Top 5 Causes of Headaches & Migraines

Natural Medicine Treatment

Common Causes

Why is it some people get regular headaches and migraines and others don’t?

Headaches and migraines are incredibly common, and usually there is no obvious cause, such as a head injury or serious disease, so we have to look deeper.

There are five main causes that I see time and time again in my practice.

1️⃣ Digestion problems:

Bacterial imbalance in the gut and toxins leaking across the wall of the gut into the blood stream are common causes of repeated headaches and migraines. It might not always be obvious that this is occurring, but things like IBS, constipation, food intolerances, parasites, fungal issues are all indicators that point to leaky gut and bacterial imbalance. A good way to diagnose leaky gut is with iridology. Bacterial imbalances can be identified through functional testing if needed.

Another common digestive trigger for headaches and migraines can be liver congestion and gall bladder problems.

2️⃣ Back and neck:

Musculoskeletal tension and misalignment can sometimes be a trigger for headaches and migraines. Bowen therapy is something I offer in my practice to help correct this. Other forms of treatment such as osteopathy or chiropractic can relieve this also. Muscular tension because of nutritional deficiencies sometimes also need to be addressed to help it repair.

3️⃣ Stress:

Stress plays a huge role in our health, including with headaches. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache where the link with stress is clearly seen. Furthermore, stress can play a more insidious role, compromising digestive function which is is linked with the elimination of toxins. Adrenal fatigue and a rundown nervous system are common underlying factors for headaches too.

4️⃣ Hormonal:

Menstrual migraines and headaches are a common indicator of hormonal imbalance and often estrogen dominance. Importantly, it’s also a sign that the body needs help in clearing excess hormones released each month, which involves the liver and digestive system as a whole.

5️⃣ Poisoning & toxins:

When we are exposed to toxins, either through a slow process of exposure, or a toxic shock, it helps hugely if the detox pathways are operating optimally. Examples could be heavy metals, pesticides, flame retardants, chemicals, and many more. In some cases, specific protocols are required to help detox. There is a specific functional medicine test I can recommend if you are concerned about poisoning. Sometimes a hair mineral analysis and toxic heavy metal profile will also provide the information needed to toxic issues.

Natural Medicine Solutions

Once the cause or causes have been identified, natural medicine can be applied.

I use a combination of herbs, nutritional support, homeopathy and some dietary steps to help bring the body into optimal health. The goal is to both correct the underlying issues as well as to alleviate symptoms.

Did you know?

There are different types of headaches and migraines, which can indicate different causes.

Additionally, the location of the pain is an indicator of which body part is contributing to the issue. For example gall bladder problems can manifest as pain at the lower back of the head, and liver problems can translate to pain at the top of the head.

In all cases, dealing with inflammation and detox pathways is key.

🔥 Common migraine

⚡ Classic migraine with aura

💥 Silent migraine

♀️ Menstrual migraine

🔁 Cluster headache

😩 Tension headache

💊 Medication overuse headache

Hear from my Clients

I went to see Nick with the aim of improving my overall health naturally, as well as addressing a couple of specific issues. After only a couple of weeks I can already notice a huge difference, and one specific example is that having suffered with headaches virtually every day for a number of months, I haven’t had a single headache since the day of the visit. I am a complete convert to the natural approach, and can’t recommend Nick highly enough – everyone should go to see him. – Rob Bate

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