"Accidental Headaches"

As part of the series “After The Impact” 

You’re at a stop sign minding your own business and WHAAM! You’re hit by another vehicle, the initial thought, is everyone ok? Second thought, I cannot believe this just happened, third thought, what now.

Let’s take a deeper look into why being hit by a 4000 lb vehicle has such detrimental effects on the human body and the headaches that emerge from its impact. 

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Scenario 1 - Enough force that the neck did move? Say hello to cervico!

• Cervicogenic headaches: often seen in adults.
• Location: back part of the head we call the occiput, the area that houses the vision center. Remember those cartoons where a skater fell backwards and saw stars.. that’s why. It has a direct correlation to vision.
• Frequency: often daily.
• Movement pattern: usually decreased in the upper cervical (head tilt and shoulder checks when driving  limited in rotation).
• Pain pattern: referred from neck to head.
• Provoked by: head movement.
• Assessed upon: physical examination.
• Treatable: yes.
• Prognosis: success if dedicated to treatment and home care.

Why is it important to address this pain? Because lack of mobility in the neck can cause areas below to become more rigid and depend on other structures to fulfill the range of motion. After an accident, motion will be limited in the neck and head. Remember, we are not designed to be hit by 2 ton objects, the energy of the force is absorbed into all components present. That includes the vehicle, the person and structures that give us movement.

So, if the impact was not detrimental enough to cause notable damage to the vehicle or cause you as the driver to be shifted upon impact, can there still be injury? Yes. Before the accident even happens, what do you think we do? We prepare our apprehensive minds by tightening  every muscle in our being bracing for what’s to come, which leads to:

Scenario 2 -  Apprehension caused you tension! ​

• Muscle tension headaches: can be seen at any age.
• Location: band-like pattern around head (similar to a winter headband).
• Frequency: gets worse throughout the day.
• Pain pattern: feels like pressure build up and/or muscle tightness.
• Provoked by: stress (sometimes from the accident case itself), over-fatigue, work, lack of sleep or disrupted sleep, change in diet, drastic change in your exercise routine.
• Assessed upon: history and physical examination.
• Treatable: yes, by bringing symmetry to muscle tone and ligament length on both sides of body.
• Prognosis: good. Compensation of musculature occurs when one side or muscle is too tight, the opposite side will overstretch to give the range needed for daily movement. By addressing the specific muscles and ligaments (the body’s elastics) that are tight and breaking the compensation complex, success and pain-free status can be achieved and maintained.

Now, What could be worse than a headache after an accident? Already having painful headaches made worse with the trauma of the collision.

Scenario 3 - Migraines take their own lane! ​

Often we will see classic migraine (pre-existing) become common migraine after an accident. What is the difference? Intensity. Most patients with migraines know the prodrome (nausea, aura, vomiting) after a high or low-speed impact, migraine sufferers often feel the first 3 weeks have no pattern to their pain. The nausea is random, the visual disturbance is worse, the sensitivity to light/noise is heightened and more pronounced. What worked to manage these classic migraines before impact is now having no relief. Why?
1. Inflammation is not our friend.
2. Stress is friends with inflammation.
3. Physical structures affected with impact outside of hormonal imbalances play a key role in generating the migraine.

• Location: Usually one side is worse than the other.
  
• Frequency: daily to weekly.
  
• Pain Pattern: one side, both sides or often behind the eye.
  
• Movement pattern: Don’t feel like moving due to pain or feeling nauseated.
  
• Pain pattern: Throbbing to sharp in the head, sometimes “all over”, worse sitting/standing
  
• Provoked by: bright lights, chocolate, cheese, tension, stress, red wine, menstrual cycle, noise
  
• Assessed upon: mode of injury, past migraines, a historical comparison of current symptoms to last migraine before the accident, and patient feedback,
  
• Prognosis: Very positive. Believe it or not, there are cases where the patient's initial migraines found relief by undergoing manual treatment due to the accident.

Why does it matter to resolve pain sooner rather than later?

Optimal health allows us to show up fully in our lives and pursue our goals. When pain is present, it becomes an obstacle to living well, living healthy, and living better. Beyond the frustration of chronic discomfort, secondary challenges often appear—anxiety, depression, weight gain from reduced mobility, and even financial strain when pain limits a person’s ability to work.

My passion is helping patients return to their pre-injury selves. Too often, I see people who have already endured long, exhausting treatment plans—endless appointments, overwhelming home programs—yet their pain and function still haven’t reached a manageable level.

I want my patients to enjoy their daily activities again with confidence: confidence that re-injury won’t occur, that their range of motion has been restored, and that compensation patterns have been resolved. My experience and treatment model for pain and injury help patients reclaim what they once knew before that split second changed their lives for months—or even years.
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If this sounds like you—neck pain, headaches, or symptoms following a motor vehicle accident—don’t continue living that way. Book an appointment today. Come in with an open mind and a willingness to follow the treatment plan, and I’ll take care of the rest.

-- Dr. Salma Mitha, DOMP, DC, SRISD, Cert. Office Ergo, Cert. Orthotics

Successful treatment means a return to Pre-Injury Status
with a strong intention to do so.