Headaches are a common problem with nine out of 10 Americans reporting suffering with headaches at times. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. One CDC survey found that 36% of adolescents reporting to the ER with a migraine are prescribed opioids. Even over-the-counter drugs used for headaches, like NSAIDs and acetaminophen, carry risks. Overuse pain relieving medications is a common problem among headache sufferers that increases the risk of stomach bleeding and ulcers, liver and kidney damage, and can even cause rebound headaches. Headaches can have many factors contributing to them, but the greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck.
It is always a great idea to try chiropractic first before trying other treatments that may help to reduce symptoms but not the cause, and may even trigger problems elsewhere in the body. Whether experiencing migraines, tension or cluster headaches, only addressing the root cause can provide long-term relief in both the frequency and severity.
Research shows that chiropractic adjustments are an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck. A 2014 report in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) found that interventions commonly used in chiropractic care improved outcomes for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain and increased benefit was shown in several instances where a multimodal approach to neck pain had been used. A 2011 JMPT study found that chiropractic care improves migraine and cervicogenic headaches.
What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?
Your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from headaches:
- Perform gentle chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
- Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of nutritional supplements.
- Offer advice on lifestyle, ergonomics, exercises and relaxation techniques to help to relieve any recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.
Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to know how tension in the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can provide treatments to address that deep neuro-spinal tension at it’s source. Chiropractic offers a safe and effective drug-free solution for many headache sufferers every day.
