Feburary - Topic of the Week: Headaches

Article by: American Chiropractic Association 2013

9 out of 10 Americans suffer from headaches.

- American Chiropractic Association

What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie Down? Pop a pill and hope the pain subsides? There is a better alternative. Chiropractic care may be an effective treatment for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck. A report released in 2001 nu researches are the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication. 

The American Chiropractic Association suggests the following:

• If you spend a large amount of time in on fixed position, such as in front of a computer, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take you head and neck through a comfortable rand of motion.
• Low- impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in low impact activities such as walking.
• Avoid teeth clenching. the upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) - the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull - casing a form of tension headaches.
• Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

Discuss your headache with Dr. Casey today!