Gratiot Chiropractic Health, P.C.

Chiropractic Care Can Help That Splitting Headache

Headaches are one of the most common health complaints – more than 45 million (about 1 in 6) suffer chronic headaches.  Twenty-eight million Americans – 13 percent of the population suffer from migraine headaches; headaches characterized by throbbing head pain often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.  What you might not know is that your Chiropractic Physician could help you make that pain go away.

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), time lost from work and resulting medical expenses due to headaches are estimated to cost American businesses approximately $50 billion per year.  Migraine sufferers alone account for more than 157 million workdays lost. 

Noting that American’s spend more than $4 billion every year on over-the-counter relief for headaches, we want to inform headache sufferers that there is an alternative to popping pills and hoping the pain goes away.

“There’s a conception that chiropractic is just for the back.  Nothing could be further from the truth,” Drs. Berryo said.  “I have treated many patients suffering from headache pain with great success.  There are also a large quantities of research showing that chiropractic care is very effective in the treatment of headaches.”

One of these studies , the “Duke [University] Headache Evidence Report”, found that chiropractic was shown to produce MARKEDLY SUPERIOR RESULT over Amitriptyline, one of the most commonly prescribed medications for headaches in the treatment of tension-type headaches.  The study also noted that chiropractic produced sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity in the treatment of Cercicogenic Headache (headaches where the primary contributing structural source of the headache is the cervical spine.)

Ninety-five percent of all headaches are “primary” headaches, such as tension, migraine or cluster headaches.  The vast majority of these types of headaches are caused by muscle tension in the neck. Studies show that doctors of chiropractic are extremely effective at treating this type of headache.

Americans are becoming less and less active, spending more and more time in one fixed position of posture, such as sitting at a desk in front of a computer.  This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck and upper back, causing the head to ache.  Spinal manipulation improves spinal function, alleviating stress on the neuromusculoskeletal system and in the process, greatly reducing or possibly even eliminating headache pain.

How Can Headaches Be Prevented?

Muscle tension headaches can often be avoided by maintaining proper posture and neck movements while performing your normal activities.  The Michigan Chiropractic Society recommend the following:

• Avoid slouching
• Avoid reading with your neck bent forward
• Keep your computer monitor at eye level
• Take frequent breaks from reading and working on the computer
• Try  a low-fat, high complex carbohydrate diet.  A recent study demonstrated that such a diet can dramatically lower the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine headaches.
• Avoid the following food “triggers:”

• Caffeine.  Foods such as chocolate, coffee, sodas and cocoa contain high levels of the stimulant.
• High salt or sugar content.  These foods may cause migraines, resulting in sensitivity to light, noise or abrupt movements.
• Alcohol.  Alcoholic beverages can dehydrate you and cause headache pain.
• High protein foods such a dairy products, red meat and salty foods can all contribute to headache pain.

What Are The Signs of a Serious Headache?

You should call your Doctor and/or seek emergency care if:

• You have a stiff neck and a fever along with your headache
• It is painful to bend your head to your chest
• Your speech is slurred
• You have vision changes
• You feel numbness or weakness in your arms or legs
• Your headache lasts longer than three days
• You recently injured your head and your headache will not go away.
• You often get headaches in the morning
• You have a sudden headache, even though you normally don’t have them

Other signs of serious headache include:

• The worst headache you’ve ever had
• Worsening or more frequent headaches
• Headaches that wake you from sleep
• Personality changes along with headache
• Early morning vomiting without headache

For more information on chiropractic treatment of headaches, contact Drs Berryo at (989) 463-5564   

Gratiot Chiropractic Health, P.C
318 Woodworth Avenue
Alma, MI 48801

(989) 463-5564 or (800) 707-1038

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