Headache & Migraine Treatment Options from a Santa Rosa Chiropractor

Headaches are among one of the most commonly shared medical conditions people experience throughout their lives. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches several times at least during their lifetime. Odds are, if you have not had a headache yet you will in the near future. Some headaches are occasional while some happen on a frequent basis. Headaches can be dull and throbbing or they can be so severe that they cause debilitating pain and nausea. When headaches get bad, they can interfere with everyday life. Some people have to lay down in a dark room to get relief, some have learned to grin and bear the pain because it happens so often, and most people end up popping pain pills to get some relief. There is a better alternative that is safer and more effective- chiropractic care. Studies have shown time and time again that spinal manipulation and alignments can help reduce or even eliminate painful headaches and that they are effective as a headache & migraine treatment option. 

Most Common Headache Triggers

Headaches are so common because they have many causes or “triggers” that can cause them to occur. Different people have different triggers and most people actually have several triggers, which makes headaches even more likely to occur. These triggers can include things like certain foods (chocolate, cheese, and caffeine), environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress,) lifestyle choices (drinking, smoking, drug use), medical conditions (insomnia, diabetes, medication side effects), and even certain activities, movements, ergonomically and workout.. 

Only a small percentage of all headaches are warning signals of a physical problem such as high blood pressure, infection, tumors, or other illnesses. As much as 95 percent of headaches are what are known as primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease or other condition and the headache itself is the main issues that needs to be addressed. Headaches caused by outside stimuli like stress, noise, or environmental factors and headaches caused by an injury or condition of the body itself are the types of headaches that can best be treated by a doctor of chiropractic.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Working with a skilled and experienced chiropractor is one of the best ways you can reduce your symptoms and reduce the severity and frequency of your headache. A chiropractor may do one or more of the following if you suffer from primary headaches:

• Perform manipulations and adjustments on your spine in order to improve support and alignment so your spine can function as it should and so all connected systems can perform at optimal capacity and so symptoms are reduced.
• Perform myofascial & trigger point relief
• Provide nutritional advice, offer tips for lifestyle changes, and work with you to identify personal points that might be contributing to your headaches while also offering tips on how to correct these points and avoid them in the future.
• Offer advice on posture, help with selection of ergonomics equipment, guide you through basic exercises and relaxation techniques you can do at home, and help you find alternative secondary treatments other than pills or surgery.

Contact Us Today

Santa Rosa Doctors of Chiropractic have years of specialized training and they know how issues with the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body. With proper care and cooperation on your part, they can help you take the steps that are necessary to relieve those problems and give you relief from your headaches. To learn more or to make your consultation appointment today, give us a call at 707-579-8150!