QUICK LINKS ABOUT HEADACHES & MIGRAINES
Although headaches are rarely caused by underlying serious illness, severe and persistent headaches should always be taken seriously. This is particularly important in children, and if the headache comes on suddenly or gradually in people who have not been bothered before.
Distribution
Studies show that 3% of the population have headaches daily, and around 10% at least once a week. Only 5% of us never have a headache, not even "hangovers". Over 1% of the population have headaches due to long-term overuse of painkillers for headaches and migraines. If you have a headache once a week, that's over 50 days a year. Seek help before your headache becomes a major nuisance!
Like any other pain, a headache is just a warning that something may be wrong. The source of the pain is often a malfunction in the muscles and joints of the neck. The same patient can have several types of headache. These may merge or resemble each other. For example, it may start with a tension headache triggered by a hard physical or mental strain. If the pain persists, a neck headache may be the next step, which in turn may trigger a migraine. Another example is the patient with frequent tension headaches who eventually develops chronic drug-induced headaches.
Causes
Headaches and migraines are often related to the neck and other nearby structures, reduced fluid intake, blood circulation or endocrine disorders. It is well documented that assessment and treatment of these conditions can provide positive relief from headaches and migraines. The inner ear and our eyes can also have a major impact on headaches and migraines.
Our eyes work closely with our neck, especially the upper neck muscles (suboccipital muscles). Therefore, visual disturbances and impaired eye motor function can be the cause of neck problems, which in turn trigger headaches and migraines. In other words, the neck may only be a secondary problem and not the main cause of headaches.
The inner ear also interacts closely with the neck and its main task is to "tell" the neck where and how the head moves. This gives the neck a very free and complex movement pattern. When the information from the inner ear is incorrect or reduced, this will affect the free movement pattern of the neck, which in turn can be a trigger for headaches and migraines.