Are headaches giving you a head ache?

Headaches can be exhausting, aggravating, or even debilitating. As common as a headache may be, no headache is a normal headache. Whether caused by diet, lack of sleep, stress or disease, a headache is your body’s way of saying that something is wrong.

Tension Headaches are the most common. Having a steady ache (not throbbing), and feeling like a ban of pressure around your head, these arise from stress.Rest or removing one’s self from a stressful situationmay help diminish tension headaches, though,many people find relief from tension headaches by taking over-the-counter meds like aspirin or acetaminophen.

However, taking medication can backfire and cause a rebound headache.  It is the result of taking pain relievers daily or almost every day.  If pain relievers, prescribed or not, are overused, a headache may “rebound” as the last dose wears off. This causes many to re-dose. Taking more pills can cause stomach ulcers, a built up tolerance to pain meds- which leads one to take more to achieve the same effect, or can create such dependence to the medicine that one gets addicted.

If you experience a headache that appears to be the worst pain you’ve ever had; or if you go to bed nightlywithout a headache and are awakened, by intense, deep, persistent headaches that last more than 2 hours and do not respond to changes in position or to medications- these could be signs of life- threatening illness. Seek emergent care immediately.

Don’t let a headache get the best of you…

Written and Submitted by:

Dr. Lori Ann McMillian, D.C.

For more information, you can find Dr. McMillian at The Energy Center, located at 49 Mitchell Drive or by calling 334-595-WELL.