What Triggers Headaches?

Whether you’re a headache sufferer or not, you probably know someone who is. Many simply reach for a pain reliever and try to put their headache behind them. Headaches may be common, but they’re not normal! In my chiropractic office in Greenbelt, MD our patients benefit from safe, natural chiropractic care.

Common Headache Triggers

Stress – Hectic lives, work schedules and insufficient sleep are common culprits

Sleep – Either too much or too little can trigger headaches in some people. Try to keep a regular sleep schedule.

Diet – Certain foods, such as chocolate, red wine, MSG, aged cheeses, caffeine and processed foods can bring one on.

Smells – Strong odors, such as nail polish, smoke, paint, perfume, and cleaning products can cause headaches in certain people.

Injury – Headaches are a primary symptom of whiplash and whiplash associated disorder (WAD).

Eyestrain – If you stare at a computer monitor all day or squint because you need glasses, you might experience frequent headaches.

Subluxation/Joint Fixation – If you have hunched shoulders, a restricted cervical curve, restricted movement in your neck or hear grinding sounds, it may be the underlying cause of your headaches.

Chiropractic care has shown impressive results in helping those who get frequent headaches.

Dr. Louis S. Crivelli II
Chiropractor
Greenbelt, MD

Chronic Whiplash Pain Caused by Spinal Facet Injury

In an article published in late 2007 in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons revealed that a significant number of people suffering acute neck pain following a motor vehicle collision develop chronic pain that last for years. The most common source of the chronic pain is damage to the spinal facet joints, followed by disc pain. The authors reviewed the medical literature and published data concerning chronic whiplash pain. The review reveals that 15% to 40% of patients with acute neck pain following a motor vehicle collision develop chronic pain, and that 5% to 7% become permanently partially or totally disabled. The most common source of chronic whiplash neck pain: the facet joint (49% to 54%).

In the treatment of chronic neck pain, exercise is recommended as helpful to strengthening the weak muscle groups but exercise alone is rarely curative. Many studies have shown that spinal manipulation is one of the most effective treatments for whiplash injury. Early manipulation to the cervical spine will restore motion, decrease pain, and increase the speed of recovery. The early manipulation will also decrease the buildup of scar tissue and future chronic pain syndromes.

As you may know, Tiger Woods announced on his blog on Wednesday that an MRI determined he has inflammation in the facet joint of his neck which causes pain in the area along with headaches and difficulty rotating the head. Even though he denied that his neck injury is related to the Nov. 27 car accident, but it is possible that Tiger may not have been aware of the damage immediately. As the damage sometimes doesn't manifest itself until a physical activity that puts strain on the neck - things like lifting boxes or hitting golf balls in Tiger’s case.

Reference: Schofferman J, Bogduk N, and Slosar P. Chronic whiplash and whiplash-associated disorders: An evidence-based approach. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2007 Oct;15(10):596-606.

Dr. David Chen
Chiropractor in Laurel, MD
Laurel Regional Chiropractic
www.laurelregionalchiropractic.com

-This very interesting Sweedish study illustrates that the effects of whiplash can sometimes occur in body areas or systems that seem uncommon to most patients. In my chiropractic clinic in Greenbelt, MD, we focus on the body as a whole, not just the symptoms. As a specialist in whiplash related disorders, I strive to help patients overcome all aspects of this growing epidemic.
-Dr. C

Cardiovascular and muscle activity during chewing in whiplash-associated disorders (WAD).

Kalezic N, Noborisaka Y, Nakata M, Crenshaw AG, Karlsson S, Lyskov E, Eriksson PO.

Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Gavle, Sweden; Sports Medicine Unit, Umea University, Sweden.


OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to elucidate possible physiological mechanisms behind impaired endurance during chewing as previously reported in WAD. We tested the hypothesis of a stronger autonomic reaction in WAD than in healthy subjects in response to dynamic loading of the jaw-neck motor system.

DESIGN: Cardiovascular reactivity, muscle fatigue indicies of EMG, and perceptions of fatigue, exhaustion and pain were assessed during standardised chewing. Twenty-one WAD subjects and a gender/age matched control group participated. Baseline recordings were followed by two sessions of alternating unilateral chewing of a bolus of gum with each session followed by a rest period.

RESULTS: More than half of the WAD subjects terminated the test prematurely due to exhaustion and pain. In line with our hypothesis the chewing evoked an increased autonomic response in WAD exhibited as a higher increase in heart rate as compared to controls. Furthermore, we saw consistently higher values of arterial blood pressure for WAD than for controls across all stages of the experiment. Masseter EMG did not indicate muscle fatigue nor were there group differences in amplitude and mean power frequency. Pain in the WAD group increased during the first session and remained increased, whereas no pain was reported for the controls.

CONCLUSION: More intense response to chewing in WAD might indicate pronounced vulnerability to dynamic loading of the jaw-neck motor system with increased autonomic reactivity to the test. Premature termination and autonomic involvement without EMG signs of muscle fatigue may indicate central mechanisms behind insufficient endurance during chewing.


Dr. Louis S. Crivelli II
Chiropractor
Greenbelt, MD

Whiplash Injury Prevention

This is a great article regarding the distance of your headrest and whiplash injury. At Laurel Regional Chiropractic, we analyze our patient's headrests and advise them as to the correct distances to minimize injury.


Ivancic PC, Sha D, Panjabi MM. Whiplash injury prevention with active head restraint. Clin Biomech 2009 Nov;24(9):699-707.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous epidemiological studies have observed that an initial head restraint backset greater than 10 cm is associated with a higher risk of neck injury and persistent symptoms. The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between the active head restraint position and peak neck motion using a new human model of the neck.
METHODS: The model consisted of an osteoligamentous neck specimen mounted to the torso of a rear impact dummy and carrying an anthropometric head stabilized with muscle force replication. Rear impacts (7.1 and 11.1g) were simulated with and without the active head restraint. Physiologic rotation was determined from intact flexibility tests. Significant reductions (P<0.05)>0.3 and P<0.001).
FINDINGS: The active head restraint significantly reduced the average peak spinal rotations, however, these peaks exceeded the physiologic range in flexion at head/C1 and in extension at C4/5 through C7/T1. Correlation was observed between the head restraint backset and the extension peaks at C4/5 and C5/6.
INTERPRETATION: Correlation between head restraint backset and spinal rotation peaks indicated that a head restraint backset in excess of 8.0 cm may cause hyperextension injuries at the middle and lower cervical spine. The active head restraint may not be fully activated at the time of peak spinal motions, thus reducing its potential protective effects.

Dr. Louis Crivelli and Dr. Paul Tetro