Headaches and Chiropractic
Headaches and Chiropractic
Although the International Headache Society lists 129 different types of headaches, the general categories are tension, cluster and migraine with associate pain being described as sharp, stabbing, dull, throbbing and vice-like. Migraine with or without aura is the most common form of acute recurrent headache in children.
Different types of physical, chemical and emotional stress— including fatigue, worry, noise, fluorescent lights, travel, improper sleep, smoke and food additives such as MSG and nitrates, often trigger headaches.
Although these things may trigger a headache, the actual cause of the headache is often a series of traumatic or repetitive micro-traumatic events— including motor vehicle accidents, contact sports, postural habits, whiplash and occupational tasks.
Headaches and other symptoms may take weeks, months and even years to show up following these events.
“The negative impact of chronic headaches on quality of life, families, and productivity can be significant and is generally underrated by the medical profession.”
University of Maryland Medical Center
Causes of Headaches
Although headaches are not caused by just one specific source, a large amount of research clearly demonstrates that the majority of headaches are caused by problems in the cervical (neck) region of the spine. The vertebra of the cervical spine can become misaligned because of excessive or repetitive stress.
These misalignments, also known as“vertebral subluxations” irritate the nerves in the neck and cause excessive muscle tension, all of which can contribute to a wide variety of headaches.
Treatment for Headaches
Headaches have commonly been treated with medications such as aspirin or Tylenol.
Americans consume 80 billion aspirin tablets each year. Aspirin, which is the active ingredient in more than 50 over the counter medications, may temporarily relieve the discomfort of the headache, but it does little to correct the cause of the problem.
Moreover, its use has been associated with bleeding ulcers, Reyes syndrome and kidney disorders.
Taking painkillers on a regular basis can make subsequent headaches even worse, causing a condition known as “rebound headache” or “medical overuse headache”.
An increasing number of headache victims are turning to Chiropractic for help. This only makes sense as the Doctor of Chiropractic specializes in the structure of the spine and its protective relationship to the nervous system. Chiropractors detect and correct spinal misalignments by physically adjusting the spine to restore its proper structural position.
This removes the spinal stress and allows the nervous system to function correctly. The effectiveness of Chiropractic in resolving headaches has been well documented in research and case studies all over the world.
This post contains excerpts from a report “Headaches and Chiropractic”. For a complete copy of the report contact our office and we will email it to you.
