Overview:
Headaches strike from time to time and are most complex to diagnose. There are also many types of headaches, and they affect nearly 50% of people in the world have the condition at least once within a year. Headaches may be common, but there are ways to manage and even prevent them. Why suffer through is something you can do to treat and prevent those awful episodes.
Why it Matters
Headaches usually involve the muscles and nervous system, so Chiropractic care can help you manage the condition. A Chiropractor is a muscle, spine, or nervous system expert that is trained to help you deal with your frequent headaches. Usually, they engage in the following activities:
- Diagnose: By thoroughly examining you and your history, they will diagnose the underlying cause. They may also determine if certain parts of your lifestyle are triggers to the headaches.
- Chiropractic adjustments: The next steps include spinal manipulation and adjustments, which may involve applying a small force to a specific spinal joint. Usually, you might hear a popping sound and gain immediate relief. Research shows that chiropractic care is very effective for headaches.
- Exercises: Your Chiropractor may also prescribe active and passive exercises you can perform at home for relief from headaches between your appointments. These exercises are practical for cervicogenic headaches, which are headache types that do not improve with medication.
Action Steps
Adding chiropractic care as part of your health regimen is an excellent way to deal with stress and headaches. Several studies already show their effect. Why not add this approach to your regimen and look forward to a more pain-free existence.
References
Posadzki P, Ernst E. Spinal manipulations for the treatment of migraine: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Cephalalgia. 2011; 31(8):964-70. doi:10.1177/0333102411405226
Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011 Jun;34(5):274-89. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.04.008.
Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for cervicogenic headache: a single-blinded, placebo, randomized controlled trial. BMC 2017