peripheral vision\/tunnel vision. Others may feel tingling or sensory changes in different parts of their body including numbness, prickling that may affect arm, leg or the face, or transient muscle weakness or speech difficulties.<\/li>
- Migraine <\/strong>– Can last hours to days. This is the symptoms of intense headache type sensations (stabbing, pounding, aching etc\u2026) that usually leave people unable to function. They may experience photophobia- inability to be in the light, auditory sensitivity- difficulty with noises, nausea and vomiting.<\/li>
- Postdrome <\/strong>– this can last for days after a migraine and may be experienced as feeling where the \u2018headache\u2019 was, feeling drained and washed out.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Not all four stages are identified by migraine sufferers but many will experience an \u2018aura\u2019 before the onset of migraine. They often use this as a warning to use medication before it gets too severe or that they need to go home and rest. Migraines can also be worsened in females by hormonal changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some migraines can be severe and unresponsive to over the counter medications<\/strong>. If you have tried Osteopathy treatment, supplements and over the counter medications unsuccessfully your doctor can investigate further and prescribe migraine prophylaxis\/prevention and treatment medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Headaches<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nHeadaches<\/strong> are the result of tension in the neck or head. The pain is moderate and won\u2019t impact on your daily life in the same way as a migraine headache will. Tight muscles in the shoulders, neck and jaw can become so tight that they start to refer pain causing the headache. In some cases, the pain can be so intense that it can present like a migraine including nausea and vomiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Types of Headaches:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Tension](\"https:\/\/metamed.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Tension-headache-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nTension: <\/strong>Dull aching sensation at the back of your neck, shoulders and scalp. Pain typcially occurs at the same time each day and aggravated by stress, relieved by alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Eye](\"https:\/\/metamed.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Eye-headache-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCluster:<\/strong> Sharp piercing pain usually one-sided and behind the eye. Can have associated symptoms of nasal congestion, tearing of the eye, flushing or sweats on the affected side. Cluster headaches often come in regular bursts lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours. Usually occur at the same time each day. These types of headaches are more common in men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Sinus](\"https:\/\/metamed.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Sinus-headache-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSinus headaches:<\/strong> can be caused by congestion or infection of your sinuses. Pain and swelling can be experienced at the front of your cheeks by your nose where your maxillary sinuses are located, or pain between and above your brow where your frontal sinuses are located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where is your headache coming from?<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n- Base of the skull\/suboccipital headache<\/strong> suboccipital muscle tension will typically give the heavy feeling at the back of the neck, if tight enough will radiate over the top of the head into the forehead and sometimes behind the eye<\/li>
- Retro-orbital\/behind the eye headaches<\/strong>– when you feel like someone is inside your skull stabbing you with a knife. You hold your hand over your eye or press under your brow the relieve the pain. These can be caused by a combination of neck muscle tension, and typically the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles at the front of the neck.<\/li>
- Sharp and shooting pain<\/strong> that catches you when you turn your neck. There is a nerve called the greater occipital nerve that sits under the base of the skull. Sometimes muscle tension or irritation can cause irritability of the nerve. Turning the head into certain positions can aggravate it causing the sharp shooting pain.<\/li>
- Hormonal headaches-<\/strong> typically cyclical or monthly and occur at the same time of your cycle. This can be ovulation, the week before your period or one week after.<\/li>
- Dental pain- <\/strong>can cause sinus-like headaches in the cheek and temple region. Headaches are also common after dental work when your mouth has been open for a prolonged period of time (Temporomandibular joint TMJ pain<\/strong><\/a>) such as with orthodontic work, filling or crown work, root canals. Dental pain from wisdom teeth is also a common cause of headaches.<\/li>
- Eye strain- <\/strong>straining to focus can overwork muscles controlling your eyes causing tension in pain. Often looking at a computer screen for long periods can lead to issues with your vision. Other symptoms of eye strain can be a sore neck and shoulders, watering eyes, blurry vision and difficulty concentrating. Eye strain can be made worse by stress and fatigue. We recommend you see an optometrist to have your eyes checked to see if it is the cause of your headaches.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What Causes a Migraine?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBoth migraines and headaches can be triggered by stress. The list of causes of pain in the head and neck is extensive. But these are the most common ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Head or neck trauma<\/li>
- Muscle tension<\/strong><\/li>
- Nervousness & anxiety<\/li>
- Irritated nerves<\/li>
- Hormonal changes<\/li>
