A Functional Medicine Approach to Headaches
Headaches are one of the most common health conditions reported at doctor visits. The conventional treatment for headaches usually involves over the counter or prescription medications and avoiding triggers. These treatments can be effective, but are they actually addressing the root cause? What would a functional medicine approach to treating headaches look like?
Unlike most health conditions, headaches are more common in younger individuals and the frequency decreases with age. They are also more common in women. Research suggests that women experience migraines about 3 times more often than men. There are different types of headaches and the most common types include:
Tension headaches – the most common type of headache in adults and teens, feels like a band around the head
Migraine headaches – often located on one side of the head, throbbing type pain. Comes in phases, 25-30% with aura. Common symptoms of migraines include nausea, sensitivity to light and/or sound, fatigue, and dizziness.
Cluster headaches – intense, burning or piercing type pain, usually felt around or behind one eye.
Secondary headaches – caused by factors such as dehydration, sinus issues, medications, or physical activity/exertion.
Headaches can also be caused by cranial neuropathies such as trigeminal neuralgia or may be experienced after a trauma.
Some common causes of headaches include stress, poor posture/muscle tension, alcohol/drug use (or withdrawal), eye strain, sinus infections, poor sleep, hormonal changes, skipping meals, exposure to certain chemicals, over-exertion, and low blood sugar. Certain foods are commonly identified as headache triggers, including MSG, aspartame, cheese, citrus, coffee/caffeine, chocolate, and nitrate-containing foods.
While symptom-managing strategies such as medication, rest, and avoiding triggers can be helpful, how do we identify and treat the root cause of headaches? Here are some functional medicine strategies for addressing headaches:
Gut health. Issues with digestive health including leaky gut, dysbiosis, celiac disease, and food sensitivities can be a major cause of headaches. Addressing gut issues through proper testing, diet, supplementation, and lifestyle strategies can help with gut-related headaches.
Stress management. Stress is another common cause of headaches that can be addressed with functional medicine strategies. Discovering the source(s) of stress and dealing with it through prayer, therapy, counseling, etc. can be helpful. Also engaging in stress management techniques such as exercise, yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and time in nature can lower stress levels significantly.
Histamine intolerance/mast cell activation syndrome. Histamine intolerance/excess levels of histamine can be a hidden cause of headaches and migraines. Generally, histamine intolerance occurs when there is an insufficiency of enzymes that break down histamine in the body. Some otherwise healthy foods can start to cause problems due to the increased histamine levels. Mast cell activation syndrome occurs when mast cells (immune cells that release histamine) become overactivated. This could be due to factors such as toxin exposure, gut infections/dysbiosis, or certain nutritional deficiencies. In functional medicine we can test for the underlying cause of MCAS to address it. Strategies such as a low-histamine diet or supplementing with DAO enzymes can help manage symptoms.
Mold exposure or other environmental toxin exposure. Mold and other environmental toxins can cause headaches as well. If you suspect mold exposure, there are certain tests to assess your environment for mold as well as blood and urine tests to assess mycotoxin (mold toxin) levels in your body and your body’s reaction to mold exposure.
Chiropractic care. Factors such as poor posture, muscle tension, and misalignments in the cervical spine are known to cause headaches. During my time as a chiropractor, most patients I have seen dealing with headaches have gotten significant improvement in frequency and intensity of their headaches.
Metabolic health. Issues with blood sugar and insulin resistance can be a factor in headaches as well considering low blood sugar is an often overlooked cause of headaches. Chronic inflammation is another cause that can be addressed.
Diet. According to the cause of your headaches, there are different dietary strategies that may help with your condition. Keto/low-carb, low-histamine, gluten-free, low-FODMAP, and general anti-inflammatory diets have been shown to improve headache symptoms in certain conditions.
Hydration. Dehydration is another common cause of headaches. Increased water intake, adding electrolytes to water, and addressing cellular inflammation are areas we can look at to improve hydration status.
Supplements. In addition to dietary and lifestyle changes, there are some supplements that have been shown to help with headaches as well. These include CoQ10, riboflavin (vitamin B2), folate, magnesium, vitamin D, melatonin, and herbs such as feverfew and butterbur. Essential oils such as peppermint and lavender may also be helpful.
Hormonal dysfunction. Hormone changes and dysregulation can be another factor in causing headaches. Through functional medicine testing we can assess adrenal, thyroid, metabolic, and sex hormones to determine if there is dysfunction present.
If you experience a sudden change in your headaches such as increased severity or frequency or experience an extremely painful headache known as a “thunderclap headache”, get medical attention immediately to assess for an emergency.
Headaches can be a complicated and multi-factorial condition to address, but with proper history taking and testing the root causes can be found and treated. At HopeSpring Functional Wellness we offer functional medicine and chiropractic services that can help with headaches. If you are struggling with headaches or another chronic health condition and need help, schedule a free discovery call today!
Sources and References
https://www.rupahealth.com/post/integrative-medicine-treatment-for-headaches
https://draxe.com/health/natural-headache-remedies-relief/
https://chriskresser.com/headaches-hives-and-heartburn-could-histamine-be-the-cause/
Shoeibi A, Olfati N, Soltani Sabi M, Salehi M, Mali S, Akbari Oryani M. Effectiveness of coenzyme Q10 in prophylactic treatment of migraine headache: an open-label, add-on, controlled trial. Acta Neurol Belg. 2017 Mar;117(1):103-109. doi: 10.1007/s13760-016-0697-z. Epub 2016 Sep 26. PMID: 27670440.
Namazi N, Heshmati J, Tarighat-Esfanjani A. Supplementation with Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) for Migraine Prophylaxis in Adults and Children: A Review. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2015;85(1-2):79-87. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000225. PMID: 26780280.