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There are many daily activities and
habits that can lead to headaches. Poor posture,
physical injury, and stress are some of the most common
causes. When these occur, they can prevent normal
movement of the many joints in your neck. When these
joints do not move normally, they put pressure on the
nerves in the area of reduced movement, which then, in
turn, send pain signals to the already tight muscles and
tissues around the neck and head. This causes many
common headaches.
When was your last headache?
Headaches are very widespread in
the population, where 90% of the population experiences
one at some point in their lifetime. About 5% of the
population (9% of women) suffers from chronic daily
headaches. One third of these individuals overuse pain
medications on a regular basis, often without realizing
they are doing so.
Chiropractic spinal manipulations
have been shown to decrease the severity and frequency
of many types of headaches, particularly those caused by
poor posture, injury, and stress. The spinal
manipulations restore normal movement to your spine and
relax the muscles in the area.
What kind of Headache do I have?
There are several types of
headaches, including tension, cervicogenic. Most people
experience cervicogenic or tension headaches.
“Cervicogenic” means “produced by the cervical spine”,
and these headaches are related to abnormal movement of
the joints in the neck, and the associated tightness of
the muscles surrounding them. They are usually
moderately painful, with a sharp, achy or throbbing
nature, and generally affect one side of the head.
Tension headaches are often related, and are described
as a moderately painful squeezing pressure around your
head.
Not all headaches are cause by
spinal misalignments. Sometimes caffeine, lack of
nutrients, stress, allergies, menstruation, or poor
sleep habits can cause headaches.
What does a chiropractor do to
treat headaches?
The first visit to a chiropractor
typically includes a consultation, a physical,
neurological, and orthopedic examination, and palpation
of the neck joints and muscles to assess movement
irregularities and tension patterns. Sometimes x-rays
are required to better understand the underlying cause.
The chiropractor will then explain the results, provide
a diagnosis, and outline the specific treatment plan.
Chiropractors do not prescribe
medications, but use a range of manual techniques to
relieve pain and reduce frequency and intensity of
headaches. Gentle spinal manipulation, mobilizations,
instrument adjusting, soft tissue therapy, and exercise
are typically used. Chiropractic care has been proven to
be extremely effective in treating cervicogenic and
tension headaches as well as neck pain and stiffness.
Often, the frequency and intensity
of headaches decreases rapidly. However, the body
continues to heal even after the pain has gone.
Continuing to have chiropractic care helps to retrain
the body to move and function properly. Without the
ongoing irritation related to joint dysfunctions, the
body’s nervous system functions more efficiently and is
better able to heal itself. In time, exercise, a
healthy diet, and periodic visits to the chiropractor
helps patients stay healthy and pain-free!
References
Assendelft et al (2001) Efficacy of
spinal manipulation for chronic headaches: A systematic
review. JMPT. 24(7): 457-466.
Castillo et al (1999) Epidemiology
of Headaches in the General Population. Headache.
39(30):190-196.
Moore et al (2004) Upper Crossed
Syndrome and its relationship to cervicogenic headaches.
JMPT. 27(4): 414-420.
Contact our chiropractor Dr. Kim
Macanuel at
KMacanuelDC@ForcesofNature.ca or call 416.481.0222
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