• Tension headaches are often caused by stress and our hectic lifestyles.
• Migraines don’t always cause headaches but can cause other symptoms like sensitivity to light and nausea. They can be very debilitating and can cause pain on one or both sides of the head.
• Mechanical headaches are caused by poorly functioning neck joints. There can be damage to the muscles and ligaments of the neck, a jaw imbalance or other problems which result in these headaches
• Throbbing headaches are caused by the spinal nerves and associated tissues being stretched or irritated.

Tension headaches can be caused by a range of reasons, the most common being:

– stress

– sleep problems and poor posture

– too much caffeine

When you have a tension headache, you may feel one of the following common symptoms: 

– pain on both sides of your head, face or neck 

– your head feeling tender to touch, especially the area where the pain is radiating from 

– feeling as though something is being tightened around your head 

– some or all of these symptoms, accompanied by a headache that lasts between 30 minutes to several days 

Migraines are common but do not necessarily lead to headaches. They are often confused for throbbing headaches, due to the throbbing pain you may feel on one side of the head.

When you are about to have a migraine, you may get warning symptoms known as ‘aura’. Aura warning symptoms range from dizziness and difficulty speaking, to seeing flashing lights across your vision. 

Common symptoms of migraines are: 

– throbbing pain on one side of the head 

– feeling very tired and yawning a lot 

– craving certain foods 

– a stiff neck or tenderness in a specific area 

– changes in your mood 

Usually caused by tight knots called ‘trigger points’, mechanical and throbbing headaches are relatively easy to treat, but can cause on/off pain until they are sorted. Trigger points can occur in: the base of your head, the front or back of your neck, your shoulders and even your jaw muscles. 

By loosening the upper back and straightening your posture, these trigger points can be relaxed and loosened, reducing your headaches. 

Some common symptoms of mechanical and throbbing headaches are: 

– feels as though there is a dull band tightening over your eyes and temple

– onset of headaches after an injury or accident 

– feeling more fatigued than usual 

– sharp or stabbing pain in the general area