Nearly everyone has had a headache at some point in their lives, and at any given time, about 15% of the global population has a headache. While there are many go-to remedies for headaches 一 over-the-counter pain relief medication, cold compresses, herbal salves, etc. 一 the best way to help a headache is to target the trigger.
For example, if dehydration is the culprit of your headache, the best remedy is to hydrate (and prevent future incidents of dehydration.) On the other hand, if monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of your migraine triggers, consider avoiding all food with this ingredient.
Sometimes, though, you can’t avoid a headache 一 even if you do your best to avoid your triggers. In these cases, you might explore other natural alternatives to treat headache pain. Particularly, you might wonder if chiropractic care can help your headaches.
That’s just the topic that Steven Levingston, DC and Brittany Anz, DC are here to answer.
Can a Chiropractor Help with Your Headaches?
In a word, yes, chiropractic care can help with your headaches. Studies show that a variety of chiropractic techniques help to alleviate headache pain.
Before we develop a chiropractic routine for you, our team first determines what kind of headaches you have. Some common types of headaches include:
- Tension headaches, which cause pain anywhere in your head, neck, or scalp
- Migraines, which are notorious for causing debilitating, throbbing pain as well as nausea and auras
- Cluster headaches
- Hormonal headaches that are tied to hormonal fluctuations
- Rebound headaches that occur when you stop taking certain medications
- Withdrawal headaches that occur when you withdraw from compounds, such as caffeine
Your headache treatment plan will vary depending on what type of headache you have. For example, tension headaches can be the result of stress, but they can also form if you have neck tension or nerve issues, and chiropractic treatments are an effective treatment for this type of headache. According to a study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, chiropractic care can also help improve the quality of life (and improve mental wellness) by helping combat depression associated with chronic pain.
But what if you have suffered from migraines? Can chiropractic care still help you? Yes. We have a variety of tools at our disposal to help you find relief from migraines, and that includes nutritional counseling 一 a big advantage if you struggle with dietary triggers 一 chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and other lifestyle adjustments, including stress management tips.
Chiropractic Adjustments for Headache Pain
Spinal manipulation is a well-known chiropractic modality, and for good reason: it can help treat a variety of conditions, and that includes headaches. Spinal manipulation is an effective headache treatment option for headaches that originate in the neck. Additionally, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health attests that spinal manipulation can be as effective as medication when it comes to migraine prevention.
Poor spinal alignment can contribute to muscle tension in your neck and shoulders, reduced spinal function, and added stress on your nervous system. All of these risk factors can lead to head pain. Using specific techniques, our team of skilled chiropractors adjusts the alignment of your spine. This reduces the risk of stress and tension and helps stop your headache at the source.
Not only do chiropractic adjustments alleviate neck pain, but it also reduces the number of headache days related to poor spinal alignment and neck pain.
And the verdict is…
When you come to Premier Chiropractic for your headaches, our team can no doubt help with your headaches. If spinal misalignment or neck issues are contributing to your headaches, we can perform the appropriate chiropractic treatments to help reduce your symptoms. We also look at the whole picture, which means we help target headache pain by offering posture tips, neck exercises, and relaxation techniques.
In other words, we help by evaluating all potential causes of your headache pain to address your pain more effectively.
To get started with chiropractic care for your headaches, call our Pearland, Texas, office at 281-223-1172. You can also book an appointment online.