HEADACHE
SOLUTIONS
If you suffer from headaches, getting a chiropractic spinal checkup from S&A Chiropractic is one of the best things you can do. Chiropractic’s safe, gentle, drug less methods have helped millions of headache sufferers over the years.
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Chiropractors are the only healing professionals who are trained to analyze and correct the vertebral subluxation complex — a spinal distortion that can damage your nerves, inflame your tissues, cause muscles to tighten and knot, weaken your body, cause fatigue, and set the stage for sickness and disease. It is truly a hidden epidemic.
Tension type headaches are the most common and are often treated by addressing the muscular structure of the the neck, shoulders, and upper back.
Migraine headaches are the second most common and can be caused by either impingement of the nerves in the neck or by chemical imbalances. Chiropractic treatment can address the impinged nerve problem by releasing the levator scapulae muscles and other neck musculature.
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Remember, the purpose of the chiropractic spinal adjustment is to remove the nerve and spinal stress caused by the vertebral subluxation complex, and this in turn helps restore the soft tissues to a normal, relaxed state. This permits your body to restore itself to a greater level of health and wholeness — in effect, to better heal itself.
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I hear this in my practice so often; I should mention it to you now. Patients tell me, almost daily, that…
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“I can’t believe I didn’t hear about you sooner… If someone didn’t tell me about you, I would have gone on suffering forever!”
CAUSES
Cervical Origin Headaches – Pain originates from the neck due to such things as subluxations, muscle spasm, and nerve irritation.
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Tension Headaches – Pain comes from irritated or inflamed soft tissues of the neck and head, primarily muscles, nerve endings and their connective tissues that can develop into trigger points (“knots”).
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Vascular Headaches – Produced by irritation and inflammation of the blood vessels of the brain caused by a variety of diseases (fevers, drugs, poisons, toxins, altered pH, nerve irritation, hormone imbalance).
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Migraine Headaches – A neural-hormonal- vascular phenomenon of disabling proportions caused by a complex interaction between the nervous system, the hormonal system, and the affected vascular segment. Many times preceded by a prodrome or “warning signal” such as nausea, visual or speech disturbance, numbness, or dizziness.
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Cluster Headaches – Called cluster headaches because the headaches come in groups. Pain generally lasts from 30-45 minutes, but can persist for several hours. Most sufferers experience one to four headaches a day during a cluster period.
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Organic Headaches – Include, sinus headache, hangover headache, allergy headache, caffeine withdrawal headache, pregnancy headaches, hypertension (high blood pressure) headaches, TMJ (jaw) dysfunction, reading headaches, hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) headaches. May also be due to tumors, brain aneurysm, hematoma, meningitis, brain abscess, etc.
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Rebound Headaches – Due to the overuse of medications (exceeding label instructions or doctor’s advice). Precipitates a “rebound” into another headache. This is particularly true if your medication contains caffeine.
THERAPY
Headache treatment depends on what caused it. A headache arising from visual problems can often be cured by eyeglasses. An infection headache of the sinuses or ears is relieved when the infection subsides. But the most common headaches are usually treated with painkillers. The hundreds of millions of dollars spent each year on everything from Aspirin to Tylenol to prescription drugs may provide blessed relief, but please remember — the pain may be gone but the cause of the headache is not corrected! That’s why we may see millions of people swallowing pills for years, possibly suffering from the side effects of long-term medication use — and not getting any better, only temporarily feeling better. Surely, that’s not a healthy way to live.
DIET
According to some studies, what we eat and when we eat it plays a significant role in headaches and migraines. Overactivity of the arteries in the head has been found to cause pain, and highly fluctuating blood sugar levels can cause these vessels to spasm in susceptible people. Caffeine, a compound commonly found in coffee, tea, and chocolate; has been linked to headaches.
Researchers believe that people who are prone to headaches and migraines may be sensitive to the effects of caffeine. Limiting drinks or foods containing caffeine is generally recommended. Food additives and naturally occurring food chemicals can also trigger a headache in some people. If you suspect that your headaches may be linked to your diet, it is important to seek medical attention so that your sensitivities can be properly diagnosed.
