When a headache strikes, everything seems to stop. The unseen nature of a headache can be challenging for other people to understand or empathize.
Headache sufferers know that a headache or migraine isn’t something you can just “power through.” And most probably, you may have tried various headache remedies already. But have you heard about headaches chiropractors?
Many patients seeking out headache drugs and therapies experience mixed outcomes at best. One of the reasons why hearing about a natural method for headache and migraine relief is so encouraging is because of this.
Chiropractic treatment from a headache chiropractor is what we’re talking about. Research demonstrates that individuals who underwent chiropractic care as an alternative treatment have seen notable improvements in their tension headaches and migraines.
The Anatomy of a Headache
There are three different sorts of headaches that people might get. Some people might only ever have one kind of chronic headache. Unfortunately, others may experience a combination of the three.
Tension headaches: This is the most common sort of headache which is caused by stress, tension, or lack of sleep.
Migraine headaches: Migraines create an intense throbbing sensation that can last for hours (or even days). They are often accompanied by nausea and light sensitivity.
Cluster headaches: These are the most severe of all headaches. People who experience them may feel sudden, extremely painful jabs or burning sensations behind one eyeball.
You can get a tension headache as though a band is being “pressed” around your head. Only one side of the head may experience tension or discomfort from a migraine. But severe sensitivity to sound and light is frequently present with migraines. Many people experience nausea when a migraine occurs. Less regularly discussed than tension headaches and migraines is a third type of headache called a cervicogenic headache.
A lot of people with severe headaches aren’t even aware that there is a name for what they are feeling. Typically, this unusual sort of headache causes discomfort in one or more locations on the face or in the skull.
With this kind of headache, it can be quite challenging to pinpoint precisely where the severe pain comes from. However, the neck is when the pain starts.
Chiropractic Care for Treating Headaches
You can be experiencing desperation because headaches cause you to lose productivity or restrict your range of motion. The good news is that finding relief may need a few straightforward chiropractic visits.
There are numerous goals for headache patients who receive chiropractic care, including the following:
- Reduces inflammation in the spinal area to alleviate headache pain
- Relieves restricted motion and tension in the neck that is likely causing headaches
- Strengthens the nerves and muscles of the head, neck, and shoulders so they won’t cause headaches again
- Educates patients on how to use pillows and ergonomic furniture as preventative measures properly
Manual Adjustments
Yes, headaches chiropractors use manual adjustments to accomplish all of this. The fact that chiropractic treatment goes beyond simply treating symptoms makes it a powerful technique for headaches.
A chiropractor doesn’t merely try to put a bandage on symptoms and pain. Unfortunately, many patients discover that taking pain medication once symptoms have already started is not helpful for lessening the severity of a headache “attack.” Using a holistic approach, chiropractic care aids in aligning your body to be resilient to headaches in the first place.
Through spinal manipulation, blocks, disconnections, misalignments, and dysfunctions in the neurological system are addressed, which significantly lessens some of the frequent headache and migraine triggers.
Headaches and migraines can be caused by muscle stress. Spinal manipulation makes the muscles that support and surround the spine stronger. Eliminating that source of tension is the way to go. However, in reality, manipulation prepares the body to unleash its healing and preventive abilities.
Best Practices for Preventing or Avoiding Headaches
To restore correct blood flow and equilibrium within the neurological system, your headaches chiropractor will employ extremely specific manipulation techniques. After one or more sessions, many patients experience immediate relief. This might be very reassuring for many who feel “stuck” in a headache cycle that never ends.
Of course, the chiropractic method of treating headaches is holistic. This is one of the explanations why patients are frequently urged to adopt some headache prevention best practices at home and work between chiropractic appointments.
Let’s talk about what these best practices entail!
What you do for an extended period of time can contribute to headaches. For instance, reading a document or staying in front of your computer for long periods can block the blood in your nervous system, thus causing you to feel a bit uneasy. This is just one of the many benefits of “position breaks.” At least once per hour, it would be best to get up from where you are.
Performing low-impact exercise regularly can reduce the chances of headaches. For example, a little brisk walking or low-impact aerobic exercise can help improve blood
circulation. Naturally, you should avoid strenuous activity if your headache symptoms make you feel weak or otherwise impaired.
Additionally, it’s critical to pay attention to how your face is posed. For instance, many people are unaware of the harm “teeth clenching” can do to the alignment of the jaw, neck, and spine.
Tension headaches and temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are actually linked to clenching. The intensity and frequency of headaches can be decreased by factors such as good stress management, appropriate hydration, and a balanced diet.
What to Expect When Seeking Chiropractic Care for Headaches
You can detect noticeable changes in your headaches’ severity and frequency with just one session. But, of course, the results will depend on how bad your headaches are right now.
A person with a very high threshold for migraines may only need to undergo therapy for a more extended period before experiencing very observable and long-lasting effects. On the other hand, some patients believe that a single manipulation “cured” them of migraines. In both situations, it’s crucial to keep expectations in check.
If you don’t get benefits right away from spinal manipulation, it’s simple to think it doesn’t work for you. The truth is that a problem that has been festering for years may require a few sessions to resolve.
People who experience immediate results should resist the urge to stop receiving chiropractic care because they believe they have obtained what they need. For sustained, ideal outcomes, completing the entire course of treatment is crucial.
Fullness of Life Chiropractic Can Help!
At Fullness of Life Chiropractic, we are committed to helping you live a life free from headaches. We provide natural, non-invasive, and safe chiropractic care that may help reduce the intensity and frequency of your headaches.
Our experienced team of chiropractors can assist you in identifying any underlying issues that could be causing your headaches and provide tailored treatments to help you reduce or even eliminate them.
Call us to get started!