Are you suffering from the occasional headache that gives you a throbbing and dull feeling, or perhaps it’s more frequent and accompanied by nausea and unbearable pain? You are not alone. Around 9 out of 10 people suffer from terrible headaches that seem to get worse and can be triggered by a number of factors. Most try to get rid of these headaches with simple pills or try to carry on with what ever they were doing before it accrued.
New research shows that there is in fact an alternative, known as spinal manipulation. This is a form of care provided by chiropractors, who believe this to be an effective treatment for headaches and headaches that originate in the neck. In 2007 a report was released by researchers that found this spinal manipulation treatment can result in immediate improvement for headaches. This treatment also has known to have fewer side effects as well as longer lasting relief than the commonly prescribed medication.
In 2009, spinal manipulation therapy has been found to be a very effective treatment for all headaches and those taking the chiropractic treatment have experienced a benefit after just four weeks compared to those who receive prescribed medication.
The Triggers
As with any problem the first thing you need to do is to find out the cause of your pain; with headaches there are many causes and triggers. The many causes of any headache can vary from the foods you eat and the environment such as the noise and lights to excessive exercise, insomnia, poor posture and more. Around five percent of many headaches are warning signals that are caused by physical problems, where as ninety-five percent are simply headaches or migraines. Though these headaches are not caused by a disease, the headache itself is the main concern.
What You Can Do?
Simple things like taking a break and stretching every thirty minutes to an hour when spending a long period of time in one fixed position like driving, reading or being in front of a computer can help a lot. With stretching this will allow your head and neck muscles to become relaxed and comfortable with the range of motions involved. With a simple headache some low impact exercise can help to decrease pain, however if you get them terrible throbbing headaches that only seem to get worse, then it’s best to avoid heavy exercise and perhaps engage in a slow paced walk and a low form of aerobics. Everyone should try and drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration, which if avoided can cause painful headaches.
There are a few food triggers that should be avoided such as caffeine, along with a range of foods from chocolate, soda and coffee, which all hold high levels of caffeine, to foods with a high salt and sugar content. These foods can cause a headache to turn into a migraine, which can cause you to become sensitive to light, noise and abrupt movement. Lastly alcoholic beverages can cause headaches and dehydrate you.
What Can A Chiropractor Do?
Your chiropractor will firstly perform a range of procedures from cervical X-rays, bloods and examinations to thermography and electromyography studies, which will help them to determined the root of your headache problem. Once they have diagnosed the problem they may perform spinal manipulation, this will aim to improve function and alleviate stress on your spine. A chiropractor will also recommend a nutritional diet to help prevent and avoid headaches, along with B complex vitamins.
It is always in the best interest of the chiropractor to ensure you get the best advice and help possible before, during and after treatment. Your doctor will ensure you have the best advice for your posture, exercise and relaxation techniques. While following this advice you should find relief from joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back, as well as relief of those horrible, throbbing headaches.
For more information about our chiropractic services in Battersea and Clapham please contact us by phone or email.