Neuropathy "The Painful Enigma"

Individuals experiencing headaches on top of the head could be caused by different factors. Can recognizing the what triggers pain or pressure help prevent this type of headache, and healthcare providers develop effective treatment plans?

Headache On Top of The Head

Various factors could cause a headache on top of the head; common causes include:

• Stress
• Sleep problems
• Eye strain
• Caffeine withdrawal
• Dental problems
• Hormonal changes
• Alcohol consumption

Causes

Many causes have to do with underlying issues happening in other parts of the body.

Stress

• Stress is a common cause of headaches, including one on top of the head.
• Researchers don't know exactly how stress causes headaches, but they think it causes tightening of the muscles in the back of the head or neck, which
• pulls the tissues down, resulting in pain or pressure in the scalp and/or forehead area.
• These are also called tension headaches.
• Headaches caused by stress generally feel like dull pressure rather than throbbing pain.

Sleep Problems

• Not getting enough sleep can induce a headache on top of the head.
• When the mind and body do not get proper sleep, it can interfere with body functions like temperature, hunger, and sleep-wake cycles, which can lead to headaches.
• It is common to feel more stressed when sleep-deprived, which can cause or compound a headache and other symptoms.

Eye Strain

• You may develop a headache on the top of your head after you've been reading, watching, or otherwise focusing on something for a while.
• Over time, your eye muscles tire and have to work harder, causing them to contract.
• These spasms can lead to headaches. Squinting can make the muscle contractions even worse.

Caffeine Withdrawl

• Individuals may feel pain on the top of their heads if they skip their regular coffee.
• Regular caffeine consumption can lead to dependency and withdrawal symptoms, which include headaches when intake is reduced or stopped.
• This type of headache can be moderate to severe and can feel worse with activity.
• Most individuals start to feel better from caffeine withdrawal after a week. (World Health Organization. 2016)

Dental Problems

• Teeth issues like cracks, cavities, or impaction can irritate the trigeminal nerve, setting off head pain.
• Teeth grinding can also lead to headaches.

Hormonal Changes

• Individuals who have a low level of thyroid hormone may experience headaches.
• This could be from having too little thyroid or a symptom of the condition.
• Like stress-induced headaches, this type is generally dull and not throbbing.
• Some women may feel pain on the top of their heads before menstruation triggered by estrogen levels dropping.

Alcohol

• Some individuals develop a headache on the top of their head or elsewhere within a few hours after drinking alcohol.
• This is known as a cocktail headache.
• Alcohol-induced headaches usually resolve within 72 hours.
• The mechanism behind this headache is not fully researched, but it's been thought that the widening of blood vessels in the brain/vasodilation when consuming alcohol may trigger head pain.
• This type of headache is different than a hangover headache that comes from overconsumption and is based on dehydration and the toxic effects of alcohol. (J G Wiese, M. G. Shlipak, W. S. Browner. 2000)

Rare Causes

Top-of-the-head pain can also result from more serious and rare causes:

Brain Tumor

• Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of brain tumors.
• A headache on the top of the head depends on the location and size of the tumor. (MedlinePlus. 2021)

Brain Aneurysm

• This is a weak or thin area in a brain artery that bulges and fills with blood, which can cause a life-threatening rupture.
• Headaches are the most common symptom. (Brigham and Women's Hospital. 2023)

Brain Bleed

• Also known as a brain hemorrhage, this condition can cause intensely painful and quick headaches.
• Brain bleeds can be caused by head trauma, high blood pressure, an aneurysm, a bleeding disorder, or liver disease. (New York-Presbyterian. 2023)

Treatment

Treatment for reducing a headache on top of the head includes:

• Putting an ice bag over the area to reduce inflammation.
• Getting an eye examination.
• Making healthy lifestyle adjustments like drinking more water throughout the day.
• Less caffeine intake.
• Changing sleep patterns for a healthier, rested mind and body. 
• Taking a therapeutic bath to relax the body.
• Gentle exercises like walking, pilates, or yoga.
• Practicing deep breathing.
• Mindfulness exercises like meditation.
• Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication or NSAIDs like aspirin, Advil/ibuprofen), or Aleve/naproxen.

Depending on the cause and symptoms, a doctor may suggest specialist treatment options like:

• Physical therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Chiropractic therapy
• Acupuncture
• Prescription medication

A medical professional will be able to help identify the type of headache being experienced, offer treatment options, and advise on how to manage triggers.

Neck Injuries, El Paso, Texas

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, don't hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

World Health Organization. (2016) Headache disorders.

Wiese, J. G., Shlipak, M. G., & Browner, W. S. (2000). The alcohol hangover. Annals of internal medicine, 132(11), 897–902. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-132-11-200006060-00008

MedlinePlus. (2021) Brain tumor.

Brigham and Women's Hospital. (2023) Brain aneurysm.

New York-Presbyterian. (2023) Brain hemorrhage.

