The Headache and Sleep Apnea Connection – Is There One?

Starting out with the basics, let’s talk about Sleep Apnea – what it is, who can get it, is it dangerous? And why headache sufferers may want to explore this subject to get to the bottom of their frequent or cluster headaches.

Have you ever heard a snoring person, maybe even your bed partner, apparently stop breathing in the night?  They eventually start breathing  again with a horrific snort as they try to get oxygen into their lungs.   This can be very worrying  as well as disruptive to everyone’s sleep.   Sleep Apnea is a condition that causes sleepers to go through this cycle many times during the night  – often it results in them partially waking up as they recover their breath.

The word Apnea is derived from the Greek word for “without breath”  and perfectly describes what happens to sufferers many times each night.

18 Million American Sufferers

It is estimated that over 18 million Americans suffer from Sleep Apnea –  and most of them are undiagnosed.  Men are twice as likely to suffer from Sleep Apnea than women.  Being obese and diabetic (type 2) are major risk factors -  but anyone can suffer from it, even children, although it is rare in the young.

Ever Fall Asleep at the Wheel? Or in Your Office?

Some symptoms of Sleep Apnea to look out for are:  extreme daytime sleepyness, waking with a morning headache,  and  dry mouth.   If you have a bed partner, they  may eventually tell you what is going on of course.   Left untreated this condition can contribute to high blood pressure, motor vehicle accidents due to falling asleep at the wheel, impotence, weight gain, cardiovascular disease, memory loss due to repeated bouts of oxygen starved blood flow, and a general lack of energy during the day that may affect job performance.

Carbon Dioxide/Oxygen Levels are Critical

Headaches caused by Sleep Apnea are possibly connected to the out of whack levels of carbon dioxide to oxygen levels in the blood – this ratio is critical and causes very complex interactions with the whole cardiovascular system that regulates blood vessel constriction and dilation among other things.

Get it Checked Out!

If you , or someone you know, suffer from frequent morning or cluster headaches, the connection to possible Sleep Apnea should be checked out.    Sleep Apnea can be treated – many times with non-invasive, drug free solutions.

When discussing a new patient’s personal headache history, we at The Headache Doctor will be on the lookout for indications that they may suffer from this sleep disorder.  This is just one possibility among many headache causes.  We do not offer treatment for Sleep Apnea  but can refer patients to someone who can help them.   Our mission is to help get to the source of your headaches.  Together we’ll figure it out!

We love the New Year and the fresh start it gives all of us to lead healthier lives.    This is also the perfect time to get back to one the basics of good health – Exercise.  Regular exercise helps us reduce the tension and stress we hang onto each day.  A pressure relief valve that is available to us  whenever we need it.

If you suffer from regular headaches you may want to examine your stress levels.   Headaches can be caused by many things of course,   but  by far the number one factor is the amount of stress and tension we live under, and have come to accept as normal.  There is nothing normal or healthy about feeling tense,  stressed ,  anxious or fearful  on a regular basis.

We need to find healthy ways to cope and take the edge off our tension.   Give ourselves a regular time out to decompress,  move  our bodies and burn up the toxins that stress dumps into our systems.  Nature’s way of dealing with stress is to have us move – run, walk, do yoga, dance or play a physical game of tennis, go surfing,  whatever you enjoy – anything but sitting in place and stewing in our own stress hormones for hours on end.

We Become What We Do Each Day

Our amazing bodies are designed to move – just like horses live to run free, we too are built for movement.   No matter what your current level of physical activity, you can get into action each day.  Even a small amount of exercise can make a  difference  – A 10 minute walk, taking the stairs instead of elevator, parking further away from the store,  getting up from your chair every 30 minutes when watching TV.   We become what we do each day.

It’s No Big Deal

Resolve to add one new physical act each day to your normal activities – it doesn’t have to a big deal – in fact, making exercise a Big Deal is most likely a recipe for failure.  Small steps all add up to significant progress over time.

Activate Your Natural High – and Reap the Many Benefits

Aerobic exercise has been well researched over many years as a way to trigger the body’s natural high –  Endorphins.   Magic endorphins  make us feel  great, reduce pain and increase a feeling of optimism and joy in living.  With the release of endorphins the world feels like a safer, friendlier place – we relax and release tension as a result.

