How to Beat Headaches: Prevention Tips!

Did you know that 50-75% of adults experience at least one headache each year? Among those, roughly 30% have reported migraines. And as many as 4% of the world’s population are afflicted with headaches for 15 or more days every single month.

While most people focus on treating headaches after they happen, we’d like to offer some preventative tips to help you stop headaches from starting in the first place. In fact, we’ve helped many patients overcome headaches and migraines naturally through focused and gentle chiropractic care.

Here are a few tips for beating some of the most common types of headaches.

Tension headaches: This type of headache doesn’t always throb, but instead feels like tightness or tenderness in the head and neck. To prevent a tension headache, take note of what you did just before the headache occurred. Sometimes, stress is a trigger, so practicing mindfulness or breathing exercises regularly may help.

Many times, headaches are actually cervicogenic, meaning they are coming from your neck. Alignment issues in the cervical spine (neck region) can cause significant tenderness, pain and tension in the muscles…alerting you to know that there is something not right. Chiropractic care has helped so many people with these kinds of headaches.

Cluster headaches: One of the most painful types of headaches, a cluster headache is typically felt on one side of the head near the eyes and lasts anywhere between 30 – 90 minutes, on average. If you’re prone to cluster headaches, potential triggers may include bright lights, foods with nitrates like deli meats, a sudden altitude change, and alcohol or smoking. Try avoiding these triggers to see if your headaches improve.

Migraine headaches: Most research around migraine headaches points to environmental triggers, hormones, and genetics as the main culprits. Making sure you stay hydrated, avoid processed foods high in sugar and seed oils, and stick to a regular sleep schedule may help lessen their frequency. Other triggers may include bright fluorescent lights, perfumes, and strong smells.