Can Chiropractic Help with Headaches?

Can your headaches be helped through spinal manipulation? The answer is a resounding yes! Chiropractic treatment assists with headache pain in two ways. The first is that it removes pressure on nerves causes by vertebral misalignments. The second is that spinal realignment helps muscles to release their tension, which can also be a cause of pressure on the nerves.

Most often, headaches are primarily a nervous system problem. Muscle tension and changes in blood flow are also contributing factors. The nerves of your head start at the base of the back of your head.  They spread up over the head and forward like the roots of a tree into the ground.  When the bones of the upper neck are out of their proper alignment, they cause tension in that area that puts pressure on one or more of the nerves of your head causing a headache.  It is similar to hitting your funny bone.  When you hit your funny bones, you feel the pain the whole way down that nerve into your hand.  When you have a headache, you have pressure at the nerve close to the spine and feel the pain wherever the nerve travels.  Chiropractic is uniquely suited to fix these underlying issues that can be causing your headache by alleviating the pressure caused by spinal misalignments.

Most people reach for over-the-counter painkillers to remove the pain of a headache. While these might lessen or remove the pain, the relief is typically temporary and doesn’t fix the underlying cause. Chronic sufferers of headaches and migraines might be able to ditch their medications after a few rounds of treatment from a chiropractor. By removing the spinal misalignments that are causing pressure on the nerves, muscles, and blood vessels, the headache leaves.

According to the University of Maryland, there have been several studies done to test the efficacy of chiropractic medicine on migraines. In one study, 22% of the people treated reported at 90% reduction rate in attacks and 49% reported a reduction in intensity. It was found in a separate study that Elavil, a painkiller for migraines, was just as effective as chiropractic, but has more side effects. Combining the two treatments didn’t result in any additional improvement.

Our office focuses on people who have been involved in auto accidents. Many people who have been in an accident suffer from whiplash.  Headaches are commonly seen in car accident victims as well!  When the body is jerked back and forth in an accident the muscles and ligament of the upper neck are commonly hurt, this can result in pressure on the same nerves discussed earlier.  It is also fairly common for people to suffer mild concussions or traumatic brain injury in an accident, this can also result in headaches and other symptoms. 

Why not give chiropractic a try for your headache or migraine? Our doctor is ready to treat whatever pain problem you might be experiencing.  If you are suffering from headaches, give us a call.  Dr. McDowell is always available to examine your condition, explain what’s causing your pains and describe how chiropractic may be of help in resolving them.  Please give us a call at 910-484-2001 to schedule a consultation with Dr. McDowell.