ALL HEADACHES HAVE A CAUSE . . .
Stress, toxic fumes, certain foods, and alcohol are common culprits.
There are many types of headaches.
Some estimates suggest 25% of the population has a headache right now.
...Up to 80% of all headaches are due to
malfunction of spinal joints in the neck and upper back.
In our society today, we are overwhelmed by advertisements for pain and headache medication. (As if our headaches are due to a lack of aspirin or other medications). The unfortunate part is that we seem to have lost sight of the fact that pain means that there is a problem. For headaches sufferers, a chiropractic spinal checkup is one of the best things you can do. Chiropractic has helped millions of headache sufferers over the years. While chiropractic does not claim to be a specific treatment and cure for headaches--it has a different approach to health care you should be made aware of.
Chiropractors free your body of vertebral subluxations, which have the power to destroy your health. Subluxations affect millions of us--it is a hidden epidemic. When freed of subluxations your body works more efficiently to heal itself.
Many things cause a headache: strong smells, intense light, sinus problems, high blood pressure, ear and/or eye problems, dental problems, fevers, infections, tumors, alcohol, drugs, accidents, and many other causes. You can even get a headache from worrying about all the things that cause headaches. That will lead you to the most common headache of all: the muscle tension (also called the worry or stress) headache, that makes up 90% of all headaches.
The ache from a headache does not come from your brain. Your brain feels no sensation, which is why patients are awake during brain surgery. What causes the "ache" in your headache? Veins and arteries inside the brain and skull, membranes that wrap around the brain and certain nerves in the head called cranial nerves. When these are pulled, irritated, inflamed, or infected, headaches can often result.
Headache treatment depends on the cause. For example, headache arising from visual problems can be cured by eyeglasses. But the most common headaches are treated with painkillers. The hundreds of million of dollars spent on pain pills, may provide some relief, but please remember---the pain may be gone, but the cause of the headache is not corrected. That is why we see millions of people swallowing pills for years, possibly suffering from the side effects of long-term medication--while not getting better, only temporarily feeling better. Logic tells us that this is not a healthy way to live.
A frequent and overlooked cause of headaches are vertebral subluxations, particularly in the neck and upper back. When bones of the spine lose their normal position or motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels to the head can be affected. When spinal nerves and related tissues are stretched or irritated they can produce throbbing headaches. It has been estimated that up to 80% of all headaches are due to these problems. A study out of Syracuse University confirmed that chiropractors have been right about headaches all along.
Many people find relief and correction with chiropractic care. If a thorough examination reveals reduced range of motion, loss of normal spinal curves, or mechanical restrictions, chiropractic care is strongly recommended. After a complete explanation, you'll receive a care program designed for your unique spinal problem.
By adjusting the areas of your neck and upper back chiropractors help restore proper spinal function, thereby removing the cause of your headaches.
For over 100 years, chiropractors have observed an intimate relationship between the spine and headaches. Many migraine patients (both adults and children) have claimed relief under chiropractic care. Many patients report headache relief after a few visits. Other find that the correction of their problem takes longer because their spinal problem has existed undetected for many years. Every patient responds differently.
Remember, the purpose of the chiropractic spinal adjustment is to remove the nerve and spinal stress caused by the vertebral subluxation complex. This permits the body to restore itself to a greater level of health and wholeness--in effect to better heal itself.
