Headaches are a painful fact of life for 9 of 10 Americans. They can send you to bed clutching your head, with a pressing need for quiet and darkness. Or they can be persistent and nagging. Some headaches can cause nausea and vomiting, when severe.
Many of us take them in stride, reaching for the nearest over the counter headache medication. But chiropractors have a more sophisticated answer to the problem.
Manipulation – proven relief
A report in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported in 2014 that chiropractic care was a major contributing factor in helping patients find relief. Spinal manipulation is one of the cornerstones of my practice as a Doctor of Chiropractic and I’ve helped many headache sufferers with it.
Migraines can also be addressed with this methodology, as well as headaches directly attributable to dysfunction in the cervical vertebrae.
What’s your trigger?
“Triggers” are causal factors. Concerning headaches, these can be anything from environmental realities like stress, bright light and noise. But insomnia, a heavy exercise schedule and changes in blood sugar can also be at fault.
Most headaches aren’t caused by any underlying problem. They occur because of the factors mentioned above. There’s no underlying physical problem. The headache itself is what must be treated.
A majority of all headaches arise because of muscle tension, especially in the neck. People today are very prone to this causal factor, due to sedentary lifestyles which cause them to be seated, at work or at home. A seated posture can contribute to many problems and headaches are just one area of concern.
Getting rid of headaches
You can get a handle on headaches by making some key lifestyle changes. If you sit at work (especially at a computer), or spend many hours pursuing activities like reading, it’s necessary to get up and walk around intermittently. That should happen every 30 minutes or so.
Get up and stretch, paying special attention to the muscles in your neck and shoulders, which are major contributors to headaches for those who sit for long periods.
Exercise is also important, but if you suffer from throbbing headaches, choose exercises like walking and other low-impact options. Excessive cardio-vascular exercise can make the problem worse.
Another key behavior is to drink more water. Keeping yourself hydrated can help you avoid headaches and reduce their frequency and severity.
If you clench your teeth, you should find a way to stop, even if it means wearing a mouthguard at night to prevent it. Clenching your teeth can cause stress in the TMJ (temporomandibular joints). These are where your jaw and skull connect.
Chiropractic care at Back & Body Medical
If you suffer from regular, debilitating headaches, I can help. With tools like spinal manipulation and a holistic understanding of the human body, I can help you overcome the oppressive pain of headaches.
I can also advise you on lifestyle changes to support headache reduction and mitigation, so headaches can stop running your life. Contact me and let’s set up a consultation.
