Can headaches be caused by sitting at a computer

Eyestrain

Although you might think that concentrating on a computer screen is a straight-forward process, but it is not as simple as it seems. The space between our eyes and the front screen is called the working distance. Remarkably, our eyes want to comfort or relax at a point further away from the screen. This place is called RPA (a resting point of accommodation).

To view the content on the screen, the brain needs to control our eye muscles to constantly adjust the focus between the RPA and the front monitor screen. This 'conflict' between where the eyes want to focus and where they need to focus can lead to eye fatigue and eye strain, both of which might trigger headaches.

How to Reduce Eye Strain Caused by a Computer

Most cases of computer-related eye fatigue require no medical intervention, but can rather be relieved by adopting new preventative measures.

• For reducing this eye strain, kindly follow the "20-20-20 Rule" approved by the American Optometric Society. Just take 20 seconds pause after every 20 minutes to look something 20 feet away.
• If you are referring to a text on paper while using your computer, do not place the paper down near your keyboard. Push the page up next to your screen so that there is less space between the screen and the paper, less refocusing, and less chance of eye strain.
• Besides, after using the computer for 2 consecutive hours, it is best to let your eyes relax or rest for 15 minutes.
• Get regular eye care. Although you may not need glasses for daily activities, you can benefit from wearing corrective glasses if you are a computer user.

Poor Posture

When you get a headache by incessantly looking up or bending and leaning at a computer screen, it might cause acute physical position pain due to bad posture. People who utilize a computer in their routine work have a headache as well as neck pain problems

Correcting Bad Posture

There are things you can do to improve your posture, both in terms of furniture placement and the way you consciously correct your bad habits.

To improve your posture, place your computer and keyboard so that your spine is in a neutral state and your head is not tilted. The center of the screen should be about 4 - 5 inches below eye level and 20 - 28 inches from the eyes.

A few additional tips:

• When typing, do not put your wrist on the keyboard.
• Ensure that your office chair is comfortable and well padded. Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet stay flat on the floor. Finally, if your office chair has arms, make sure it supports your arms when you type.
• Check the position of your shoulders as you type and try to relax them. Adjust the height and angle of your monitor screen to prevent the straining of neck muscles.

Excessive Illumination

Working in a bright environment can also trigger computer-related headaches. Lighting in many offices includes direct sunlight windows, desk lamps, and fluorescent ceiling lights. Besides the glare from your computer, you may also have to deal with the glare from all the other computers in the room. Such excessive brightness or excessive lighting can cause a variety of headaches, including migraines.

Dealing with the Illumination Problems

You may observe that reducing lighting can greatly decrease the frequency of headaches:

• Turn off ceiling lights to decrease glare.
• Use blinds on low wattage light bulbs and windows.
• If you are using an old-style CRT monitor, an anti-glare filter attached to the front of the monitor would also help.
• If your work area does not have adjustable lighting, especially not for overhead fluorescents, you need to adjust the contrast settings and brightness on your computer screen.

Other Possible Reasons

Many people claim that "cathode rays" or radiation" are the causes of computer-related headaches, but this is also not true. The radiation levels of computers are not much different from those of a flat-screen TV, and the cathode ray disappears in the vacuum tube TV. Yet, there are more things to concentrate on.

• Electromagnetic Field

An emerging trend is that exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) by using mobile phones and Wi-Fi may be associated with more frequent and severe migraines.

In general, the exact link between migraines and EMF is unclear. However, limiting pointless exposure to RF-EMF sources is a practical approach, especially if you link the exposure with worse headaches.

• Patterns and Images

There is no strong evidence that real images on a monitor screen can cause headache. Although certain patterns on the screen (bright lights on a dark background, certain line patterns, or flickering shapes) can trigger headaches in some people. 

• Other Explanations

Before attributing the headaches entirely to computer work, remember that other things in the environment that coincide with computer use may trigger headaches. Ask yourself:

• Does the material you generate on the computer cause stress?
• Are you not too active and rarely take breaks while typing?
• Are you more likely to consume caffeine on your computer?
• Do you eat irregularly while doing computer work?
  

The Takeaway

So, the answer to the original question is, yes, headache can be caused by using a computer. Sitting in front of a computer can cause an abnormal curvature of the neck which can trigger headaches.

Although your computer can trigger the headache or migraines, it is important to consult your doctor regarding a headache diagnosis. In this way, you can be sure that you are getting the right care.



Contact us today! Family Chiropractic Plus is dedicated to your overall health and well-being. Which is why we offer regular chiropractic adjustments in order to restore your body’s natural state of optimal health, while also providing it with the support it needs to heal from any injury, big or small.