About 10 million people suffer from headaches every month in the UK and the stats show that this number is only increasing. This is a problem facing far too many people today. Many people have what is termed “Normal Headaches” on a weekly or even daily basis.
Let me start off by saying, a headache isn’t normal, nor is it normal to have them on a regular basis.
So where is your headache coming from?
Studies have shown that very few headaches originate from illness. Most headaches, or primary headaches – treatable by chiropractors – are tension headaches and migraines, usually caused by problems associated with trauma or poor posture which can aggravate the tendons and muscles in the neck and head. Headaches can also result from a wide variety of factors;
- Certain behaviors such as excessive physical activity and insufficient sleep can result in headaches
- Some foods are known to cause or trigger headaches, though it does differ from person to person
- Environment changes such as noise and light
What type of headache have I got?
- Cervicogenic headaches – these are headaches that originate from the neck, either from a soft tissue or a joint problem. The pain generally begins at the back of the head then moves towards the front. Pain is normally one sided and can from time to time be experienced in the arm or shoulder. These headaches generally don’t improve with medication.
- Tension headaches are the most common, they occur as a result of prolonged tension within the head, neck and shoulder area. This can be commonly caused through our work and posture habits.
- Migraines – this type of headache varies from person to person but is normally accompanied by dizziness and nausea.
How a Care for Health Chiropractor can help…
How do you relieve that pounding headache? Many of us turn to medication to manage headaches, but over time this can have an impact of the body as a whole. By contrast, Chiropractic treatment is quick, safe and effective in treating headaches.
Tension in your spine often will be caused by problems in other parts of your body. We can help isolate and identify the true cause of your headache through our thorough examination process which will include assessing your posture, movement and we will take your history into account too. This allows us to formulate a plan of action to eliminate occurrences in the future. We will advise you on the best postures and recommend exercise to help you avoid tension in and around the neck and upper back to avoid joint irritation to keep you functioning fully and able to do your daily tasks with ease.
We will often suggest using Sports Therapy alongside Chiropractic care as a way to further reduce the muscle tightness and dysfunction, and provide you with some recommended exercises that you can perform at home to continue your progress back to health.
As Chiropractors we treat headaches and migraines by making gentle adjustments to the area that has been identified as causing the problem. These adjustments restore correct joint and muscle function, allowing you to regain movement and feel less pain.
Things you can try yourself at home too are:
- Make sure to be drinking lots of water to stay hydrated
- Be sure to take regular rest breaks from work so you keep your body moving
- Review your desk and sitting postures to make sure you are not slouching and loading your neck more than you should be.
Reach out to us now for headache relief and other Chiropractic treatments to look after your health while in pain and once they are gone to keep everything functioning optimally. Also make sure to keep an eye on our social media channels for some great videos and home exercises you can be doing too.
Luke Ullyott,