In the United States, more than 15 percent of adults suffer from severe headaches or migraines. If you have ever experienced a bad headache, you know 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 look at how to treat your headaches naturally with chiropractic care.
Headaches
Headaches are a common condition that causes pain in your head or face. Most people will 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.
Main 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 root cause of the problem. It’s also vital to understand and recognize what is triggering your headaches. By knowing your triggers, this can help you better manage or remove your headaches. You may discover that making healthy 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
Treat Your Headaches Naturally with Chiropractic
As with any patient, a licensed chiropractor will first assess, diagnose, and create a custom tailored 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 regular headaches can negatively impact your health, wellness, and everyday life. Depending on the frequency, duration, and severity of your headaches, you may find that a combination of treatments helps you better manage or even remove the headaches. It’s recommended to talk with your primary doctor to determine the best treatments for your health needs and goals. For many patients, they experience great results with receiving regular chiropractic care and making healthier lifestyle changes. This includes getting enough sleep, managing stress, eating healthy, and exercising regularly.
We hope this article helped you learn how chiropractic can help people with headaches. If you are looking for the best Parker chiropractor near you, look no further than Awaken Chiropractic. Let our advanced chiropractic office help you achieve your maximum health potential!