If you heard about a pill that could help you loose weight,  have fewer headaches,  help reduce depression, prevent many  chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and  strokes,  reduce tension, add years of quality living to your life,  would you take it?  Yes, of course we all would.  Oh yes, and this magic pill is FREE!   So we at The Headache Doctor prescribe this wonderful  headache reducing happy pill for all our readers this New Year – Exercise.

We predict fewer headaches in the future for you.  Combining your tension reduction plan with other aspects of headache prevention that we discuss here each month will yield results over time.

Connect with us on our FaceBook page to report your own successes with adding exercise to your day.

Whiplash Neck Injury

One of the most common traffic accidents is a rear end collision.  Chances are you know someone
who has had a car accident recently.   You may even be a victim of a fender bender or something
much more serious.  Your body may have suffered painful consequences even if your car damage
was minor.

7 Bones plus 8 Sets
of Nerves = 1 Big Headache

Whiplash injuries are complicated – what with 7 neck (cervical) bones, and 8 sets of nerves
exiting these bones, it’s no wonder that things aren’t always what they seem.  The nerves
exiting our spinal column in our neck go to our head, neck, shoulders, arms and fingers.
We are an exquisite web of complicated connections.    Even a small injury to this part of
our anatomy deserves careful and respectful assessment and treatment.

Headaches can be caused by a pinched nerve in your cervical spine (your neck).  Studies
have shown that adjustment of this area of your spine is most effective in fixing headaches
associated with whiplash injury.  Covering up the symptoms with painkillers is not the answer.
Up to 10% of whiplash victims become significantlydisabled – don’t let this happen to you.

Other Symptoms
Caused by Whiplash

Whiplash injury can be responsible for a variety of symptoms.  Neck pain is an obvious one but other
symptoms may include:  trouble sleeping, blurry vision, memory problems, fatigue, ringing in the ears,
heaviness in thearms and pain between the shoulder blades.

Some people are at greater risk for whiplash than others.  If you are female, have a long slender neck, or
already have arthritis in your neck, you are at greater risk.

Late Whiplash Syndrome

It’s very common for people in “minor” accidents to get delayed onset of whiplash –officially known as
“Late Whiplash Syndrome”  - even as long as 6 months after the actual event.  Be aware of potential delayed
symptoms.

Restoring range of motion and daily activities as quickly as possible is of great importance to keep the injured
soft tissue from developing persistent stiffness and muscle atrophy.  This gradual loss of function may cause
nerve inflammation resulting in delayed onset of neck and shoulder pain as well as headaches.

Seek Help As Soon As
Possible

Guarding your precious health is your number one priority.  Getting in to see a Upper Cervical
Chiropractor (one specializing in adjusting the bones in the upper neck) is a very wise precaution after
ANY car accident or  injury that involves impact to the upper neck and head area.  Your Chiropractor is also
expert at treating soft tissue stiffness and range of motion problems.  Professional help with appropriate pain
reduction therapy is therefore money well spent.

In addition to the trigger foods mentioned above, eye strain caused by super bright lights
can put us at headache risk.  Driving to and from work in the dark exposes us to ultra
bright headlights (some of the halogen headlights are blinding) which may cause
eyestrain and possibly sent us on a course for a migraine when combined with alcohol and stress.

The Doctor Is In

Figuring out the cause of your headaches – rather than just covering up the
symptoms with drugs – is what alternative headache relief is all about.  Long term
benefits of doing some detective work will pay off big time in your overall quality
of life and attempting to live a more drug free life.  Give us a call to schedule a
consultation with Dr. Paula Strauss at  The  Headache Doctor of Campbell.

With Thanksgiving and year end holiday parties just ahead, you may be one of those
whose migraine headaches are triggered by certain foods, alcohol and stress –
either individually or in combination.   No one wants to add a Migraine Headache to their holiday
To Do List.  The onset of one of these nasty headaches can derail our plans and sideline us
it is least convenient – and when is it ever convenient to feel awful?

What Causes Migraines?

Red wine, chocolate and rich foods are known migraine headache triggers.  During
this festive time of year we tend to indulge in more of all of these things as they
appear to temporarily help to elevate our mood.  The change of seasons,  shorter daylight
hours and therefore  less sunlight to replenish our feel good brain
chemicals (such as Serotonin) may cause us to try for a little self medication
in the form of alcohol, chocolate or other foods that may disagree with us.