More individuals are reporting extreme levels of stress. Studies indicate that an increasing number of individuals are feeling worried, anxious, or depressed regularly from various stressors. Maintaining the body's health includes:

• Following a balanced diet
• Getting enough exercise
• Taking vitamins or supplements to ensure the body gets what it needs for optimal function.

However, research has found that a sudden increase in stress, specifically stress associated with anger, can trigger:

• Arrhythmias
• Heart attacks
• Sudden death

This type of stress can affect individuals that did not know they had heart disease. Intense short-term stress can have dangerous effects on the body's health, leading to chronic stress. Chronic stress continues at a low level for weeks, months, or years. It can significantly change the way the body functions. Stress management is crucial for overall well-being. Learning how to handle stress properly is the goal.

Poor Stress Management

When stress hits, it triggers the brain to release various hormones. These hormones increase heart rate and raise blood pressure. This comes from evolution that helped early humans escape from predators and stay safe from different types of physical danger. This same stress reaction is what we go through; however, it is not to escape danger but to deal with work, family, school, commuting, social issues, etc. And when the stress response happens regularly, it can have serious and long-term effects on the body's ability to function properly. Stress includes mental, behavioral, and physical symptoms. The most familiar effects of stress are related to mood. Mood changes that can result from chronic low-level stress include:

• Feelings overwhelmed
• Increased anxiety
• Generalized anxiety that is not connected with anything specific
• Unmotivated or unfocused
• Sadness
• Depression
• Irritability
• Impatience
• Unusually quick to anger
• Restlessness

These mood changes can be tied to changes in behavior. The following behaviors are associated with increased stress levels:

• Alcohol and/or drug abuse
• Starting or increasing tobacco use
• Eating changes - undereating or overeating
• Withdrawing from friends and family
• Avoiding social interaction
• Little to no physical activity

Physical effects that are associated with long-term stress.

Chronic stress that lasts for a long period can affect the whole body. The immune system, digestive system, sleep cycles, etc. Physical symptoms include:

• Tension in the neck and back
• Persistent headaches
• Stomach aches
• Constant fatigue, even after waking up
• Sleeping pattern changes
• Insomnia
• Muscle pain
• Changes in libido
• Being more prone to infections because of a weakened immune system
• Chest pain

Learning Healthy Stress Management

Mental health is now an important part of living a healthy life. Stress comes from all kinds of different places. We can’t always change these moments, but we can change our reactions to reduce the negative effects and results. To manage stress, it is important to know what is causing it.

• It could be an argument with a boss, co-worker, family member, or significant other.
• Work deadlines
• School grades, teachers, kids, etc
• Bills
• Repairs

Clearly identifying the main stressors will help individuals anticipate them and form a plan. There are different ways of dealing with it. The different strategies need to be researched and tried by individuals to see what works for them. Think about what helps the mind and body relax and unwind. A few recommended ways include:

• Watching favorite shows or movies
• Listening to music
• Breathing techniques
• Spend time with friends or family
• Make time for yourself to do something you love - alone time
• Unplug from devices like phones, tablets, or computer
• Play a sport
• Practice yoga
• Physical activity
• Take a nature hike
• Write, paint, sculpt, knit, sew, crafts, make music, play instrument/s - real media, or digital.
• Meditate and practice mindfulness techniques

These are strategies that can be incorporated into regular daily life. Be sure to set time aside to focus on mental wellbeing. Learn to recognize the signs when getting overwhelmed. Don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. This can be a support system or mental health professional. This is to empower individuals to take better care of themselves in both body and mind.

Body Composition

Setting Attainable Goals

Individuals that have trouble achieving health goals might want to look at the goals themselves. Individuals typically have a general idea of their fitness journey. However, it is hard to reach those goals without a map. Losing weight or getting healthy is the goal, but these goals are not measurable. This is too broad that can be different things to different people. Trying to accomplish a vague goal makes it hard to plan, making it happen, or seeing progress. A recommended strategy for goal setting is to use the SMART system. The acronym stands for:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timed

When goals fall into these parameters, it provides a clear picture of what is trying to get accomplished and plan accordingly. An example could be: An individual will work out at home or the gym for one hour, five days a week for one month. This is a specific and measurable goal when compared to I’m going to work out more. This provides clear guidelines of what needs to happen to achieve success.

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Bailey, Ryan R. “Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change.” American journal of lifestyle medicine vol. 13,6 615-618. 13 Sep. 2017, doi:10.1177/1559827617729634

Carlson, Linda E et al. “Integrative Approaches to Stress Management.” Cancer journal (Sudbury, Mass.) vol. 25,5 (2019): 329-336. doi:10.1097/PPO.0000000000000395

Jamison, J R. “Stress management: an exploratory study of chiropractic patients.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 23,1 (2000): 32-6. doi:10.1016/s0161-4754(00)90111-8

Jamison, J. “Stress: the chiropractic patients' self-perceptions.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 22,6 (1999): 395-8. doi:10.1016/s0161-4754(99)70085-0

Reflex pain is a complex condition that involves the body’s pain withdrawal reflex failing to turn off after the event that triggered the pain, so the pain sensations continue. This is a neurological condition known as the withdrawal reflex. It occurs when the body and brain undergo a chain of reactions to remove an affected body part from dangerous situations/stimuli. A typical example is a vehicle crash or accident. During the process, the body’s reflex muscle\s in the injured area tighten to protect the specific body part/s from further damage.

