More than 15 percent of American adults suffer from severe headaches or migraines. If you have ever experienced a bad headache, you understand 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. Keep reading to find out how chiropractic adjustments can help you achieve natural pain-relief from headaches.
About Headaches
Headaches are a common condition that causes pain in your head and/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 each person is unique, everyone experiences headaches differently.
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 crucial to identify the root cause of the problem. It’s also important to understand and recognize what is triggering your headaches. By knowing your triggers, this can help you better manage or even 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
Chiropractic Adjustments Help You Achieve Natural Headache Relief
When you visit your local chiropractor, they will first assess, diagnose, and create a personalized 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 frequent headaches can have a negative impact on your health and wellness. Depending on the frequency, duration, and severity of your headaches, you may find that a combination of treatments help you better manage or even remove your headaches. It’s a good idea to talk with your primary care doctor to determine the best treatments for your health needs and goals. For many patients, they experience great results by receiving regular chiropractic care and making healthier lifestyle changes. This includes getting enough quality sleep, managing stress, eating healthy, and exercising regularly.
We hope you enjoyed this article and it helped you consider other options for headache relief besides unpleasant pain-relief medications with risky side effects. If you are looking for the best Lakeville chiropractors near you, look no further than Enlighten Chiropractic. Let our family chiropractic office help you achieve sustainable health and wellness!
