People who experience frequent headaches probably notice how environmental factors such as too much light, changes in barometric pressure, too much computer use, and the wrong ergonomic position can be the catalyst in increasing the intensity or frequency of their headaches.
I live in Calgary, Alberta, and because of our proximity to the Rocky Mountains we frequently experience significant changes in barometric pressure due to the unique warm winds termed ‘Chinooks’. People who are susceptible to headaches can sometimes (or, in extreme cases, every time) experience a headache as soon as the barometric pressure fluctuates during a Chinook. If the Chinook winds were the cause of people’s headaches, then everyone in the city would experience a headache as a result of changes in the weather – however we know this is not true. The Chinook acts as a stressor to the body, and for some people the inability to adapt to the pressure changes results in a headache.
So why might this happen?
Recent research being done in association with the University of Calgary and the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) is showing that some people who experience migraine headaches have difficulty draining blood from the brain (insufficient venous outflow). If there is difficulty draining blood from the brain, when rapid pressure changes occur this increased pressure can create a significant irritation to the neurological structures in the brain which are sensitive to these changes. The brain then gives a sign (pain) to help recognize the problem, and as a result inhibits the body’s ability to function normally. Although counterintuitive, this is actually a positive response because if the heart rate gets too high with a migraine headache the pressure in the skull increases even further which would exacerbate the problem.
What is so exciting about this research is that it is showing is that some of the people who are experiencing the above mentioned problem are responding favorably to an adjustment utilizing the NUCCA technique, which uses a gentle adjustment to re-align the neck and skull.
If you experience headaches and notice that stressors such as bright lights, excessive computer use or bad ergonomic position instigate the problem, try modifying your environment (ex – reduce computer time, adjust your desk/chair). However, if changing your environment produces little relief, there may be another underlying factor as to why your body is incapable of adapting to these stressors; you may have an underlying physical problem that needs to be addressed and consulting a professional, such as a NUCCA chiropractor, would be beneficial.
