Payson, Utah — If you have a headache, you are not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.

Headaches have many causes. Ninety-five percent are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern. Only about 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems or disease.

The majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck. Dr. Ted Koren, D.C. reports on one study of 6,000 long term headaches sufferers (2-25years) that revealed neck injury (whiplash, falls) was the most important factor in the cause of headaches.

He says, “A tiny distortion or misalignment of the spine can stress the nervous system that controls your body and this can cause headaches. Anything that stresses your body can cause this misalignment.”

Another important factor is that Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.

So when people ask me how to “avoid headaches” here are my suggestions:

1). If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, or a sewing machine, typing, or reading, do some forward head rolls and shoulder rolls. If you have trouble remembering to stop working, set a timer for 30 minutes, when it goes off, it’s time for a break. You may need to have your desk, chair, and computer evaluated for sitting postures. Changing your work height and position can make your body more at ease. You will feel less pain and stiffness, and reduce the chances of hurting yourself. If you would like us to evaluate your sitting posture and then give you specific solutions to correct it, please call our office.

2). Low impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.

3). Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lower teeth, except when chewing and swallowing. Teeth clenching results in tension of the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ and tension headaches.

4).Increase your water intake. The general rule is, take your body weight and divide by two and that is how many ounces a day you should be drinking.

5). Get checked by a chiropractor. Dr. Ted Koren also reports of a study at the University of Odense, Denmark, where headache sufferers used chiropractic care and reduced their use of painkillers by 36%, and the number of headache hours by 69%.

If you have any questions you can post a comment to the blog or calls us, (see contact us for our number).