September - Headache and Migraine Awareness Week

This week is Headache and Migraine Awareness Week 2022! As medical research progresses each year, our collective knowledge on headaches and migraines likewise improves. In this Blog, Shane dives a little deeper into the how headaches and migraines work behind the scenes.

For the purpose of this blog, we will collectively refer to headaches and migraines as ‘headaches’ for brevity.

Headaches have a common underlying physiological process and that is the activation of the trigemino-cervical complex (TCC). The TCC can be thought of as the control centre located in the brainstem that governs a complex web of neurons around our head and neck. Within this network, there is an intimate connection between the nerves that supply our eyes, face, head and neck. So much so that when the TCC is activated, pain among other symptoms can be felt in all of these areas – hence the term ‘headaches’.

Many factors can potentially contribute to the activation of the TCC, and the most common are tight muscles and stiff joints of the neck region. Sound familiar? As tight muscles and stiff joints persist over time they can continue to re-activating the TCC causing recurrent headaches, which may even worsen in intensity with greater chronicity.

Headache intensity is also dictated by our supraspinal descending inhibitory system, aka. pain relieving system within our brainstem and spinal cord tracts. If this system is not functioning optimally, the threshold to activate the TCC can be lowered, meaning it will take a smaller pain signal to ignite a headache. Again highlighting the tendency for many people to have a history of headaches, which is why we physiotherapists like to delve into more of this information when you attend for that first assessment.

Other factors and mechanisms which also contribute to headaches include but are not limited to:

-       Lifestyle habits including sleep

-       Stress

-       Occupational demands

-       Medications

-       Hormonal fluctuations

-       Exercise frequency and type

Hopefully with this article, you will have gained a better understanding of what drives headaches and migraines, and appreciate that a one-size-fits-all model does not capture the complexity of these conditions.

If you experience headaches or migraines, Shane is available to help. He has completed a number of advanced head, neck and jaw courses, in addition to further training in concussion and vertigo treatment.  Reach us through our online booking system or give us a call at our Bowral Clinic 4861 1223.