What Is The Number one Googled Pain, Next to Back Pain?

Yes, it's headaches.

When you experience a headache, do you believe it's your brain that's in pain?

It's not uncommon to experience stress-induced headaches, especially during moments of heightened tension or anticipation.  While headaches can manifest for a multitude of reasons, stress-induced headaches are particularly noteworthy due to their prevalence and impact on individuals' daily functioning.

How many classifications of headaches do you think there are?

There are 125 different types of listed headaches, like categorized headaches. Next to back pain it is one of the most Googled ‘pain solutions’ that is searched every minute of the day.

Technically, it's every second of the day that people are searching for headache relief.

If we can categorize 125 different types of headaches, then it's probably something that's really, really important for us as humans and health professionals to be able to figure out how to address.

To simplify this post, let's call it headaches because I would lose you trying to talk about all 125 types today.

Let’s take the four types of headaches that are the most common and give you some insight into what our best-applied neurology skills/drills are that we use to help clients. 

Did You Know:

12 to 15 percent of the population suffers from recurring migraines.

25 percent of the population from recurring headaches.

90 percent of people experience these things at least once a year, like a major headache day.

And actually, about 90 percent of common headaches are called tension headaches.

These come from the tightening of muscles and tissue around the skull,  face, and neck, often stress-induced. But there can also be some biomechanical issues going on and even some neurological contributors to those.

So it's not just as simple as saying, oh, I had stress, so I got a headache. 

A quick note, and a statement of fact that blew me away when I learned it; Although it might feel like it, your brain doesn't hurt when you have a headache.  

Your brain doesn't have any pain receptors or nociceptors (nociceptors def. - sensory neurons with specialized nerve endings widely distributed in the skin, deep tissues (muscles/joints), and most of the visceral organs), as they're called, and your brain can't feel pain.

So when we have pain, we have to look at WHAT ARE the pain-sensitive structures.

Well, What Hurts Then?

The meninges of the brain can hurt, like the covering of the brain. Your blood vessels can hurt, they have nociceptors in them. Your muscles around your head and neck and the nerves themselves, those too can all experience pain.

But whenever you're having a headache, I want you to realize it's not actually inside your brain that  hurting. So of all the different contributors, tension is probably the most common, but I have a list here to share with you. So stress can contribute, hydration and sodium levels are also pretty big factors.

Menstrual cycle and hormone changes can contribute to headaches, visual issues, vestibular issues, poor breathing, and medications. So when you talk about the four most common specific types, these are the four.

4 Primary Types of Headaches.

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(1) Sinus headaches:

This is where pain is right in the front of the face, behind the brow, or the cheekbones. Coincidentally, it is the one that most people get right on their own because it is associated with a sinus infection and cold symptoms.

It makes that X shape right across the bridge of your nose.

For those who come to us with severe pain or sinus headaches, we use the Neti Pot to help relieve pressure. If we can’t relieve the pressure in the areas we want to start working with, we will not affect the areas that will help.

If you're not familiar with this, it's a little teapot that you put a saline solution in, and then you tilt your head to one side,  you pour it into one nostril, and then it comes out the other nostril. It's a great way to wash out your sinuses.

The idea is that we need clients to feel their neck and throat muscles, which is the meat and potatoes of what we need to be working on.  If those areas are in so much pain they can't work them, we will have a hard time helping relieve symptoms. 

Even if thats helps it won’t get rid of the headaches entirely.  What’s next?  Well, we've got to be able to figure out what other neuro-based drills we can give then that will help the client reduce the muscle tension that is contributing to this ongoing headache.

Just because we've been able to wash out the sinuses and the client feels a little better doesn't mean that we solved the problem. It just means that we've helped decrease the pain to a point where we can get the client to participate in the other neuro-based drills.

Generally speaking, we give the Neti Pot as a start and then after a week return and see how things are going.  If you are in this phase, connect with us below to find out what we can do for you. 

(2) Cluster Headaches

This is usually pain in and around one eye,  which can feel like a stabbing or sharp pain localized right behind the eye.

For many, this can have a significant impact on a client's daily life.

Sometimes these headaches could occur in cycles, sometimes several times a day, lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. Understandably, many find it challenging to function normally during these episodes, affecting work, social life, and overall well-being.

For cluster headaches, we may use a multi-faceted approach. 

First, we focused on relaxation techniques to help alleviate tension and stress, which can trigger cluster headaches. Deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness practices are our first approach to see if we can get relief.

More often than not, we explore lifestyle modifications, such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule, avoiding alcohol and certain foods that may trigger headaches, and staying hydrated.

Many will benefit from gentle stretching exercises to release tension in these areas, as well as manual therapy techniques to improve muscle flexibility and reduce muscle tightness.

(3) Tension Headaches:

Tension headaches, characterized by a dull, achy pain that can spread across the entire head, are among the most common types of headaches.

For some, chronic tension headaches, often leave them feeling fatigued and irritable.  Many are typically triggered by stress, poor posture, and prolonged periods of sitting at their desk.

We address many tension headaches by focusing on a combination of stress management techniques and posture correction exercises.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, such as meditation and guided imagery, have helped many of our clients to better cope with stress and reduce the frequency and intensity of their headaches.

We also will work on improving posture through targeted neuro drills aimed at turning on the reflexive nature of posture that supports the spine within the cerebellum and brain stem

(4) Migraine Headaches

This is the one that takes people out and is very painful. Migraine headaches are characterized by severe throbbing pain, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.

Many clients will say that migraines have a profound impact on their work, relationships, and daily activities.  And they will do anything to relieve the pain. 

Almost all of those we have worked with adopt a comprehensive approach that includes lifestyle modifications, dietary changes, and targeted interventions.

Identifying and avoiding migraine triggers, such as certain foods, hormonal changes, and environmental factors, played a crucial role in managing migraines.   There are several food sensitivity tests now that can help find triggers lurking beneath the surface.

The cheap way to do this; keep a migraine diary to track symptoms and identify patterns, enabling us to make informed decisions about treatment plans.

For many, migraines are a very individualized plan that incorporates many areas of health and fitness that require a very tangible step-by-step approach.

Addressing headaches requires a comprehensive approach that considers the underlying causes and individual needs of each client.

We will use our assess /  re-assess process to give us baseline knowledge of what is working and what is not working with each client. 

Headaches don't stem from the brain in pain but rather trigger the survival response due to the stress they induce, much like severe muscle soreness. What's remarkable about our students is that a vast majority, perhaps 99% of them, are immersed in the realms of health, fitness, and therapy.  This vast education, combined with applied neurology gives each student a well-rounded approach to help in an area that affects everyone. 

If you want help with your headaches or want more information on our Mentorship Education, leave us a note below and we will be in touch.