Headaches are common, affecting even children. But why do they happen? If you struggle with frequent headaches or wonder about their causes and treatments, this blog is for you. This blog can guide you through headache causes, treatment, and prevention.
Why Do Headaches Occur?
While many things can trigger headaches, like dehydration, the most common types are tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches(originating from the neck). Lifestyle plays a huge role. If you sit at a desk all day or use mobile devices often, you may develop tech neck, where the head shifts forward, overworking neck muscles. Even how you sleep can make a difference. Check this list to make sure you’re sleeping the right way to minimize headaches.
Chronic tension headaches often lead to jaw dysfunction (clicking or grinding), as tension in the neck affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Too much exposure to digital screens can also trigger headaches by overstimulating the brain’s midbrain (mesencephalon). A postural neurology exam can reveal a head tilt, a common sign of imbalance. Head tilt, jaw pain, and headaches often go hand in hand.
How to Fix Headache-Causing Posture Issues
There’s not one thing that can correct your posture and make your headaches go away. Its a multi-step process that includes:
- Ergonomic adjustments
- Manual muscle work such as ART
- Chiropractic adjustment
- Postural Neurology
- Posture and movement correction through Developmental Kinesiology exercises
Don’t make the mistake of thinking some of these alone, such as massage or adjustment will solve the problem. If posture remains uncorrected, headaches often return. That’s where brain-based neurology comes in.
Your brain has a body map called the homunculus, which controls movement and sensation. When posture is poor for too long, this map weakens. Through postural neurology exercises, we can retrain weak areas of the brain to restore proper posture and movement.
Then, Developmental Kinesiology exercises such as Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) practice this coordination in functional movements. This way all the body learn how to play together in movement according to the natural design. It only makes sense to see how babies, born with body parts and muscles developed the strength in individual muscles and then learned to move one body part while moving other parts. The exercise below is a great example:
When to Seek Treatment for Headaches
If you get headaches frequently, don’t ignore them. Medications only mask the problem. Early intervention prevents long-term damage and avoids dependence on medication.
When should you seek treatment? Right away! It is easier to fix a problem sooner than later and before too much damage is done. Fixing the ‘damage’ takes longer and more costly as the problem becomes more chronic.
The Link Between Headaches and Full-Body Pain
Headaches don’t stay isolated. They lead to mid-back tension, shoulder pain, and even lower back problems. As posture declines, the body shifts to compensate, creating issues in the hips, knees, and ankles. Addressing headaches early prevents this downward spiral.
Headaches should never be taken lightly. They can sneak into the rest of your life and your relationship and have a toll on so many aspects of your life. If you truly want to get down to the root cause of your headaches and fix the issue rather than just treat the pain for now and worry about it ‘later’, then why delay the RIGHT treatment. If the ‘generic’ treatment worked, so many people would not suffer from it. We now see children with headaches and we can thank our lifestyle for it.
To learn more about the things you can do to prevent the premature deterioration of your health and wellbeing, I invite you to visit my website and youtube channel to learn more about posture, and why you should take action to correct bad posture and prevent postural decline now.
Remember, you are the Designer and the Director of your own life so design and direct it the way you wish to see it.
Dr. Shakib