subject: Chiropractor Wilmington NC | Environmental And Physiological Triggers - Relief For Headaches [print this page] Author: Mike McCoy Author: Mike McCoy
Environmental And Physiological Triggers - Relief For Headaches The medical community is well aware of the various triggers for headaches, whether they are tension headaches or migraines. Environmental and physiological triggers are two types of common triggers which can make your headache symptoms worse or initiate a headache episode. Environmental Triggers- Glare can trigger a headache due to the bright light from the sun when you are outdoors, or from bright light in your home or workplace. Your eyes can be sensitive, which can easily trigger a headache. Another common environmental trigger is found in noise. High levels of noise or prolonged noise can trigger headaches. In addition to these triggers there are other environmental triggers for headaches: strong odors, such as perfume; weather conditions, such as heat or changes in the weather; altitude changes; chemicals, such as insecticides; blinking lights; fluorescent lighting; second-hand smoke; air pollution; and night vision. Physiological Triggers- Anxiety is a common headache trigger, whether it relates to being anxious about something or periods of anger. Your eating and sleeping patterns can affect your headaches, such as skipping meals or getting too little or too much sleep. In addition to these, physical activity and hormones can trigger headaches. For the former, if you exert your body too much, it can place stress on the muscles and blood vessels, which can cause headaches. The latter involves a link between estrogen and headaches. When estrogen levels fluctuate, the likelihood of a headache increases. In addition to these triggers, birth control pills and medicines can trigger headaches. Antihistamines, aspirin, or diuretics in particular can trigger headaches. What Does This Mean for You?- It would be irrational to suggest avoiding all the aforementioned headache triggers. It would be nice, but nearly impossible to avoid so many things that occur commonly in our life. However, you can try to identify which triggers play a more direct role in your tension headaches or migraines. Once these are identified, you can examine ways to lessen these throughout your day. For instance, if you find bright lights and glare to affect your headaches, you could minimize the light in your workstation. In this case many people who work on the computer are able to ease the situation. Chiropractic Care for Headaches- Consider seeing a chiropractic health care provider regarding your tension headaches or migraines. Your chiropractor can help you effectively treat and diagnose the cause of your headaches. A "Trigger Log" Can Help- Your chiropractor can work with you to help lessen the environmental and physiological triggers which are causing your headaches. If you commonly experience headaches due to one of the aforementioned triggers, it is important to tell your chiropractor so that he/she can help you. If your headaches are commonly caused by triggers, keep a log to inform your chiropractor of these causes. They could be a sign of a different medical condition. Treatment- Your chiropractor will be able to propose a treatment plan based on the diagnosis. There are a number of effective treatment options your chiropractor can use in order to lessen your symptoms. You may find that the environmental and physiological factors have less of an effect with treatment from your chiropractor.
