Can Chiropractic Help With Headaches & Migraines?

Headache & Migraine Relief in Pittsburgh, PA

Headaches & Migraines Interfere With Your Life

Suffering from headaches or migraines can be a real drag. It can prevent you from enjoying a favorite pastime, hinders productivity at work, zaps your energy, and makes you not want to be around people (even your own family).

What Causes Headache?

Headaches can occur for various reasons such as stress, tension, dehydration, hormonal changes, or as a result of an underlying medical condition. Many times, headaches can be linked to tension in the neck and spine. Tension headaches, for example, often result from tightness in the muscles around the neck and head. Chiropractic adjustments can help to relieve this tension and reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.

What Causes Migraine?

Migraines, on the other hand, are a type of headache that is typically more severe and accompanied by other symptoms such as sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting. While the exact cause of migraines is still unknown, research suggests that they may be linked to the nervous system and blood flow to the brain. Chiropractic adjustments can help to improve blood flow to the brain, reduce nerve irritation, and relieve muscle tension (which may help to alleviate migraines).

Look To The Neck As A Possible Cause

Quite often these problems are known as “cervicogenic headaches”. This means that the root cause (or “genesis”) of the problem stems from subluxations in the neck. The normal structure of the neck is a forward curve (also known as a lordosis), and the center of mass of the head is directly over the shoulder.

However, because of trauma (like a car accident, falling head first into a swimming pool, enduring a sports injury), sitting in front of a computer for 15 years, or developing “tech neck” (from looking at your cell phone for too long), it can cause the bones in the neck to get out of alignment. A loss of curve or forward head posture will irritate the nerves that stem from the cervical spine. Some of these nerves go back into the head.

This puts pressure on the nerves, causing problems like headaches or migraines.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care can be an effective treatment option for headaches and migraines. By addressing tension in the neck and spine, improving blood flow to the brain, and reducing nerve irritation, chiropractic adjustments can help to alleviate the frequency and severity of headaches and migraines.

In addition to spinal adjustments, chiropractors may also recommend lifestyle changes to help reduce the frequency and severity of headaches and migraines. These may include dietary changes, stress management techniques, and exercises to improve posture and strengthen the muscles around the neck and shoulders.

Testimonials

“I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful my experience has been with Dr. Smith. I experienced a significant improvement in a very short time with him.” – Ashley W.

“I had neck pain and headaches for years. Tylenol and even some prescription-strength drugs didn’t work. The pain kept coming back. I went to Dr. Smith and was blown away by the results. Dr. Smith is caring and dedicated and will get you out of pain!” – Michelle S.

“I feel that Dr. Smith is a very caring, courteous, and respectful person. He concentrates on the patient’s problems and strives to correct them. Dr. Smith prescribed personal exercises that increased my mobility. The spasms (from my right shoulder blade up into my head) used to trigger migraines. They’re now gone thanks to Dr. Smith.” – Kathy C.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is causing my headaches and migraines?

Headaches & migraines are often caused by misalignment of the bones in your neck, forward head posture, emotional stress, tension, dehydration, hormonal changes, metabolic problems, blood flow problems, and other issues.

What’s the difference between a headache and a migraine?

Headaches can occur for various reasons such as stress, tension, dehydration, hormonal changes, or as a result of an underlying medical condition. Migraines, on the other hand, are a type of headache that is typically more severe and accompanied by other symptoms such as sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting.

What are the 4 types of headaches?

The four types of headaches are:

Tension
Migraine
Cluster
Sinus

Why am I getting migraines all of a sudden?

Migraines can be triggered by a recent trauma (like a car accident or a sports injury involving the head and neck), chemical sensitivities, emotional stress, medications, hormonal changes, and sleep changes.

How do you get rid of a migraine ASAP?

There are a number of ways to get rid of a migraine including:

Chiropractic adjustments
Use a cold or hot compress on your neck
Sit quietly in a dark room
Sip a caffeinated beverage

What should I avoid during migraines?

You should avoid:

Stress
Loud noises
Bright lights
Artificial sweeteners
Strong odors
Certain foods (red wine, chocolate, cheese, processed meats, dried fruit)