Headaches

Headaches

Have you ever had a day planned out, either for a fun activity or to get work or a project done, and a headache strikes?  Headaches can certainly ruin any day.  You may reach for an aspirin or other NSAID and hope for the best.  If you’re lucky, that will be the end of your headache but more often than not that headache will return after a few hours.  Or it may be a reoccurring problem that comes back every few days.

Many people brush a headache off as normal or something that everyone in their family gets.  Headaches are NOT normal, they are a signal that something is wrong.  

 

Causes of Headaches

It may be something as simple as not drinking enough water, drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, stopping caffeine or pain medications, gritting your teeth, or eating something that triggers a headache.  In a small percentage of cases it may indicate a serious problem but in the vast majority of cases the headache is the main concern.

Besides migraines, cervicogenic and tension headaches are the most common types of headaches. 

A cervicogenic headache actually originates in the neck and is typically due to a vertebra in the neck being out of its normal position or out of alignment.  This can cause irritation of surrounding nerves which can either signal a referred pain in the head or in some cases causes blood vessels in the head to constrict and thereby result in pain.  Neck issues can be the result of a fall or accident, degeneration or arthritis of the cervical (neck) spine, poor posture, over extension or twisting of the neck, or ongoing stress and tension.

Cervicogenic headaches can often be considered tension headaches because stress can cause muscles in the neck to tighten and pull the small neck or cervical vertebrae out of alignment and result in a cervicogenic headache as described above.

Cervicogenic or tension headaches do not usually respond to medications except for temporary relief.

The cause of migraine headaches is still not completely understood.  They could be genetic, caused by allergies, a chemical reaction in the body, or other unknown causes. In some cases it can be the result of a misaligned vertebra in the neck.  This can put pressure on the blood vessels in the neck or nerve irritation that signals blood vessels in the neck to constrict.  This can cause the blood vessels in your head to expand to offset the reduced blood supply.  This expansion can irritate surrounding nerves and result in the throbbing pain of a migraine headache.

 

Services

How Does Chiropractic Help Relieve Headache Pain?

If a Chiropractic/Orthopedic exam determines that there is a misalignment of a cervical (neck) vertebra and/or soft tissue injury of the surrounding muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments, chiropractic adjustments and therapies can correct that problem and relieve the underlying cause of those types of headaches.  This is true of both cervicogenic/tension and migraine headaches if there is underlying nerve interference due to spinal misalignment.

A 2001 report by Duke University 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.”

Chiropractic Care Can Help Your Headaches

Don’t let headaches take over your life.

What is a chiropractic adjustment, and how do they help?

Chiropractic adjustments are designed to move an out of place vertebra back to its correct position through gentle, specific movements of the affected area of the spine. Adjustments are done either manually by hand or with specially designed adjusting instruments such as an Activator or Arthrostim instrument.  Dr. Alexander is highly skilled and experienced at both manual and instrument adjusting.

 

Care Plan Therapies

 

Cervical Traction/Decompression  

Cervical traction/decompression is a light stretching of the neck to help relieve pressure on the discs between the vertebrae and any nerves being compressed by spinal misalignments. 

 

Ice Therapy (Cryotherapy)

Ice therapy helps reduce inflammation and provide temporary pain relief.  By cooling the surface of the skin it numbs painful areas and helps relax muscle spasms.  

 

Low Light Laser Therapy 

Low Light laser therapy is designed to stimulate cells in order to accelerate the healing of damaged tissues, aid in the reduction of pain and inflammation, increase joint mobility, and promote a healthy cell metabolism.

 

Ultrasound Therapy 

Ultrasound is a therapeutic treatment using high-frequency sound waves with the intent to create a heat response.  The rise in temperature increases blood flow, relaxes muscle spasms, helps repair damaged tissues, and speeds the healing process.

When Should I See a Chiropractor for Headaches?

Any time you have recurring headaches, especially if you experience these symptoms:

  • Steady, dull, tight pain around your scalp or neck
  • Pain that begins in the back of your neck and moves forward throughout your whole head.
  • Sit for long periods bent over in one position
  • Spend long periods of time looking at the computer or other electronic device
  • Neck and shoulder muscles feel stiff.
  • If stress or fatigue trigger your headaches

Chiropractic Care Helped Relieve My Headaches

I suffered with severe headaches for over 15 years.  It was so bad people stopped asking if I had a headache & started asking if I didn’t have a headache.  I had my eyes checked. I had my teeth checked, I had sinus surgery, nothing worked.  After a few months with Dr. Alexander I felt great.  It’s almost 2 years later and I almost never have a headache.

– Karen H. // Lawrenceville, Ga.

 

When I first came to Dr. Alexander I was having problems with migraines that were lasting weeks at a time.  This was interfering with all areas of my life to the point of going to the ER for treatment.  As my treatment has progessed with Dr. Alexander, my migraines have gotten much less severe and less frequent.  I’m looking forward to continued improvement with continued treatment from Dr. Alexander!

– Shelley J. // Buford, Ga.

 

Dr. Alexander has helped me with my headaches.  I used to get a bad headache every day.  Since I have been seeing Dr. Alexander I have had no headaches.

– Derek A. // Lawrenceville, Ga.

 

Ten years ago I suffered from stress related/tension headaches.  I had missed work and called on Friday late in the afternoon.  Dr. Alexander saw me several times for 2 weeks.  I am now on a maintenance routine.  I was a non-believer in chiropractic services; however, I am a firm believer now.  My headaches are less frequent and I can visit and feel relief right away.  Thanks so much Dr. A….

– Sheryl J. // Dacula, Ga.