Could your headache be coming from your spine?

Many people struggle with headaches. There are certainly several types of headaches. One person may have migraine headaches, another may have tension headaches, and another person may have sinus headaches. What do they all have in common? In my 35 years of practicing chiropractic, I have found that most headaches come from the spine. This article will discuss headaches, important research on this condition, and headache relief.

As I pointed out earlier, there are different types of headaches. Let’s briefly discuss these. Migraine headaches are classically located on one side of the head. They are usually preceded by a “prodrome”. A prodrome occurs before the actual headache. For some it may be a loss of peripheral vision, others may have ringing in the ears, and still others may have a numb feeling in the facial area. Migraine sufferers typically experience severe pain that can be disabling to the point of having to lie down in a dark, quiet room.

Tension headaches, which can also be called muscle stress headaches, can be located anywhere in the skull. Some people have them on the back of the head, others may have them on the temples, and still others may find them all over the skull. Stress and tiredness tend to trigger tension headaches. They are usually mild to moderate in nature and sufferers are used to getting on with their day, albeit under harshness.

Sinus headaches are usually found at the front of the head and are found around the eyes, forehead, and upper cheeks. They can occur with changes in weather, temperature, or seasonal changes. They confuse those who have them due to their unpredictability.

Fortunately, there is only one type of conservative care that is a boon for headache relief. Research has found that the cause of headaches is often found in correcting spinal misalignments in the upper neck. In fact, the Journal of Occupational Trauma published a research article stating, “Headaches are more often caused by spinal strain than by any other condition.”

A doctor of chiropractic is trained to evaluate the bones of the upper spine of the neck for misalignment and improper movement. If there is abnormal alignment or movement of these bones, called vertebrae, it can irritate the nerves causing migraine, tension, and sinus headaches.

Chiropractors are also trained to restore proper alignment and movement to the vertebrae of the upper spine through a chiropractic adjustment. A chiropractic adjustment is very safe, gentle, and conservative. Many headache sufferers are used to taking medication for headaches. These drugs can have unhealthy side effects. Chiropractic care is known to be a non-pharmaceutical alternative for headache relief.

For more than 125 years, chiropractors have cared for headache patients and provided pain relief.