Headaches

A frequent and overlooked cause of headaches is the malfunction of spinal bones in the neck and upper back.

 

When the bones of the spine lose their normal position or motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels to the head can be affected.  When spinal nerves and related tissues are stretched or irritated they can produce throbbing headaches.  Aspirin and medications may cover up these warning signs, but do not correct the underlying structural cause.

  

Many people find relief from headaches with chiropractic care.  A report released in 2001 by researchers at Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.  

  

Another study in 1995 which was published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulation therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication.  

  

Chiropractic is successful because it treats the cause of the pain.  For some patients relief is immediate while others may find that correction of their problem takes longer because their spinal problem has existed for many years.

  

Today the prevalence of headaches is often attributed to the sedentary work environment of many office staff who spend hours in a fixed position in front of  computer screens or leaning over a desk.  These positions increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck and upper back causing your head to ache.  

  

Helpful hints to avoid tension headaches:

• If you spend large amount of time in a fixed position, such as in front of a computer, sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour.   The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
• Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise.  Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
• Avoid teeth clenching.  The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing.  This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
• Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.