A sudden, severe headache can knock you out for the day – making it challenging to keep up with work and life responsibilities. This unseen pain can disrupt your vision and affect the way you interact with other people.

Before you pop a pill to get rid of the pain, why not look at the underlying cause of the headaches? Whether you have extreme migraines or a low-level headache all the time, it’s important to note that this is often a symptom of a more profound health concern.

From a Functional Medicine perspective, we address the pain by getting to the root cause of your condition. You might know a few triggers that increase the likelihood of having a headache. Additionally, we can look at some of the foundational lifestyle issues that contribute to your pain. Here are the most common causes of headaches and migraines that might be affecting you:

1. Digestive Disorders: It’s unclear how digestion impacts the development of headaches, but it’s likely because of the increased inflammation that happens in patients with leaky gut. Recent findings suggest that balancing the gut microbiome may help to reduce the severity and frequency of migraines.
2. Inflammatory Diseases: Chronic inflammation in the body can lead to chronic pain. One good example of inflammatory issues is when the blood sugar is imbalanced, which can have a domino effect on all areas of the body.
3. Oxidative Stress: The onset of many diseases is often affected by oxidation happening in the body. Oxidative stress on a cellular level can show up in a variety of symptoms, including headaches.
4. Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Even though you aren’t aware of the mitochondrial functional happening at any given moment, it could be playing a role in your headaches. Addressing epigenetic modifications of mitochondria can play an essential role in Functional Medicine.
5. Chronic Stress: If you feel stress about anything happening in your life, it causes the muscles to tense and hormone levels to change. Reducing your stress can be a key step to alleviating headaches.
6. Subluxation: When there is a misalignment in the spine, it can cause referred pain through the connection of nerves throughout the body. Some people experience relief through regular chiropractic care to align the neck and back.
7. Sinus Issues: Ongoing infections in the sinus cavities can lead to headaches that don’t seem to go away. It’s crucial to find the underlying immune or health issues that are causing sinus discomfort.
8. Hormone Imbalance: Women sometimes notice that headaches are worse in the week leading up to their period. Balancing estrogen and progesterone can be an effective way to minimize hormone headaches.
9. Toxic Load: When your body is overloaded with toxins, it can result in headaches and other symptoms throughout the body. Detoxification can be an essential step to reduce the toxic load and improve overall health.
10. Brain Health: Imbalances in the neurotransmitters within the brain can lead to mood changes and headaches. A Functional Medicine provider can help with solutions that improve brain function the flow of fluid within the head.

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other medical body. We do not aim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. Information is shared for educational purposes only. You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.