GOLDEN NUGGETS ON HEADACHES

Headaches are one of the major causes of seeing a doctor. The number of dollars spent on the treatment of headaches is enormous. Yet, the problem continues and people are sick.. With this thought in mind, let me go over some of the information that I have accumulated after forty four years of experience in treating this problem.

The primary reason that so many headaches are hard to treat is that it is usually not a medical problem. It is a problem that deals with the bio-mechanics of the body. When medications are used to treat bio-mechanical problems, the symptoms are in most cases covered up and WOW, the headaches disappear. BUT THEY ALWAYS COME BACK.

When I speak of the bio-mechanics, I am speaking of how the body works at a mechanical level. I am not talking about joint motion, but rather the tiny motion that a clinician feels as he palpates your body with his hands. It is rhythmic and it is strong. It has a cycle of 9-12 occurrences per minute. When that motion is interrupted, such as in a fall, injury or disease, the body usually has the internal strength to re-establish that motion. However, in some cases, the connective tissue becomes "stuck" and the entire cycle becomes locked up until someone helps to start the "cranial motion" functioning again. This process is called, myo-fascia releasing. Over a period of time the lock up will cause unexplained head pain, chronic body pain, gastro-intestinal disturbances and the list continues.

As for TMJ problems (temporal-mandibular joint) the jaw swings open and shut because of two axle planes. When those axle planes are not functioning in unison, the surrounding muscle structures are strained and go into spasm, creating head pain. In many cases the disc that is located in both jaws is dislocated and some times that can be manually corrected, but in other cases a splint needs to be inserted. A dentist with knowledge about building splints with the proper dynamics is highly recommended, because the splint needs to be balanced after each adjustment from the physical therapist. In my estimation the most qualified dentist that I know is Dr. David Burns of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. David has studied the dynamics of treating this problem and has lectured in Japan frequently. He is a well qualified expert for treating TMJ dysfunctions.

The researcher, Casey Guzay, published a study The Quadrant Theorem. He explained in depth how the jaw works and how the bite plane must line up with certain anatomical points, such as the 1st cervical vertebra. Without that proper alignment, the body will continue to have pain, posture will change and in fact, an entire litany of problems will develop. I was very fortunate to have known Casey and I am certain his work will continue on, helping people to understand the association between the jaw and the rest of the body.

Many times, trigger points develop in the connective tissue , called fascia. That the "stuff" that holds you together. These points are neurological clichés that develop due to a strain pattern in the connective tissue. When muscles contract, the trigger points are stimulated and they refer pain into various parts of the body. When these points are in the shoulders, headaches occur. Many doctors inject these trigger points, but they always come back after two or three days. The way to treat them is to unwind the connective tissue by re-balancing the body with myo-fascia releasing technique, followed by strength exercises and nutritional improvement.

There are many other reasons for head pain, but these two are the principle ones. In the next issue of the Nuggets, I will discuss the nutritional needs of the chronic pain person. In the meantime, have a great day and know that God is watching over you.

Bud Golden
Physical therapist
Certified nutritionist and fitness consultant