ask the experts
By Dr. John Jaskot and Dr. Juliana Haddad-Jaskot
Question: Doc, how come I'm getting headaches?
Answer: Next to lower back pain, headaches are the second most common reason for chiropractic visits. With either lower back pain or headache, pain is a symptom of an underlying dysfunction to be determined by your doctor or chiropractor.
Headaches can be classified as either complicated or uncomplicated in origin. Of the complicated variety, more sinister causes of headaches, such as brain or other nervous system tumours, need to be ruled out and treated by your family doctor and specialist.
Of the less complicated and more common variety, headaches can be caused by: physical trauma, stress, nutritional deficiencies or sensitivities, chemical toxins or vertebral misalignments. Sometimes, it can be a combination of these factors.
Physical traumatic events such as car accidents, or sports injuries, falls, sprains and strains, can often cause spinal nerve stress, or joint and muscle strain of the neck region resulting in headaches.
Emotional stress in the form of everyday stress and tension or chronic adrenal overload stress, anxiety or depression can alter the balance of many hormones the body requires for a healthy physiology. These imbalances and disruptions of the digestive system, nervous system or even the cardiovascular system can result in a variety of symptoms, one of which can be headache.
From a nutritional standpoint, deficiencies of certain vitamins (such as B complex, Vitamin C, riboflavin) or minerals (such as magnesium) or even trace elements can result in the symptom of headache. For individuals who suffer from migraines, knowledge of nutritional offenders or chemical sensitivities is essential. For example, avoidance of excess caffeine, MSG (or other glutamates) food additives and preservatives, wine or chocolate can often help.
Chemical toxin overload can often lead to unsuspecting headaches. Even though our bodies are designed to detox via the liver in general, and by perspiration, elimination or respiration, in today’s environment, from pollutants to food additives and improper choices, it is easy to be in a toxic overload.
Vertebral misalignments in the cervical spine can cause interference in the nervous system leading to spinal nerve stress, muscle tension and joint dysfunction, resulting in the symptom of headache (a.k.a. cervicogenic headache).
The most common type of headaches are: tension headache, cervicogenic headache, and migraine headache.
Most people in their lifetime have suffered from a tension-based headache. This can be self-limiting or can lead to chronic muscle tension, trigger-point formations and eventual habituation of chronic, tight musculature around the upper back, shoulders, head and neck or temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This type of chronic tension headache can be a contributing factor to developing cervicogenic headache.
So now that you have a better idea of the complexities of headache origins, what can be done to rid of them once and for all?
First and foremost, your doctor or chiropractor must make the correct diagnosis. Remember, more than one underlying factor may be at play.
The more common type of headaches are usually treated by most people with an over the counter pain medication. The problem with this can be two-fold: first, remember that pain is a symptom so you are not addressing the cause. Second, over time, pain killers or other headache drugs can become habit forming, resulting in taking more pills, or more potent pills. Rebound headaches can result. Either way, toxic metabolites can cause toxic overload.
Fortunately, more gentle drug-free and conservative measures can help the body heal. Chiropractors can diagnose and address the underlying problems leading to common uncomplicated headaches. Safe, gentle chiropractic adjustments made to the areas with the most spinal nerve stress can calm the nervous system, reduce muscle tension and trigger points, and help restore the body’s ability to self-repair. Proper alignment of the spine, correct posture eliminating forward head carriage and spinal exercises and stretches can be very helpful.
Other forms of treatment include registered massage therapy, acupuncture, yoga, tai-chi and the gold standard of aerobic exercise, walking. Gentle detox and body cleansing programs can also be given under the direction of your chiropractor.
Dr. John Jaskot and Dr. Juliana Haddad-Jaskot have been in practice for 20 years and provide ergonomic office assessments as well as clinical spinal and postural evaluations. They can be reached at: Dr. John Jaskot, Thornhill Chiropractic & Wellness Centre, 905-886-9778. Dr. Juliana Haddad-Jaskot, Markham Town Square Health Centre, 905-940-9988 ext. 4. www.chiro-docs.com. info@chiro-docs.com.
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
