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How chiropractic care can target headache

Headaches are a normal and accepted part of everyday life for many of us. Sometimes we can shrug them off and get on with our days, but for some, these can be debilitating and can impede on our normal activities. There are numerous types of headaches, ranging from; tension-type headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, medication-overuse headaches and hormone headaches.
Let's take a little look at these further...

Tension-Type Headaches -
These could be considered as the most common type of headache. You will normally feel this as pain at both sides of the head, pressure behind the eyes and tightness in the neck. There are a variety of reasons that these headaches may occur, including but not limited to, stress and anxiety, poor posture, dehydration, lack of nutritious food, tiredness and not enough physical activity.

Migraines -
Migraines tend to be more severe, with throbbing on mainly one side of the head. These types of headaches also bring other symptoms such as feeling or being sick and increased sensitivity to light and sound. The causes of migraines remain relatively unknown, some research suggests that there is an element of genetics that play a role, but also that migraines can be triggered by things such as stress, tiredness, certain foods or drinks and starting your menstrual cycle.

Cluster Headaches -
Cluster headaches happen less frequently. They are described as severe and excruciating pain felt around the eye, temple and sometimes the face. They can bring a sharp, burning or piercing feeling on one side of the head. It has been suggested that genetics may also play a part in cluster headaches but the main causes can be smoking, drinking alcohol or strong smells, such as perfume, paint and petrol.

Medication-Overuse Headaches -
Medication-overuse headaches can present quite similar to tension-type headaches and are caused by taking too many painkillers (even if this use is within correct or recommended dosage), normally done with the aim of treating headaches or migraines. These headaches should cease within a few days-weeks after stopping pain medication.

Hormone Headaches -
Hormone headaches tend to be suffered primarily by women and can be quite severe and debilitating. Causes of these headaches can be due to menstruation, hormonal contraception, the menopause and pregnancy.

More than 10 million people in the U.K. report getting regular headaches (NHS Inform, 2020), however, most are not serious and can be easily treated at home with over-the-counter medication, lifestyle changes and alternative treatments, such as chiropractic care!

Medication may be a quick fix but is not an ideal long-term answer, so let's take a look at some preventative measures that can be taken.

Chiropractic treatment can be considered an extremely effective way of treating headaches. A chiropractor will not only aim to target the pain but will consider the root of the issue and how to prevent recurring headaches. Upon contacting a chiropractor and reporting headaches, clients should be seen quickly and the chiropractor will provide a comprehensive analysis and recommend the best course of action for a client, whether this be chiropractic treatment, or if they should seek further medical assessment.

Chiropractors will explain to clients their likely headache type and will give an overview of treatment plan and desired outcomes. As all patients and headaches are different, your treatment plan will be tailored to your individual situation. Hands-on treatment for headaches may include spinal manipulations, soft tissue work, western acupuncture and more. Your chiropractor may also give you a prescription of exercises, stretches and advice that you can do to promote active care and self-management. Your chiropractor will likely want to review your progress within a four-week period.
A chiropractor will also ask for a detailed description of your lifestyle habits and will suggest any changes that could benefit the reduction of headaches. Some examples of this are as follows;

1. Avoid the overconsumption of alcohol, caffeine and sugar
2. Avoid smoking
3. Maintain a nutritious and balanced diet
4. Drink plenty of water
5. Make sure to get enough quality sleep and try to stick to a sleep routine
6. Exercise regularly
7. Practice good posture including regular breaks

Try to keep stress minimal, take time to focus on breathing/do yoga/meditate It may be unrealistic to believe we can implement all of the above consistently, but by making small changes towards this you may see a drastic reduction in headaches.


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