JMPT Research Review for Chiropractic and Headaches
Chiropractic care can help reduce headaches! Cutting right to the chase and the meat and potatoes. The article link above is a study review determining the effectiveness of chiropractic care for headaches. Basically what the researchers do in this type of article is read through multiple studies and then form a conclusion on the studies results. The great news is they found that chiropractic care is effective in treating classic type headaches, cluster headaches, migraine headaches and cervicogenic headaches.
I know that is a lot of jargon so I will simplify it down for you. A true migraine headache will be accompanied with an aura. That means you will have wavy or spotty vision, a funny smell or taste or ringing in your ears that is associated with the headache. Often patient are light sensitive. Classic, cluster and even tension headaches are more the common “run of the mill” type headaches that are a squeezing pressure pain that can be in the temples or behind the eyes. Cervicogenic headaches (which means originating form the cervical spine or neck) are typically painful at the base of the skull and into the upper neck. Patients often tell me it feels better when they squeeze the top of their neck with their fingers. All of these headaches will respond well to chiropractic care.
One other type of headache is a sinus pressure headache. I have had many patients that tell me right after they get adjusted they can feel their sinuses clearing and feel like they can breathe again. Adjustments can even help you fight off the common cold, I’ve blogged about this before. Head Cold Blog
You don’t have to have your neck manually adjusted (or cracked as the layperson will call it) to find relief with care. An adjusting instrument that applies a quick gentle thrust can be used and is very patient friendly. So if you are worried about seeing a chiropractor for the first time this is a great type of treatment. You don’t have to suffer with headaches, just give us a call and we can get you back to enjoying life!
Chiropractic helps with headaches