We often find that many of us will complain of a sight headache. It’s so common yet a lot of us never tend to do anything about it. Chiropractic care can really help your headaches but why not have a little look further into why you are getting them in the first place.  It could be anything from the way in which you are sitting at your desk, to the extra chocolate bar you have each day. Have a little look below and see if there’s anything you can do to prevent as many future headaches.

THE FACTS:

There are 200 different varies of headaches

90% of us suffer from occasional headaches

47% of adults experienced a headache in the past year

50% of sufferers self medicate

Migraines cost 157 million work days each year

Only 40% of migraine sufferers are professionally diagnosed

Only 8% of sufferers claim their migraines don’t interfere with their work

THE TRIGGERS:

SEX – Acute headaches can occur during sexual activity. They can come on suddenly without any warning or they can appear gradually throughout.

STRESS – These are technically called tension headaches and 90% of adults have had, or will have one of these within their lifetime. These are the most common headaches.

CAFFEINE – The average US adult consumes 277mg of caffeine a day. This is the equivalent to 2 – 3 cups of coffee a day. Over 200mg a day can easily bring on a headache.

ALLERGIES – People with allergies are 14x more likely to experience migraines. This is because the body releases histamines when it makes contact with allergens, they then cause the blood vessels in the brain to dilate, this pressure then leads to a headache.

ALCOHOL – Most hangovers are caused by dehydration. Alcohol expands in the blood vessels increasing cranial pressure. It’s important to stay hydrated when drinking to avoid headaches.

FOOD – There are a lot of different foods that can cause headaches. Some of these include: Chocolate, peanuts, aspartame, bananas, potato chips, pizza and dairy products.

POOR POSTURE – This can lead to cervicogenic headaches (These are headaches that begin in the shoulder and neck then spread to the head). Avoid: Slouching, sitting too long, sleeping on your stomach with your head to the side and jaw clenching.

ENVIROMENTAL – Weather change 73%, Odors 64%, bright/flickering light 59%, extreme temp 38% and elevation 31%

 

Please visit our contact page for location details, opening hours and telephone number. The Health & Vitality Centre is based in Welwyn Garden City and our team look forward to meeting you there!