Headache & Migraine Treatment Coventry

Headaches are an increasingly common form of neurological disorder. Tension-type-headache and migraine are the second and third most common type of disease in the world respectively, behind dental cavities. Not only do headaches cause significant discomfort, they are also a significant cause of disability. According to the updated Global Burden of Disease Study, migraines alone are the sixth highest contributor to years lost to disability (YLD) worldwide. Cumulatively, headache disorders are the third leading cause of YLD.

Apart from the significant global and societal burden that headaches represent, they also cause enormous quality of life issues for those individuals affected.  Sufferers frequently report detrimental effects to relationships, family life, career and recreation.  Additionally, migraine sufferers are more likely than average to suffer from anxiety and depression.

Thankfully, the majority of headaches can be successfully helped with appropriate care.  Many people resort to frequent use of medication to help manage their symptoms.  Not only is this detrimental to their long-term health, medication-overuse-headache, caused by long term, excessive use of medication to treat symptoms of headache is on the increase.  It is generally considered that headaches are an under-recognised and under-treated disorder in todays’ society.  So many of us simply “battle on,” sometimes using medication as a crutch, or simply ignoring the detrimental effects to our general well-being.  Appropriate diagnosis and care is the most effective long-term strategy for dealing with headache disorders.

Some common types of headache include:

Tension-Type Headache

TTHA are the most common type of headache.

They are usually quite frequent, and often worse in the late afternoon or evening.

The pain is usually on both sides of the head, often above the eyes or at the back of the skull.

Symptoms can last for days or weeks.

These usually first occur in adolescence and are more common in females.

The pain is on one side of the head and is more severe than a tension-type-headache.  They may or may not be associated with an “aura” of visual disturbance or other neurological signs and symptoms, but are associated with nausea and / or vomiting.

Symptoms usually last between 4-72 hours.

Cervicogenic Headache

Sufferers may have a history of head or neck trauma, such as a car crash.  There is often reduced movement in neck motion and/or pain.

Symptoms are usually on one side of the head, often at the back of the skull, but can also radiate into the side and front of the head.  They are usually recurrent.

Pain is constant, often throbbing and can be severe, and may be associated with migraine like symptoms of nausea, vomiting and visual disturbance.

If you are suffering with any kind of ongoing headache, imagine how life might be different without them.  Would your quality of life improve? Might you have more restful sleep, better energy and focus, and less overwhelmed by the demands of day to day life?  Chiropractors are trained to diagnose headache, and can offer appropriate, cost-effective care for many types of headache.  They can also help you see the right medical professional if the cause of your headache appears to be more serious and needs further investigation.

If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment, please call the clinic on 02476 452357, and let us know how we can help.