Can Chiropractic Help My Headaches?
It is estimated that 50 million Americans suffer from a consistent frequency of headaches. There are many different types of headaches:
- Tension Headache
- Migraine Headache
- Whiplash Headache
- Cluster Headache
- Sinus Headache
- Cervicogenic Headache
- Hormone Headache
- Concussion Headache
- TMJ Headache
Chiropractic care works very well for headache management. However, there are many headaches sufferers who have never consulted a chiropractic physician or even considered chiropractic care as a good treatment option.
So, how does manual therapy (chiropractic adjustments) to the neck help headaches? We first have to understand the anatomy of the neck, specifically the upper cervical spine. If any of the top three vertebra (C1, C2, C3) become misaligned or become fixated and cannot move properly, then there are segmental range of motion and biomechanical abnormalities in that region. The result is likely a headache from the list above.
An important point I want to make and have you think about is this; if the headache is caused by a misalignment and biomechanical problem then is taking prescription medications (Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin) going to fix the misalignment and biomechanical problem in your upper cervical spine (C1, C2, C3)? The answer is no and that is why taking prescription medications may initially help headache pain severity when you experience one, but they do not work to reduce the frequency or the progression of headache management.
In my experience as a chiropractic physician, most patients find that after a few chiropractic adjustments, their headache symptoms are significantly improved. This is because re-establishing proper alignment, biomechanics, and motion of C1, C2, and C3 relaxes tight muscles and improves headache management, even in chronic headache sufferers.
There is no other treatment option that can match the capability of the chiropractic adjustment in improving and re-establishing the alignment and biomechanics of the upper cervical spine thus, helping the headache patient.
If you would like to have the biomechanics of your cervical spine (C1, C2, C3) evaluated for headache relief, please contact my chiropractic clinic in Roseville, MN near Como Park in Saint Paul, MN today. We also serve patients in Arden Hills, MN, Shoreview, MN, and Falcon Heights, MN.