Over the years I have written multiple articles on headaches. This is because there are so many types and causes of headaches that there is much to write about. Headaches are one of the top three reasons why people present to the doctor.

The most common types of headaches are tension headaches and migraine headaches. Tension headaches are typically a constant squeezing-like pain about the head whereas a migraine headache has a throbbing or pulsating quality. Many people believe the term migraine headache is used simply to categorize a very severe headache. This is not so. Migraines are a specific group of headaches which have a vascular cause and thus have a throbbing component. Compounding diagnosis, headaches of the same type can have many variable causes.

In my office we address many migraine causes as well as tension headaches which are caused by brain based inabilities to perform appropriate eye movements. This becomes confusing for many patients as once you mention the eyes as a cause of headaches you inherently think to see an optometrist. In reality, optometrists are interested in the focusing ability of the eyes and in diseases of the eyes. Movement of the eyes to targets however is brain based and not typically assessed by eye doctors. This is an extremely overlooked cause of headaches as few practitioners have appropriate diagnostic equipment to evaluate brain based eye movements.

Additionally, several headaches are perpetuated through poor eating habits and nutritinal deficiency. This can easily be addressed by changing poor dietary habits in favor of better eating habits and thus augmenting nutrition.

It is most unfortunate however that the vast majority of headaches are treated through inappropriate drug therapies, most all of which do not fix the underlying cause of the headaches but rather are typically an opiate based drug prescribed to help manage symptoms. Recent studies are prooving more and more deficits related to these-type drugs which can be very addictive and require increasing dosage to maintain any level of symptom control.

If you suffer from headaches you would be well served to contact my office to schedule an appointment for a complete neurologic examination. For most, it is their last headache consult.

It is most unfortunate however that the vast majority of headaches are treated through inappropriate drug therapies, most all of which do not fix the underlying cause of the headaches but rather are typically an opiate based drug prescribed to help manage symptoms. Recent studies are prooving more and more deficits related to these-type drugs which can be very addictive and require increasing dosage to maintain any level of symptom control.