As an individual suffering from headaches and migraines, you are not alone. A large percentage of people often describe feeling symptoms associated with some form of head pain. While some might be occasional and dull and others may be more frequent and throbbing, headaches or migraine pain can be debilitating, especially depending on the type of injury or condition causing the symptoms. There are various ways to treat head pain but prevention can be one of the best ways to prevent headaches and migraines.
Chiropractic Care for Head Pain
Chiropractic care can help both treat and prevent chronic
headaches and migraines. The majority of head pain symptoms generally
originates from spinal misalignments, improper posture, and reduced spinal
mobility as a result of direct injury or an underlying condition. Also, the
muscles surrounding the cervical spine may at times develop poor contraction
patterns, or scar tissue between the layers of the muscle that could also cause
head pain. Many of these complications can improve with chiropractic treatments
on the spine, specifically focusing on the neck and upper back. Through spinal
adjustments, a chiropractor re-aligns the spine in order to release tension in
the bones, muscles, and nerves, avoiding headaches and migraines from occurring
in the first place. If the normal function of the spine is restored,
individuals whom previously suffered from headaches and/or migraines could
experience reduced a frequency and intensity of their symptoms.
Preventing Migraines with Chiropractic
Preventing headaches and migraines can also be achieved by
avoiding triggers. If you suffer from migraines for example and an excess of
sunlight causes your head pain to trigger, wearing ball caps or large hats and
polarized sunglasses can help reduce the exposure to your trigger. If you
experience tension headaches, described as mild to moderate tightness or
pressure around the head, standing up and stretching from a constant sitting position
behind a computer screen and changing the height of the screen and keyboard to
reduce neck and upper back strain can help prevent problems that could trigger
another headache.
Finally, preventing headaches can simply be accomplished by
staying active. Individuals who frequently suffer from headaches or migraines
often may spend several days in bed while experiencing their symptoms. But, if
after spending a day or two resting the symptoms don’t improve, preferably one
should attempt returning into their regular daily activities. However, while
resuming back to any physical activities, keep in mind to avoid participating
in exercises that could aggravate any injuries or conditions that caused the
headaches or migraines in the first place.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
