Is It Really In Your Head?

by Michael M. Murgic D.C.

Headaches and neck pain account for 80% of all office complaints. 40 million people took at least one day off work last year because of headaches. Headaches and neck pain are a distress signal; it is your body trying to tell you something is wrong. Pain relievers may temporarily turn off the "alarm switch", but they usually don’t put out the fire. Your headache may have an underlying physical cause, that if corrected, can be prevented in the future. The pain that you experience may be in your head, but more than likely it originated somewhere along your spine, more specifically, your upper back and neck. According to Dr. Otter Sjaastad, medical neurologist, and the editor of Cephalgia, an international journal of headache, most medical specialists studying headache accept that headaches may arise from extra muscular neck structures. Your neck must be able to balance and move your head with "ballerina-like" control; the muscles of your upper back and neck work together to support your spine and move your head and neck. Unless they are stressed, they should be flexible and relaxed. Tension headaches are probably the most popular type of headache in the workplace. Although stress and fatigue can make them worse, or trigger the onset of pain, a tension headache often starts in the muscle of the upper back and neck. Stress, along with poor posture can set in motion physical problems like tightening muscles that cause the steady ‘vice-like" pain of tension headaches. Stress and poor posture can damage soft tissue (muscle) that can lead to a condition called Myofascial Pain Syndrome, a common, but complex problem in which the muscles develop painful ‘knots’ called trigger points. These trigger points that come about as a result of poor posture or injury over time are worsened by stress. Neck muscles then tighten up (spasm) which causes inflammation and irritation to nerves; these irritated nerves in return send warning signals (reflexes) to the muscles of and around your head, and as a response, they tighten up. These muscles will then create a chain reaction of spasm and pain encircling your head... THE TENSION HEADACHE! Are the muscles of certain areas of your body tied up in KNOTS? They may be if your soft tissue has been damaged or stressed by poor posture, overuse, trauma, or a lack of exercise and poor nutrition. Often poor posture, such as in long stressful commutes, or from a poor work station arrangement can cause the mild alterations in the structures of your back and neck that can trigger a headache. There are a number of factors that may contribute to the frequency and intensity of your headache: Do you have a job or hobby that requires repetitive motion? Do you sleep on your stomach? Do you have poor posture at home or work? Have you ever been involved in an automobile accident? Have you ever had an on the job or sports-related injury? Do you often work long hours with few breaks? Do you have a less than adequate exercise program? Do you eat junk food regularly? Do you experience any pain, tenderness, or numbness in certain parts of your body? Do you have any areas of muscle tightness that are uncomfortable when pressed? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are definitely at risk if you don’t already suffer from headaches. What can be done to prevent or decrease the frequency of headaches? Simple steps need to be taken to decrease the postural stresses and strains that surround us in our daily living. At work, maintain good posture by sitting or standing up straight at your work station. If using a keyboard, be sure to be facing the monitor head on with your neck at a downward tilt to avoid excessive strain in your neck and shoulders; be sure to have keyboard placement level to the position of your bent elbow. Keep your feet flat and pointed towards your work station. Always use props when you can to help reduce stress such as a telephone headset, copystand, wrist rest, keyboard drawer, mouse pad, and lumbar support pillows to aid in the reduction of fatigue. Take frequent breaks, standing up, stretching, changing positions or going for a walk around the office. If you do not notice substantial relief after implementing some of these recommendations, consider having an evaluation and examination by a physician who is well versed in musculo-skeletal conditions and who has a complete understanding of ergonomic and postural stresses that may be affecting you. In closing, you will feel better when you take care of yourself, go for walks, or do some kind of exercise every day. Eat fiber, foods that are low in fat, get plenty of sleep and even if you are busy, make time to relax with your family and friends. On the job and off the job, good habits are part of a good life.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Dr. Murgic is the clinical director of Capital Physical Health Services, a local chiropractic/physical rehabilitation clinic that specializes in the treatment of musculo-skeletal and ergonomic conditions. He can be reached via e-mail at: TheStaff@MODEweekly.com; via phone at: 717-564-6944 or 1-800-812-5442; or at his office at: 3460 Paxton St. Harrisburg, PA 17111.