Headaches vs. Migraines: What Your Body Might Be Telling You

Hey there, and welcome back. I'm so glad you're spending a few minutes with us today. I'm Doctor Aaron Dushkin, and this is the Heights Chiropractic Center podcast, coming to you from right here in Houston, Texas. So today we're talking about something that... honestly, so many people deal with and just kind of push through. Headaches. And migraines. And here's the thing — a lot of people use those two words interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. And understanding the difference? That could actually change how you handle them. Let's start with regular headaches. Now, most headaches — what we call tension headaches — feel like a dull, achy pressure. Kind of like a band being squeezed around your head. They usually affect both sides, they come on gradually, and they can last anywhere from thirty minutes to a few hours. Sometimes longer. These are incredibly common, and a big part of what causes them... is tension in the neck and upper back muscles. Poor posture, stress, long hours at a desk — all of that tightens up the muscles and soft tissue around your neck and skull, and boom. Headache. Now, migraines are a whole different animal. Migraines are a neurological condition. They often come with a throbbing or pulsating pain, usually on one side of the head. And they're frequently accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, sound sensitivity — sometimes even visual disturbances, which we call an aura. Like flickering lights or blind spots before the headache even starts. Migraines can be debilitating. We're talking hours, sometimes days, of real suffering. Here's what's really interesting, and this is something I talk to patients about a lot — both types of headaches can have a cervical, or neck-related, component. The cervicogenic headache is a term for headaches that actually originate from dysfunction in the cervical spine. Misalignments, joint restrictions, muscle tension in the neck — all of that can trigger or worsen headaches. And um, what we find is that a lot of people who think they're just prone to headaches... haven't actually had their spine evaluated. So what can you do today? A few simple things. First — look at your posture. If you're hunched over a screen right now, roll your shoulders back, bring your chin slightly in, and sit up tall. That forward head posture puts a tremendous amount of stress on your cervical spine. Like, for every inch your head moves forward, it adds roughly ten extra pounds of load on your neck. Second — stay hydrated. Dehydration is one of the most underrated headache triggers out there. And third — notice your patterns. Keep a simple headache journal. Write down when they happen, how long they last, and what you were doing beforehand. That information is actually really valuable when you come in for an evaluation. Now, if your headaches are frequent, severe, or if they're disrupting your daily life — please don't just mask them with pain medication and hope for the best. That's not a solution, it's a band-aid. Come in and let us take a look. Doctor Aaron Dushkin and the team here at Heights Chiropractic Center have helped a lot of people in the Houston area get real, lasting relief from headaches by addressing what's actually going on in the spine and the surrounding muscles. A proper chiropractic evaluation can help us figure out whether your headaches have a cervical component, what's contributing to them, and what a personalized care plan might look like for you. We're not here to replace your primary doctor — we're here to work as part of your overall health team and help your body function the way it was designed to. If you're ready to stop just dealing with headaches and actually get some answers, reach out to us. You can find Heights Chiropractic Center online, give us a call, or just stop by. We're right here in Houston and we'd love to see you. Thanks so much for listening today. Take care of yourself — and we'll talk again soon.