Written by Dr. Sarah Gajecki
As a chiropractor, I see several patients who experience ongoing headaches that cause not only discomfort but interruption to their daily life. Have you had to cancel plans due to a headache? Do you find yourself rubbing your temples at work trying to massage the pain away? Or maybe your commute home is made unbearable by a throbbing pain behind your eyes.
Whatever type of headache you are experiencing, chiropractic care is a good place to start to know if we are able to help you manage your pain and get you feeling like yourself again! In this blog, I hope to answer some common questions that I receive about headaches.
What Causes Daily Headaches?
Many factors can contribute to daily headaches. Tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back can trigger tension headaches. Lifestyle and environmental factors can also contribute to frequent headaches. Lack of water intake, stress, fatigue, skipped meals, overuse of caffeine, fluorescent lighting, physical exertion and weather changes can all trigger headaches.
How Do Chiropractors Treat Headaches?
Chiropractors can treat headaches using multiple techniques. Soft tissue therapy can be used to reduce muscle tension in the neck, scalp and upper back. Mobilizations and adjustments to stiff or painful joints will improve pain and range of motion.
Acupuncture can be used to relieve muscle tension, improve blood flood and reduce pain sensations. Chiropractors will also provide education on common headache triggers and ways to improve and reduce symptoms at home through rehabilitative exercises and stretches.
How Long Does It Take for a Chiropractor to Fix Headaches?
Most often after your first treatment, you will experience some relief from headache symptoms. Headaches that are the result of muscle tension will often require multiple treatments to fully alleviate the muscle tightness.
Suffers of chronic headaches may require more regular treatment to stay on top of their headaches and reduce the severity of symptoms they feel. Depending on the cause of the headache and the different stressors identified, chiropractors will guide patients through how many treatments are necessary to alleviate their headaches.
Should I Go To A Chiropractor If I’m Having Migraine Headaches?
Chiropractors are trained to assess, diagnose and manage different types of headaches, including migraines. Chiropractic treatment plans for migraines may include cervical and thoracic adjustments, soft tissue therapy, acupuncture, education on migraine triggers and rehabilitative exercises.
Chiropractic care can aid in improving migraines, as well as reducing their frequency and intensity. Chiropractors can also recommend when it is time to see your family doctor if your migraines are not following an expected presentation.
Can a Chiropractor Fix Tension Headaches?
Yes! Muscle tension is a major contributing factor in causing tension headaches. Chiropractors can use manual therapy, soft tissue therapy, joint mobilizations and manipulations to treat and reduce muscle tension, which aids in reducing tension headaches. Research has found that chiropractic adjustments and manual therapy are effective in the treatment of tension headaches.
Will I Feel Immediate Relief After a Chiropractic Adjustment?
After a chiropractic adjustment, most people will feel reduced discomfort and less stiffness. Chiropractic adjustments result in your brain releasing endorphins. Endorphins help to block pain signals, resulting in pain relief.
Adjustments commonly result in reduced pain, discomfort and improved range of motion. It is also important to note that some general soreness after treatment can be expected as well, however, your practitioner will discuss any potential treatment effects with you directly!
Final Thoughts
So if you’ve found yourself searching for answers to the “how to get rid of headaches” question, I can suggest you give chiropractic treatment a try to undergo an assessment and create a plan on how to best manage your specific case. To book an appointment with me, you can click HERE and we can get started on managing your headaches today.