Headaches

Can you guess what awful thing that every person has experienced some time in their life? I’ll give you a hint, it happens when you get a brain freeze, when you squint into the sun too hard, or when the kids are screaming much louder than is necessary inside of the house. Give up? I’m talking about a headache. The pounding, throbbing, buzzing pain in your head that can ruin your entire day. Well listen up –I’m about to tell you one of the best ways to help relieve that head pain –chiropractic. Chiropractic is one of the best ways to treat headaches because head pain should not be an everyday occurrence you have to suffer through. There is hope and a chiropractic might be able to help you.

Anatomy of the Neck

It is common knowledge that your head is supported by your neck which connects to your spine. Have you ever considered how small the bones in your neck are compared to your head? The uppermost bone that is inside of your neck is about the size of your pointer finger and your thumb making a circle –that’s small! No wonder headaches are so common among people.

The neck is supposed to be naturally curved so that it can properly withstand the weight and movement of your head. There is a large number of people today, suffering from head pain, because they have lost this natural curve. Because of this, the nervous system that is contained within your spine –housing nerves and muscles that control the rest of your body –can become strained near your head. Headaches are the result.

Chiropractors Can Treat Head Pain

Chiropractors treat the source of the pain, not just the symptoms of it. Most chiropractors see patients with head pain frequently. Chiropractors practice natural approaches to treating the source of pain that often have success in lessening some, if not all, of the pain. If having not been successfully treated for headache pain in the past, here are some possible reasons why chiropractic care was not a successful treatment for you:

Long periods of neglecting to treat the source of your head pain has resulted in bone degeneration or spurs
Returning for additional visits took place too far apart to allow the adjustments to become long-term
Stopping regular visits too soon after starting resulted in any changes reversing
Missing regularly scheduled visits over long periods of time resulted in a “one step forward then two steps back” situation
Living a life with an excessively high stress level can counter-act the success of the treatments

Each chiropractor is different –they take a different approach to treatment and treat similar issues with different techniques. If you have had a bad experience with a chiropractor in the past don’t be quick to dismiss chiropractic as a treatment option. Some chiropractors use skillfully placed amounts of pressure to manually adjust the spine while others may use devices such as a laser or decompression table for treatment options. Still other chiropractors might use a different method and focus only on nutrition to help relieve the pain of headaches. It is best to first consult with a chiropractor to discuss their process and possible treatment options prior to starting a treatment. Our Top Rated Chiropractors want your experience to be as comfortable as possible and work to see if your condition is a fit for their treatment methods.

Are All Headaches the Same?

In 2007 the International Headache Society concluded that there are three different categories of headaches. Primary headaches are the most common and include all basic head pains including stress headaches and migraines. Secondary headaches are caused by a medical condition that may be attributed to a brain tumor or sinus infection. The third category includes headaches that result from nerve issues that are caused by trigeminal neuralgia. Primary and secondary headaches are the most common and can be treated using the natural methods of chiropractic care.

Primary Headaches

Within the category of primary headaches there are three sub-categories: tension, cluster, and migraine headaches.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache and can be moderate to severe in the pain that is experienced. These pains can become frequent in occurrence and can be correlated to high amounts of stress. When these types of head pains occur, it is mostly likely due to the muscles over the skull contracting, potentially due to this stress. Some symptoms of tension headaches may consist of:

Steady pain that occurs on the sides of the head near or around the temples; this pain may be mild or moderate

Intense pressure focusing around the eyes and continuing around the entire head similar to a band
Occurrences of pain that have no pattern and can be frequent or happen sporadically over time
Middle age adults experience tension headaches more due to the amount of stress that is commonly experienced in this life stage

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches happen when a person experiences several headaches that sequentially occur at the same time every day for weeks, months, or years. The pain experienced is secluded to one part of the head, normally on the side, and can bring with it a runny nose, tears, or swelling. Men experience these types of headaches more than women during their middle age years. Symptoms of cluster headaches may consist of:

Sharp pain secluded to the side of the head that is more severe than a tension headache
Pain occurs shortly after falling asleep, sometimes 2-3 hours during the periods of early deep sleep
Pain is severe and can last up to 3 hours in duration
Eyes and the nose can water or become swollen during periods of pain

Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are the most severe headache and also the second most common. Both children and adults experience migraines. In adults, migraines are more common in females while both male and female children experience these headaches equally. Symptoms of migraine headaches may consist of:

Weakness, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and loss of appetite
Severe pain described as throbbing which may be contained to one portion of the head
Visual issues may occur, sometimes describes as seeing an aura where lights are seen before the pain of the migraine begins

Sinus Headaches

One example of a secondary headache is a sinus headache. This type of headache is a direct result of being sick. As someone is suffering from a cold or from allergies the build-up of mucous blocks the nasal passages –when you can’t breathe because you are stuffy –and can cause swelling in the sinuses, resulting in head pain. Symptoms of sinus headaches may consist of:

Swelling of the face or head
Pain in the sinuses that can be felt around the eyes and near the cheeks on the face and the nose
Cold or allergy symptoms which involve having a stuffy nose or having a hard time hearing or a fever

Medication and Head Pain Relief

Headache relief can be found from several sources, the most common of which is medication. The type of head pain that you have greatly affects what medication you may use. Over the counter medications can be effective, however, these medications only treat the symptoms of the head pain and not the source. Chiropractic care can help to relieve head pain naturally. Through a series of spinal adjustments chiropractic care may be the best option for you in trying to end your head pain.

Treating Head Pain Naturally

Chiropractors feel that it is possible illnesses are caused by a disruption in the nervous system. This disruption happens in the spine, usually when one or more of the spinal bones are out of alignment and are preventing the nervous system from working properly. The nervous system in the body controls everything –all blood flow, muscles movement and controlling brain activity moves through the spine in this nervous system. When the spine is out of alignment it can affect the ability of the messages that control the body to move through the nervous system and keep the body functioning properly. The spine is made up of bones that have spaces between them. Each bone can move in numerous directions and be out of alignment with the next. These bones can be moved through the experiencing some type of trauma, and everyone had experienced bone moving trauma in their life. Trauma can include something as severe as a car accident or as minute as bumping your head. It is important to see a chiropractor regularly so that any misalignments in the spine might be found and treated before they cause a more severe problem in the future. The training that chiropractors receive to be able to find and treat these issues in the spine is specific and precise. Head pain that is caused by misalignments in the spine can be treated by chiropractors to work in accordance with your body’s natural ability to health itself.

Our Top Rated Chiropractors

Our Top Rated Chiropractors are more than willing to sit down and discuss with you your needs and the best possible treatment options to help heal your head pain. Not all treatments for head pain are right for everyone and a unique treatment plant will be tailored for your individual needs. Call one of our Top Rated Chiropractors today for a consultation to see how you can find headache relief today!

HEADACHE TOPICS: