Solutions for Headaches

Tens of millions of people suffer from migraine, cluster or tension headaches. The causes and treatments vary depending on the type of headache you have, the duration and whether it is chronic or acute.

Headaches affect 65% of adult men and over 80% of women, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). About half the people who suffer from headaches don't get treatment.

In the United States, headaches are one of the leading causes of missed work and school. Absenteeism, lost productivity and medical expenses, cost American industry some $50 billion a year.

Headaches can be roughly divided into two groups. By far the largest group, about 80%, are tension headaches, most of which people treat with over-the-counter medications. People with this type of headache usually only seek medical help when the headaches occur daily.

The second group is "vascular headaches," which include migraines and cluster headaches and can be extremely debilitating. They involve blood vessels and may also involve the nervous system. Migraines affect about 18% of women and 6% of men at some time in their life, most commonly in their most productive years, the 20s through the 50s.

Nearly 30 million people in the United States are affected by migraines, 70% of them female. About 90% of cluster headache sufferers, on the other hand, are male. These usually center around one eye and are called clusters because they occur in a series, several in a day for two or more months, and then they go away. Cluster headaches cause some of the most severe pain men can get.

TMJ and TMDs

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, or jaw joint. TMJs are the small joints in front of each ear that attach the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull. They allow you to open and close your mouth, eat, speak, swallow and much more.

TMJ diseases and disorders, or TMDs, cause pain around the jaw and connected muscles and limitations in the ability to move the jaw normally. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 10.8 million Americans suffer from TMDs. While men and women both experience problems, 90% of those seeking treatment are women of childbearing age.

Treating Headaches and TMDs

If you suffer from headaches or TMJ/TMD, you should see a qualified physical therapist at Manual Therapy Associates. We have effectively treated TMDs and headaches of all types for over a decade.