Headache Relief With Chiropractic Care
Are you constantly looking down at your cell phone, working on your laptop all day, or clinching your jaw at night or during the day? These repetitive activities, combined with poor posture and/or stress, can lead to the most common type of headache: tension headaches. The pain of a tension headache is caused by muscle contractions that typically start in the neck and shoulders, travel up towards the base of the neck and eventually wraps around the head. When your headache is accompanied by additional symptoms such as nausea and/or vomiting, sensitivity to light and/or sound, seeing spots or flashing lights, and temporary vision loss, you may be experiencing a migraine. The causes of migraine headaches vary, but include anxiety or hormonal changes, to name a few. The other common types of headaches include cluster headaches, characterized by pain on one side of the head and come in clusters, and sinus headaches that occur in the sinus cavities and are accompanied by symptoms of a sinus infection like fever, stuffy nose, facial pressure, cough and congestion.
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, every 10 seconds, someone in the U.S. goes to the emergency room complaining of head pain, and approximately 1.2 million visits are for acute migraine attacks. According to the Center for Disease Control, women are twice as likely as men to report having serious headaches, and the percentage of those who report headaches decreases with age. With the climate of the COVID-19 pandemic we are currently experiencing, the stress and anxiety that can contribute to tension and migraine headaches are at an all-time high.
The good news is, there are things you can do to lessen the severity and frequency of headaches. Of course, there are over the counter and prescription strength medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen, but long-term use of these medications can cause other health issues. Therefore, complementary treatment should be considered, including chiropractic care. The spinal adjustments offered by chiropractors provide gentle, non-invasive and non-addictive therapy that can help manage and relieve the pain of tension and migraine headaches. These adjustments are intended to align the spine and other joints in the body, which can lead to reduced inflammation, improved joint mobility and nervous system function, and relief from stress and anxiety. If you are experiencing frequent headaches, in addition to consulting your primary care physician, seek the advice of a chiropractic practitioner. Dr. Anane of Spine Wellness Center in Clinton, MD you may be able to help provide relief in a safe and healthy manner. Give us a call!