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If you have a headache, you're not alone. Nine out of ten
Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are
dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.
What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you
grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away?
There is a better alternative.
Research shows that spinal manipulation - the primary form of
care provided by doctors of chiropractic - may be an effective treatment option
for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.
A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University
Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, 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.
Also, a 1995 study in
the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found
that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension
headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks
experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who
received a commonly prescribed medication. |
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Headache Triggers
But to get to the bottom of the problem, you first need to find
out what is causing your pain. Headaches have many causes, or
"triggers." These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises,
lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood
sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals
caused by physical problems.
Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as
tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not
caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern. |
| What Can You Do?
- If you spend a large
amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a
sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to
one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable
range of motion.
- Low-impact exercise
may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you
are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such
activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
- Avoid teeth clenching.
The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This
results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) - the two joints that
connect your jaw to your skull - leading to TMJ irritation and a form of
tension headaches.
- Drink at least eight
8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to
headaches.
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| In addition, the ACA and its Council on Nutrition suggest you
avoid the following food "triggers"-
- Avoid caffeine. Foods
such as chocolate, coffee, sodas and cocoa contain high levels of the
stimulant.
- Avoid foods with a
high salt or sugar content. These foods may cause migraines, resulting in
sensitivity to light, noise, or abrupt movements.
- Avoid drinking
alcoholic beverages. These drinks can dehydrate you and cause headache pain.
- Other headache
sufferers may want to avoid not only caffeine, but also high-protein foods,
dairy products, red meat and salty foods.
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| What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?
Chiropractors may do one or more of the following if you suffer
from a primary headache:
- Perform spinal
manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and
alleviate the stress on your system.
- Provide nutritional
advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex
vitamins.
- Offer advice on
posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This
advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the
muscles of the neck and upper back.
Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their
patients in many ways - not just back pain.
If your headache is symptomatic of a health problem that needs
the care of another discipline, your doctor of chiropractic will refer you to
an appropriate specialist.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact our office.
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| | Remember, you can feel great at any age!
Dr. Lynne Kavulich
Doctor of Chiropractic • Cranial Therapy
Diplomate of American Clinical Board of Nutrition
Diplomate of American Board of Anti-Aging
American Wellness Care
Hopewell Junction, NY
(845) 221-1201
Serving
New York’s Hudson Valley residents for over 30 years, Dr. Lynne Kavulich and American Wellness Care offer a unique
multi-disciplinary wellness facility. American
Wellness Care merges the expertise of anti-aging medicine, clinical
nutrition, gentle chiropractic, massage, and low-level
laser.
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