If you have ever experienced headaches, you know how debilitating they can be.  Headaches can affect your ability to concentrate, think and stay focused.  This often results in a loss of productivity at home, school or work.  There are many reasons why people suffer from recurring headaches.  In this article, we will talk about the most common trigger of headaches and how chiropractic treatment resolves most headaches.

Most people treat their recurring headaches with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and other types of pain relievers.  Although these medications may provide some relief, they do not address the underlying cause of the headache.  They can also cause a number of undesirable side effects, including ulcers, intestinal bleeding, heart problems, kidney and liver damage.

There are a variety of things that can trigger an occasional headache, including stress, alcohol, allergies, hormone fluctuations in women, and certain foods (chocolate, wine, cheese, gluten grains, etc.).  

However, in most people with recurring headaches, it is usually due to a problem with their posture and spinal alignment that has occurred from a past trauma or a lifetime of bad posture.  In headache sufferers, these alignment problems most often occur in the neck.

Researchers have proposed and in some cases have confirmed that headaches (including migraines) may be due to one or more of the following neck problems:

Forward Head Posture

A Loss of The Normal Curve in The Neck

Misalignments of Spinal Vertebrae

Asymmetrical Range of Movement of The Spine

Abnormal Movement of The Spine

Spinal Joint “Fixations”

Muscle Imbalances

Muscle Tension

Nerve Tension 

The good news is these are the exact headache triggers that chiropractors specialize in treating.   

Research over the last 20 years has confirmed what chiropractors and their patients have observed for over 100 years.  The majority of people see their headaches completely resolve after receiving chiropractic adjustments.  Adjustments are so effective because they can improve posture, restore alignment and movement of spinal vertebrae, and reduce muscle and nerve tension.

Most doctors in the medical community do not examine or treat these neck problems in their patients with headaches.  They simply prescribe pain relievers to treat the symptoms and do not correct the underlying cause of the headaches.

There are thousands of people who are suffering needlessly with daily headaches that can be helped with chiropractic treatment.  If you or someone you know is suffering from recurring headaches, forward this article to them or have them contact our office.

 

Here is a headache case from our clinic:

                              Before             Cervical (neck) X-rays – side view              After
 Reversal of normal neck curve     Green Line – Normal        Correction of neck curve
                                                            Red Line – Abnormal

 

Tom R.

Complaints:  Daily headaches, neck, shoulder and upper back pain.
Pain intensity:  5-8 (0=no pain, 10=unbearable pain)
Previous Trauma History:  Fell on head in gymnastics, car accident.
Previous Treatment and Results:  Over the counter aspirin, Aleve, and Tylenol taken daily for two years.  Short-term pain relief only.  Headaches and pain never resolved.
Our Treatment:  Mirror-image adjustments and neck traction to restore normal neck curve alignment.
Results:  Significant correction of his neck curve, complete resolution of headaches, neck pain, shoulder and upper back pain, and as a positive side effect he had more energy.