- Depression<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How Osteopathy Helps Migraine Pain?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Migraines<\/strong> can last for days. Sensitivity to light and noise is a common symptom of migraines. The pain is generally felt on one side of the head, it can sometimes feel as if the face is perfectly divided in half. Sufferers often feel the sensation of their heartbeat pulsating in their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Physical activity may increase the pain and migraines can induce nausea and vomiting in sufferers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are four typical stages of a migraine:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Prodrome <\/strong>– symptoms or changes experienced a day or two before a migraine. Symptoms include changes in bowel habits such as constipation and diarrhea, irritability, restlessness, sleepiness, and food cravings.<\/li>
- Aura <\/strong>– typically last anywhere between 10-30 minutes. Usually visual symptoms but can also be motor or sensory. Visual symptoms can be \u2018sparkly\u2019 vision, flashes, floaters, double vision, loss of peripheral vision\/tunnel vision. Others may feel tingling or sensory changes in different parts of their body including numbness, prickling that may affect arm, leg or the face, or transient muscle weakness or speech difficulties.<\/li>
- Migraine <\/strong>– Can last hours to days. This is the symptoms of intense headache type sensations (stabbing, pounding, aching etc\u2026) that usually leave people unable to function. They may experience photophobia- inability to be in the light, auditory sensitivity- difficulty with noises, nausea and vomiting.<\/li>
- Postdrome <\/strong>– this can last for days after a migraine and may be experienced as feeling where the \u2018headache\u2019 was, feeling drained and washed out.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Not all four stages are identified by migraine sufferers but many will experience an \u2018aura\u2019 before the onset of migraine. They often use this as a warning to use medication before it gets too severe or that they need to go home and rest. Migraines can also be worsened in females by hormonal changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some migraines can be severe and unresponsive to over the counter medications<\/strong>. If you have tried Osteopathy treatment, supplements and over the counter medications unsuccessfully your doctor can investigate further and prescribe migraine prophylaxis\/prevention and treatment medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Headaches<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Headaches<\/strong> are the result of tension in the neck or head. The pain is moderate and won\u2019t impact on your daily life in the same way as a migraine headache will. Tight muscles in the shoulders, neck and jaw can become so tight that they start to refer pain causing the headache. In some cases, the pain can be so intense that it can present like a migraine including nausea and vomiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Types of Headaches:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nTension: <\/strong>Dull aching sensation at the back of your neck, shoulders and scalp. Pain typcially occurs at the same time each day and aggravated by stress, relieved by alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCluster:<\/strong> Sharp piercing pain usually one-sided and behind the eye. Can have associated symptoms of nasal congestion, tearing of the eye, flushing or sweats on the affected side. Cluster headaches often come in regular bursts lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours. Usually occur at the same time each day. These types of headaches are more common in men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nSinus headaches:<\/strong> can be caused by congestion or infection of your sinuses. Pain and swelling can be experienced at the front of your cheeks by your nose where your maxillary sinuses are located, or pain between and above your brow where your frontal sinuses are located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where is your headache coming from?<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- Base of the skull\/suboccipital headache<\/strong> suboccipital muscle tension will typically give the heavy feeling at the back of the neck, if tight enough will radiate over the top of the head into the forehead and sometimes behind the eye<\/li>
- Retro-orbital\/behind the eye headaches<\/strong>– when you feel like someone is inside your skull stabbing you with a knife. You hold your hand over your eye or press under your brow the relieve the pain. These can be caused by a combination of neck muscle tension, and typically the sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles at the front of the neck.<\/li>
- Sharp and shooting pain<\/strong> that catches you when you turn your neck. There is a nerve called the greater occipital nerve that sits under the base of the skull. Sometimes muscle tension or irritation can cause irritability of the nerve. Turning the head into certain positions can aggravate it causing the sharp shooting pain.<\/li>
- Hormonal headaches-<\/strong> typically cyclical or monthly and occur at the same time of your cycle. This can be ovulation, the week before your period or one week after.<\/li>
- Dental pain- <\/strong>can cause sinus-like headaches in the cheek and temple region. Headaches are also common after dental work when your mouth has been open for a prolonged period of time (Temporomandibular joint TMJ pain<\/strong><\/a>) such as with orthodontic work, filling or crown work, root canals. Dental pain from wisdom teeth is also a common cause of headaches.<\/li>
- Eye strain- <\/strong>straining to focus can overwork muscles controlling your eyes causing tension in pain. Often looking at a computer screen for long periods can lead to issues with your vision. Other symptoms of eye strain can be a sore neck and shoulders, watering eyes, blurry vision and difficulty concentrating. Eye strain can be made worse by stress and fatigue. We recommend you see an optometrist to have your eyes checked to see if it is the cause of your headaches.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What Causes a Migraine?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Both migraines and headaches can be triggered by stress. The list of causes of pain in the head and neck is extensive. But these are the most common ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Head or neck trauma<\/li>
- Muscle tension<\/strong><\/li>
- Nervousness & anxiety<\/li>
- Irritated nerves<\/li>
- Hormonal changes<\/li>
- Depression<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How Osteopathy Helps Migraine Pain?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n