Did you know that more than 15 percent of Americans suffer from severe headaches or migraines? If you have ever experienced a bad headache, you understand how uncomfortable, painful, and distracting it can be. There are several types of headaches, which affect people differently. While you may reach for over-the-counter medications, there are drug-free, natural options for headaches. Let’s take a closer look at how you can say goodbye to headaches with chiropractic care.
About Headaches
Headaches are a common health condition that causes pain in your head and/or face. Most people experience a headache in their lifetime. Common symptoms include throbbing, constant, sharp, or dull pain in the head or face. The severity of the pain ranges from mild to severe, while the duration of the pain can last for minutes to hours or days. Since everyone is different, each patient may experience headaches differently.
Different Types of Headaches
The main types of headaches include tension, migraine, and cervicogenic.
- Tension Headaches: this causes ring-like tension around the head.
- Migraine Headaches: this causes severe, sharp pain on one side of the head. People may experience dizziness, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound.
- Cervicogenic Headaches: this causes pain in one or more areas of the head or face. These headaches are usually due to a family history of headaches, neck injury, neck stiffness, and/or stress.
Common Causes of Headaches
Even though everyone is different, there are common causes of headaches observed by doctors and scientists. As with any health condition, it’s imperative to identify the source of the problem. It’s also crucial to understand and recognize what is triggering your headaches. By knowing your triggers, this can help you better manage or even stop your headaches. You may discover that making healthier lifestyle changes can improve your overall health and wellness.
Common Headache Causes
- Allergies
- Auto accident injuries like whiplash
- Clenching your jaw at night or during the day
- Driving for long hours on a regular basis
- Eating certain foods
- Environmental factors like light or noise
- Genetics
- Lack of proper hydration
- Looking down at your device, such as a computer, phone, or tablet
- Poor posture
- Poor sleep
- Sitting for long periods of time without moving
- Sleeping on your stomach
Say Goodbye to Headache Pain with Chiropractic
When you visit a chiropractic office, the chiropractor will assess, diagnose, and create a personalized treatment plan based on your health conditions and goals. This plan will focus on identifying and treating the source of your headaches. Studies have shown that manual adjustments can effectively treat cervicogenic and tension headaches, as well as reduce the frequency and severity of migraines.
Chiropractors may use one or more of the following treatments:
- Manual adjustments
- Modalities, such as acupuncture, electrical stimulation, or ultrasounds
- Recommendations for lifestyle changes
- Referral to other specialists
- Soft tissue massage therapy
Having frequent headaches can have a negative impact on your health and wellness. Depending on the frequency, duration, and severity of your headaches, you may find that a combination of treatments helps you better manage or remove the headaches altogether. It’s recommended to talk with your primary care doctor to determine the best treatments for your health needs and goals. For many patients, they experience positive results by receiving regular chiropractic care and making healthier lifestyle changes. This includes getting enough quality sleep, managing stress, eating healthy, and exercising on a regular basis.
We hope you enjoyed this article and it helped you consider natural options for headache relief besides pain medications. If you are looking for the best Lithia chiropractors, look no further than At Last Chiropractic today. Our family chiropractic office wants to help you achieve optimal health and long-term pain relief!
