Stop Needless Headaches With Chiropractic Care
Headaches are something we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives. Severe, long-lasting, recurring headaches affect approximately 50 million people in the U.S., according to one study. Many people have reached the point where they say they have “normal headaches,” and they just have to live with it. But there are options out there to help those of you who think you have to live with it.
Almost all headaches are tension, migraine, or cervicogenic headaches. The most frequent headache people get is the tension type. These headaches may also include the neck and shoulders. They feel as though there’s a band around their head and can be described as tight, stiff, and constricting.
A cervicogenic headache is a musculoskeletal form of tension-type headache, which may also be related to migraines. These headaches start with neck pain and eventually lead into the actual headache. It’s been shown these headaches may be from misalignment of vertebrae in your neck. This is a common complaint in almost all chiropractic offices.
Misalignments in the neck refer pain to the head via the trigeminocervical nucleus, part of the nervous system. Sources of this referral include muscles; muscle coverings (fascia); ligaments; nerve roots; nervous system; components exiting from between vertebrae or running along each side of the spine, called dorsal root ganglions; and the trigeminocervical nucleus itself.
Chiropractic has been shown to have a “significant positive effect on cervicogenic headaches.” This statement was included in a study at the Institute of Medical Biology at the University of Odense, Denmark, where researchers found chiropractic adjustments eliminate cervicogenic headaches.
As part of the experiment, 28 people who suffered headaches underwent chiropractic care twice a week for three weeks, while 25 people received a placebo treatment consisting of massage and an inactive laser. Chiropractic patients reported 69 percent fewer headaches, a 36 percent decline in headache intensity, and a 36 percent drop in their use of painkillers. By contrast, the control group reported 37 percent fewer headaches, 17 percent decline in intensity, and no decrease in use of painkillers.
Migraine headaches are usually on one side of the head, have a pulsating feeling, and patients also experience nausea, vomiting, or both. A study published in 2000 supported the use of chiropractic for managing migraine headaches. Patients received chiropractic care for two months. Twenty-two percent of the participants had at least a 90 percent decrease in the frequency of migraines. Another 50 percent of the patients reported a decrease in the severity of each episode.
Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be as effective—and in some cases even more effective—than medications in decreasing the frequency and severity of headaches. There’s a solution out there to help with headaches, decreasing—and possibly even eliminating—the use of over-the-counter and prescription medications.
If you’ve been suffering from headaches and felt there’s no hope in sight, there may be a new action. Schedule an appointment with a doctor of chiropractic for a complete evaluation. It may just be your first step on the road to recovery. TPW
Almost all headaches are tension, migraine, or cervicogenic headaches. The most frequent headache people get is the tension type. These headaches may also include the neck and shoulders. They feel as though there’s a band around their head and can be described as tight, stiff, and constricting.
A cervicogenic headache is a musculoskeletal form of tension-type headache, which may also be related to migraines. These headaches start with neck pain and eventually lead into the actual headache. It’s been shown these headaches may be from misalignment of vertebrae in your neck. This is a common complaint in almost all chiropractic offices.
Misalignments in the neck refer pain to the head via the trigeminocervical nucleus, part of the nervous system. Sources of this referral include muscles; muscle coverings (fascia); ligaments; nerve roots; nervous system; components exiting from between vertebrae or running along each side of the spine, called dorsal root ganglions; and the trigeminocervical nucleus itself.
Chiropractic has been shown to have a “significant positive effect on cervicogenic headaches.” This statement was included in a study at the Institute of Medical Biology at the University of Odense, Denmark, where researchers found chiropractic adjustments eliminate cervicogenic headaches.
As part of the experiment, 28 people who suffered headaches underwent chiropractic care twice a week for three weeks, while 25 people received a placebo treatment consisting of massage and an inactive laser. Chiropractic patients reported 69 percent fewer headaches, a 36 percent decline in headache intensity, and a 36 percent drop in their use of painkillers. By contrast, the control group reported 37 percent fewer headaches, 17 percent decline in intensity, and no decrease in use of painkillers.
Migraine headaches are usually on one side of the head, have a pulsating feeling, and patients also experience nausea, vomiting, or both. A study published in 2000 supported the use of chiropractic for managing migraine headaches. Patients received chiropractic care for two months. Twenty-two percent of the participants had at least a 90 percent decrease in the frequency of migraines. Another 50 percent of the patients reported a decrease in the severity of each episode.
Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be as effective—and in some cases even more effective—than medications in decreasing the frequency and severity of headaches. There’s a solution out there to help with headaches, decreasing—and possibly even eliminating—the use of over-the-counter and prescription medications.
If you’ve been suffering from headaches and felt there’s no hope in sight, there may be a new action. Schedule an appointment with a doctor of chiropractic for a complete evaluation. It may just be your first step on the road to recovery. TPW