Chiropractic For Headaches

Hello, everyone! This is Dr. Bob Salamon with Lowcountry Chiropractic. As always, I hope you’re doing well and staying healthy! In my last blog, we talked about the downsides of pain medication. Today, we’ll be discussing headaches and how chiropractic care can help. It’s a good segue from our last discussion, since many people reach for over-the-counter painkillers to soothe headaches. However, per my last blog, this does not address the root cause of the headache; it simply masks the pain. Headaches are extremely common. In fact, approximately 45 million Americans complain of headaches each year. We all experience a headache every now and then, but some people experience headaches on a more regular basis. When you get a headache, you may choose to lie down, take some pain pills, or just wait for it to fade. But did you know that there’s a better, drug-free, effective treatment? That’s right– Chiropractic care is a great treatment option for those who suffer from headaches. If you are interested in learning more, you’ve come to the right place! Let’s get started.

First, let’s discuss what a headache actually is. A headache is generally defined as a pain or discomfort in the head or face that can be sharp, constant, throbbing, or dull. The location and intensity of the pain can vary. Most headaches begin in the nerves of the muscles and blood vessels if they swell or tighten. Basically, it is not actually your head or brain that is hurting, but rather the muscles, blood vessels, and membrane surrounding it. There are also different types of headaches. In fact, there are over 150 types. Let’s take a closer look.

Types Of Headaches

Headaches are generally divided into two categories: Primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are caused by the overactivity of or problems with pain-sensitive features in your head. These types of headaches are not a symptom of an underlying disease. Some of the most common types of primary headaches include:

• Tension: Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. They can cause mild to moderate pain and may feel like a tight band around the head. 
  
• Migraine: Migraine headaches can cause debilitating pain that is usually described as throbbing and one-sided. They can be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, tiredness, irritability, and even temporary loss of vision. 
  
• Cluster: Cluster headaches can cause severe, piercing pain. They often occur around or behind one eye or one side of the face. These headaches tend to occur in a series, occurring multiple times a day and sometimes recurring for weeks or months.
  

Secondary headaches are symptoms of something else happening in your body and are usually caused by underlying medical conditions. They can be relieved by treating the primary cause or condition. Some of the common types of secondary headaches include:

• Allergy/sinus headache: This can be a symptom of bad allergies or a sinus infection, which can cause pressure and pain in the head and face. Sometimes, migraines are misdiagnosed as allergy or sinus headaches.
  
• Caffeine headache: Having a high caffeine intake, or quitting caffeine abruptly, can cause headaches. This is because caffeine affects blood flow to the brain. 
  
• Rebound headache: Rebound headaches are also known as medication overuse headaches. They often feel like a dull, tension-type headache, but some can feel more intense. These are caused by the overuse of over-the-counter painkillers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin. 
  

In rare cases, some secondary headaches can be caused by life-threatening conditions. For example, spinal headaches are secondary headaches that occur due to a spinal fluid leak. Additionally, thunderclap headaches are secondary headaches that come on suddenly and give off intense pain that can last 1 to 5 minutes. These headaches can be a sign of a brain bleed or head injury.

Chiropractic Care And Headaches

So how can chiropractic care help treat headaches? Since primary headaches, such as tension headaches, are often caused by stress, neck, or back strain– or sometimes a combination of both– chiropractic care can provide relief through spinal treatments called adjustments. A chiropractic adjustment can relieve acute or chronic neck pain, which can reduce the number of headaches you experience. A chiropractor can diagnose the type of headaches you are experiencing, and then create a tailored treatment plan that best suits your needs. This will determine and treat the root cause of your headaches, rather than masking the pain. If the actual cause of the headache is not addressed, the headaches are more likely to keep occurring. 

Chiropractors will also use diagnostic imaging such as x-rays to identify any interferences or subluxations. Subluxations are misaligned vertebrae that can interfere with some of the body’s natural processes. Since the vertebrae are in such close proximity to the spinal nerves, misalignment can place pressure on the nerves and disrupt the nervous system, causing pain, headaches, and even neurological conditions. Research has shown that chiropractic care is an effective treatment for tension headaches and neck aches!

Additionally, your chiropractor can discuss your lifestyle and provide recommendations and nutritional advice that may be helpful in preventing future headaches. For example, some foods are known to trigger headaches, such as alcohol, chocolate, cheese, and caffeine. If you sit all day at a desk or computer, it will be helpful to get up, stretch, and walk around every 30 minutes to an hour. This will loosen your muscles and relieve tension. By making these small modifications to your lifestyle, you may be able to prevent headaches and get the most out of your chiropractic adjustments. Here are a few other things to consider:

• Stay hydrated! Drinking enough water is good for your overall health, and helps prevent dehydration. In fact, a dehydration headache is a type of secondary headache that occurs when the body does not get enough of the fluids it needs. 
  
• Get enough exercise! Regular exercise can help relieve tension. Low-impact exercises, especially, can help prevent and reduce pain from headaches. Try going for a 30-minute walk once per day.
  
• Get enough sleep and maintain a regular sleep schedule. A lack of sleep can trigger headaches and migraines, and too much sleep can do the same. Try to stay on a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends. It is recommended that adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
  
• Try to reduce stress. Life can be busy, and with that can come stress. While it is not always possible to avoid stress, you may be able to take steps to reduce it, such as staying organized, planning ahead, and incorporating stress-reducing activities into your schedule, such as yoga.
  

As you can see, chiropractic care is a great, drug-free, and effective way to treat and prevent headaches. I encourage you to stop reaching for over-the-counter painkillers and try an adjustment instead! If you have any further questions about chiropractic care, feel free to reach out to us. I hope you found this article informative. If you or a loved one are suffering from headaches or any type of joint or back pain, you may benefit from chiropractic care. Consider reaching out to Lowcountry Chiropractic! We specialize in different chiropractic techniques, as well as both therapeutic and Swedish massage. Send us an email or give us a call and we’ll assess the situation and develop a treatment plan to address your needs. We want to help you live a healthy and pain-free life– it’s what you deserve. As always, this is Dr. Bob and I have your back covered!