Why does my head hurt?
First things first: have a large drink of water, avoid too much caffeine and have a nap! If that doesn’t work read on…….
Headaches can be exhausting and distressing and are most definitely an unwanted distraction in the midst of a busy life. I completely understand why people reach for painkillers but there are a few reasons why it’s not ideal to use painkillers as your primary method of dealing with headaches.
Number 1: Rebound headaches. It’s a sorry fact that a large number of headaches are actually caused by painkillers, when they are overused. This can happen with simple over the counter medication as well as stronger prescription meds.
Number 2: In Chinese Medicine the liver is often implicated in headaches. As with any chronic condition we need to take good care of our livers which means not overburdening them with alcohol or pharmaceuticals. You can see how a vicious cycle can establish itself.
So if taking pills is not the answer, what else can you do?
First of all there are different types of headaches, the main types are:
-Migraine
-Cluster headaches
-Tension headaches
-Sinus headaches.
With Sinus headaches there is over production of phlegm in the sinuses combined with poor drainage. So there may be something you are ingesting in your diet (eg dairy or excess sugar) that’s causing the inflammation. In which case it might be helpful to consult a nutritional therapist or acupuncturist. Or maybe you need help with your lymphatic system. Craniosacral therapy can help ease restrictions in the bones and connective tissues around the sinus cavities.
Migraines can also be dietary in cause.
Cluster headaches are poorly understood medically but have been associated with stress, cigarette smoking and alcohol use. Which to me suggests a combination of heightened sympathetic arousal in the nervous system and also possibly a level of toxicity that is not being properly cleared out by the body’s natural detoxification pathways.
The body’s main detoxification system is your lymphatic system, but not only does that have to be working well, also your liver and bowel need to be working well to clear the waste out of your body.
All headaches (with caveat below under red flags ) are at least partially related to stress, tension and lymphatic flow.
When stress accumulates in certain parts of the body (head and neck are common because as a culture we spend a lot of time “up in our heads”) not to mention prolonged posture hunched over computers and phones, muscles constrict. Which means blood vessels get constricted, fascia gets constricted, lymphatic flow is disrupted. Which means that cells are not only getting the right amount of oxygen but toxic materials also build up in the cells. Which the brain registers as pain as a way to get you to do something about it.
So how do I work with headaches in the clinic?
Well, it’s individual, but it will involve covering the following bases:
1- posture. so that drainage from the brain and head is allowed to flow.
2-lymphatics: again, so the brain and head are clearing.
3- release of muscle tension from upper back, chest, shoulders, jaw or wherever is holding tension in your case.
4- Addressing your breath. When breath is not moving properly through your body, tension will accumulate high up.
5- craniosacral therapy: There is a very complex arrangement of bones and joints in the head. They all need to have a subtle flow and movement for all structures to remain healthy. Craniosacral therapy is a gentle method for restoring flow and ease to the structures of the head and neck.
6- working with your nervous system to help you access your parasympathetic nervous system where the body switches on it’s own healing and repair.
If you suffer from headaches, consider getting to the root cause, instead of relying on those pills.
You can book in with me online or as always feel free to contact me with any questions.
Best wishes and Happy Imbolc,
Sinead .
Red Flags: the following should be dealt with as a medical emergency:
An abrupt, severe headache like a thunderclap.
Headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, seizures, double vision, numbness or weakness in any part of the body, which could be a sign of a stroke.
Headache after a head injury.
A chronic headache that is worse after coughing, exertion, straining or a sudden movement.