Here are a few quick tips about headaches and chiropractic care that I bet you didn't know.
1. Chiropractic care improves migraine headaches and headaches resulting from disorders of the cervical spine.
2. Spinal manipulation is terrific for tension headaches and especially headaches that originate in the neck. Over 70% of all headaches originate in the neck, usually as a result of degeneration, loss of joint function, and restricted range of motion. Chiropractic care relieves the pain associated with headaches by breaking up adhesions and scar tissue to restore joint function and improve range of motion in the neck.
3. Headaches can be triggered by poor posture. Since 70% of headaches are due to joint dysfunction in the neck, a head forward posture associated with reading, looking down at a smartphone for long periods, working at a computer or just poor posture that has been acquired over the years can be the cause of many types of headache. A chiropractor can teach you about proper positioning during work or play to help prevent headaches.
4. Poor nutrition and dehydration are often causes for headaches. Your chiropractor can advise you to avoid certain foods that are triggers for headache. (Hello, chocolate!)
5. Misalignments in the cervical spine and jaw can often cause tension headaches. Injuries like whiplash that heal with scar tissue are a common cause of spinal misalignment and a loss of joint function. Dysfunction in the joint in the jaw, commonly referred to as TMJ, can cause stress, tension and muscle contractions in the neck, a common cause of tension headache. Chiropractors successfully treat whiplash and misalignments of the jaw, often bringing relief for these type of headaches.
References:
ACAtoday.org
Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duanleau M, et al. Evidence based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. JManipulative and Physiol Thera 2011:34:274-89.
Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duanleau M, et al. Evidence based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with neck pain. JManipulative and Physiol Thera 2014: 37: 42-63.