The reflex can feel like a muscle spasm that goes away over time. However, in the case of reflex pain, the signals keep firing. Reflex pain can occur all over the body as the muscles overcompensate to handle the prolonged pain; secondary injuries often develop. An example could be reflex pain in the ankle caused by injury or problems in the hips and back, where the individual tries to avoid moving the ankle in a specific way to prevent and avoid the pain symptoms. Individuals with reflex pain also experience headaches and referred spine and extremity pain. Reflex pain can become a cycle of symptoms that include:

• Unusual tightness
• Stiffness
• Pain
• Contracture - hardening or shortening of the affected muscles, tendons, or other tissues.
• Decreased functional abilities.

Somatic Pain

Somatic pain causes receptors in tissues including the skin, muscles, connective tissues, joints, and skeleton to be activated. Stimuli like force trauma, vibration, extreme temperature, or inflammation/swelling activate these receptors. The pain is often described as:

• Aching
• Gnawing
• Cramping
• Sharp

Somatic pain is often localized to a particular area that is constant and stimulated by movement. There are two types.

• Superficial pain occurs when everyday injuries activate pain receptors in the skin and mucous membranes.
• Deep somatic pain occurs when stimuli activate pain receptors deeper in the body, including the tendons, joints, bones, and muscles. Deep body pain usually feels more like aching.
• Pain can be confined to a local area or radiate to other areas of the body, depending on the extent of the injury.

Somatic pain can come from a variety of different potential causes that include:

• Injury to joints or bones.
• Trauma.
• Fall or collision that damages connective tissues.
• Strained muscles from overuse.
• Bone fracture.
• Arthritis that causes swelling in the joints.
• Diseases that affect connective tissues.
• Bone or skin cancers.

Sometimes these reflexes can stay in the on position and keep the body from achieving full relaxation.

In the nervous system, a body part is stimulated, and the message travels through the spinal cord and into the brain. The information is processed, then sent back through the spinal cord to the level that activates the specific body part. The reflexes transmit faster staying at the same spinal level without having to travel to the brain and back again.

During reflex pain, the body’s muscles are unable to relax, which is necessary for motion/movement. This prolonged contraction generates added pain and causes imbalances that can decrease excitability in the muscles. This can increase the activation of brain receptors that receive pain signals to respond by telling them to shorten and contract.

Therapy

Body misalignment can cause muscles to spasm, causing the nerves to stretch in an awkward way, compress, and get twisted and tangled around other nerves or other tissues. This disrupts communication resulting in pain, illness, and ailments that can lead to other health problems. Chiropractic care can address reflex pain by realigning the spine and improving joint motion and nerve conduction.

Chiropractic restores the body to its full and proper function by activating the natural healing abilities. Manual and mechanical spinal decompression realigns the vertebrae, reducing swelling, blockages, and nerve stress. A comprehensive examination will identify potential dysfunctional areas of the body using palpitations to identify which muscles are involved. Once identified, chiropractic, massage, and physical therapy options can be prescribed to rebalance the body’s muscles, and restore their ability to contract and relax normally.

• Patient education will be provided concerning self-assessment techniques, instruction on how to treat pain, and an anti-inflammatory diet.
• An exercise and stretching program will help maintain the adjustments, keep the body flexible, and strengthen the body.
• Patients are helped to understand how to take control of their pain.

Spinal Decompression Testimonials

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, or licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Biurrun-Manresa J, Neziry A, Curatolo M, Arendt-Nielson L, Anderson O. Test-retest reliability of the nociceptive withdrawal reflex and electrical pain thresholds after single and repeated stimulation in patients with chronic low back pain. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011;111:83-92

Derderian C, Tadi P. Physiology, Withdrawal Response. [Updated 2021 Nov 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544292/

Muir, J M, and H Vernon. “Complex regional pain syndrome and chiropractic.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 23,7 (2000): 490-7. doi:10.1067/mmt.2000.108816

Neziri A, Haesler S, Steen P, et al. Generalized expansion of nociceptive reflex receptive fields in chronic pain patients. Pain. 2010;151(3):798-805

Szynkowicz, Peter, and Anthony Petrucci 4th. “Chiropractic Care of a Patient With Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1 (CRPS-1): A Case Report.” Journal of chiropractic medicine vol. 19,2 (2020): 145-151. doi:10.1016/j.jcm.2020.05.001

Yezierski R, Vierck C. Reflex and pain behaviors are not equivalent: Lessons from spinal cord injury. Pain. 2010;151(3):569-577