You may suffer from constant or severe headaches. If so, you may do what most Americans do. That is simply just reach for the medicine cabinet. You probably are not having headaches because of a lack of ibuprofen in your diet. Instead of masking the pain with over-the-counter products, seek a proper diagnosis and long lasting relief. You can do so with chiropractic treatment for headaches.
What is chiropractic care?
Chiropractic is a field of medicine. It commonly classified as a complimentary alternative medicine (CAM). Traditional physicians (MD, DO) rely on their knowledge, medical tools, and medication to treat pain. Chiropractors (DC) focus on manual therapy. A chiropractor usually uses hands alone provide the treatment. Common treatments offered by chiropractors include therapeutic massages and manipulative adjustments followed by rehabilitative exercises to promote long term musculoskeletal health. To read more about chiropractic click here.
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Doesn’t a chiropractor only specialize in back pain?
This is a common misconception. Chiropractors tend to focus on the spine, but you may be surprised how many ways the spine and its condition impacts your body. Many chiropractors have years of experience helping patients diagnose, treat, and manage all types of pain, including headache pain.
Why should you get chiropractic treatment for headaches?
Headaches have many causes. Daily stress is a huge cause, but there may be a more serious underlying problem. For example, those who have chronic muscle tightness may experience a spinal distortion. This causes cervicogenic headaches. Car accident victims commonly suffer from whiplash. If improperly treated, this can also lead to headaches. Without treatment, the pain will continue and it may get worse overtime.
How does chiropractic care help headaches?
It all depends on their cause. If everyday stress is to blame, a chiropractor may suggest relaxing exercises at home or regular in-office therapeutic massages. If headaches are caused by spinal distortion, a vertebrae adjustment may be performed. This alleviates the pressure from surrounding muscles and nerves, which should reduce headache pain and frequency.
Will the headaches stop after seeking chiropractic care?
First, it is important to remember that headaches are caused by many factors. If your cause is due to spinal distortion or muscle spasm, chiropractic adjustments will help. This will reduce the frequency of headaches caused by this specific problem. But, you may get another headache from just having a bad day at work. You and your chiropractor will work together to achieve long-term pain relief. In addition to therapeutic massages, trigger factors will be discussed. You will later need to avoid these triggers.
What should you ask your chiropractor after treatment?
Many patients mistakenly believe they are treated and no longer need to seek treatment. Chiropractic care does not mean long-term care. Before parting ways, however, pick your chiropractor’s brain for suggestions to later prevent headache pain or lessens the severity. As previously stated, trigger factors need to be eliminated. Not only that, proper posture is important. This is a chiropractor’s specialty. Ask them about natural ways to prevent pain, including relaxation and proper posture.
In short, headaches have many causes. Daily stress is not the only cause. Don’t mask the pain. See what you can do to get long-term and long-lasting relief. So, the next time you get a severe, long-lasting, or recurring headache, don’t head to the medicine cabinet. Instead, look up your local chiropractor. Find the contact information for a local chiropractic care specialist and see what they can do for you.
The Cascade Chiropractic and Wellness Blog is written by Chris Cooper, DC.
Portland OR Chiropractors at Cascade Chiropractic and Wellness provide customized chiropractic care to the Portland OR, Gresham OR, Clackamas OR, Beaverton OR and Vancouver WA communities. Visit our main website at eastportlandchiropractor.com
Choose several options to schedule your appointment: call (503) 257-1324 or request with our online form.
Great article! Thanks for sharing with us. :)