There are so many different types of headaches, and it is very difficult for anybody to figure out what category a headache will fit into. When we get patients in our clinic, we hear everybody say that they have migraine headaches, but they are not really migraine headaches. There are tension type headaches, inflammatory headaches, people get headaches from sinus infections, they get headaches from neck problems, from TMJ.

There is also something that is so strange to me, its called a “rebound headache”. When people take a lot of anti-inflammatory medications to help them with their headaches, guess what happens to them when they stop taking the medications? They get terrible headaches!

We also know that there are caffeine headaches. Many people are addicted to caffeine and if they don’t have caffeine quick enough in the morning, they get headaches.

We treat headaches with Prolotherapy (but not while they are flared up) and trigger points–while the headaches are flared up. Trigger Points are also injections, like Prolotherapy. We use very small, fine needles so the injections don’t hurt. We put these injections into the back and neck at spots that are triggering the headaches. For instance:

I had a patient come in with his wife and he had what I would consider a “cluster headache,” you know a series of headaches. His complaint was that it felt like he had a hot poker in his eye. I said to him, “Do you mind if I feel your back and neck?” And he said, “Why do you want to do that? I have a headache!” And I said, “If I could find the cause of your headache, I can get rid of it.” So I found the spot (in the upper back muscle) right next to his neck that was the trigger for his headache pain. When I pressed it…the pain in his eye got worse. My red flag went up and I said to him, “I think I can help you.”

I am always looking for the underlying causes that are causing the headaches. Most headaches no matter what the cause, no matter what you call them, migraine, cluster, etc., many times they come from the musculoskeletal imbalance in the back or the neck and if we can treat these areas of instability, with trigger points, with Prolotherapy. Then we can beat these headaches.

*edit*

ProlotherapyLA posted
<Most headaches no matter what the cause, no matter what you call them, migraine, cluster, etc., many times they come from the musculoskeletal imbalance in the back or the neck and if we can treat these areas of instability, with trigger points, with Prolotherapy. Then we can beat these headaches.>

I have been posting over and over that getting to the cause of the headaches that are caused by musculoskeletal problems should be a first effort to deal with head aches. I did not use the term musculoskeletal. I pointed out that the cervical and thoracic vertebra and surrounding muscles are often the cause of the head aches. As I said, the head bone is connected to the neck bones and so on.

There are many treatment modalities that can relieve, rebalance, or correct the muscle and skeletal irregularities. Myofacial release sounds similar to the trigger point method used by ProlotherapyLA. It can do it without the invasion of the body of an antagonizing substance as used in prolotherapy.

Chiropractic, Minimal Force Chiropractic, Upper Cervical Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, massage, etc can all effect similar relief.

Each persons body will respond in an individual way to the various therapies. Finances and access to the various specialists can impact the choices. If one therapy does not work, don't be afraid to try another. There is no one cure all method.

As the saying goes, You mileage may vary.

I saw your post and have had similar PCS symptoms for several months. I can't use the computer, read or watch TV very long as it's too hard on my brain. I would like to know if you recovered from these symptoms and what helped you. I've been taking supplements and had acupuncture and cranial work, but nothing has helped so far. My husband has had to stay home and help me because the symptoms are debilitating. Thanks for your help! Carrie

CBS,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. The thread you have posted has been dormant for a long time. Prolotherapy is not appropriate for concussion. It is more oriented for joint injuries. It causes an inflammation response to cause healing at the joint.

I'll look for you other post.

There have been many NIH studies on Prolotherapy, most have all resulted in Conclusions needing further study, excepting Fluoroscopically Guided Cervical Prolotherapy.

Abstract is here.

Full Text is here.

Apparently this has been useful in areas where some of our worse headaches evolve - C2/3, and C5/6 - C2/3 for Occipital Neuralgia problems and C5/6 for those wicked whiplash injuries(most commonly).

As we all know, many of our headaches may result from Neck problems from the injuries we have received, so this may be something worthwhile, but not panacea.

Trigger Point Injections respond differently in different people, everyone is an individual and has their own response, as will be the same with Prolotherapy.

One other thing - No One should be injecting the Upper Cervical Spine without Guided Fluoscopy, in a setting with available emergency care - the vertebral arteries anatomy can be challenging to even the best practitioner, and should not have a needle approaching the skeletal area blindly .