Migraine Headache Triggers

In addition to red wine and chocolate, migraine trigger foods include, peanuts, aged
cheeses, MSG, highly processed foods containing sodium nitrate (such as bacon,
hot dogs and cured meats) – this is only a partial list of potential food
villains.  Keeping a food diary can be very helpful to sleuthing out the suspects in your
own migraine attacks.  As part of your journal entry, be sure to make
a note of your stress levels each day – this is all part of the picture of  your unique
migraine pattern.

Migraines often signal their arrival one or two days in advance.  As sufferers
we get to know the signs that one is coming on –  sometimes 1 or 2 days
in advance.  Constipation, depression, diarrhea, food cravings, hyperactivity and
irritability may signal an approaching headache.

While the latest findings about red wine seem to indicate that a small amount
(5 oz or less) may help with our heart health, you could be one of those people where
even a tiny amount could trigger a migraine attack – especially if you are
under a lot of stress or emotional pain at the same time.  Migraines are complicated
headaches – each person should be considered an experiment of one.  Expert help with
tracking down the possible causes of your particular migraines may be very helpful.

I have had
migraines for over 10 years. I have tried every medication possible. When I get
my migraine, which usually happens at least once a month, I am incapacitated
for 3 or more days.

My vision
is blurry and my opthalmologist can find no glasses or cures for my problems.

I get
frequent sore throats and swallowing problems, yet no antibiotic is helpful.

Since I
started getting headaches 5 years ago my doctor has put me on “happy”
pills and I am not the same person.

Imitrex
works for me during migraine attacks, but it doesn’t control them

I was in a
car accident 8 years ago and had no headaches until 2 years ago. Now, the
migraines are uncontrollable.

My ears
have been hurting and ringings and making all kinds of noises for years. My ENT
finds nothing wrong with them. I’m at my breaking point.

My sinuses
get infected over 6 times a year. I have had surgery twice and antibiotics no
longer work.

My doctor
has diagnosed me with GERD and I have bad headaches also.

I have seen my dentist and family doctor and
both of them told me I don’t have TMJ, but I have had headaches for over 10
years.

This could be a complaint from a vampire but could it be
YOU?!  If your jaw pain continues to get
worse even with good dental care and mouth splint, you could be missing the
poor alignment of your neck.  There is a fascinating
and scientifically proved relationship between your neck posture and jaw
function.  As your head goes forward
while on the computer, reading or driving, your jaw postions shifts the way your
teeth touch, and your airway.  Sleep
apnea or just poor sleep happens because your tongue blocks your already narrow
airway.  But it works both ways: in a study at Tufts University, abnormal jaw position creates bad posture as you try to sleep, swallow and breath.

Finding A Doctor To Help

This is a real challenge.
Your dentist is trained to identify jaw dysfunction and recommend
splints, injections or surgeries.  It is
the rare dentist that will also recommend treatment for the neck although the
connection between neck alignment and jaw function has already been
proven.  You must be your own advocate –
so typical these days – and find a doctor with comprehensive knowledge.

At The Headache Doctor of Campbell, Dr. Strauss is a chiropractic
neck specialist but also knows how to relax the muscles of the neck and face,
and release the bones of the face.  She
will recommend dietary change, supplements, and refer you to the qualified
professionals who will continue to analyze and solve your jaw pain.  This problem is complicated but you can make
progress with The Headache Doctor on your side.

WAGS & PURRS ADOPTION EVENT

Your purrfect cat or pawfect dog awaits you this Saturday, July 16th from 11 AM – 4 PM at Humane Society Silicon Valley’s “Wags & Purrs”  Adoption Event. This pet extravaganza features dozens of adorable animals from HSSV and participating rescue groups at our Animal Community Center in Milpitas. 

In addition, “Pawfurred Pricing” is available throughout July for adult HSSV cats, dogs, and rabbits 6 months or older. This lets you create an adoption fee that’s best for you!  

Plus, our “My Buddy & Me” special is back for kittens less than 6 months!  Get two kittens for the price of one! That’s $175 for two adorable felines who already are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and medically evaluated. 

HSSV’s satellite adoption centers at PETCO Saratoga and PETCO Sunnyvale are joining in “Pawfurred Pricing” and “My Buddy & Me” promotions too!   Drop by one their locations.

For more information or to learn more about our programs and services, call 408-262-2133 x150 or visit www.hssv.org