Nine out of 10 people suffer from headaches, with symptoms running the gamut: dull and throbbing, once every six months/once a week, nausea, debilitating pain. In recent years it’s become clear that chiropractic care and spinal manipulation are an effective recourse for headache relief, especially for headaches that stem from the neck. If you suffer from headaches in Charlotte, Active Life Chiropractic has some useful information for you.
What causes a headache?
Only 5% of headaches are considered “warning signs” of a more serious physical ailment: stroke, heart attack, disease, etc. The other 95% are classified as either cluster, migraine, or tension headaches. These are also called “primary headaches”. The onset of a primary headache has several sources: it could be due to excessive exercise, a change in blood sugar, or insomnia. Primary headaches can also be triggered by external stimuli: noise and light, and more commonly, stress.
Another “headache enabler” whose importance can’t be overstated is the fact that people in the 21st century are far more sedentary than people from any other time. Whether it’s sitting at work on a computer all day, sitting for hours at a time watching TV or playing video games, staying in the same position for too long, especially with bad posture, leads to muscle tension in the upper back, neck, and scalp, and increases joint irritation. All of these negatives can cause headaches.
Chiropractic Recourse
Let’s divide this section into two categories: “hands off” remedies and “hands-on” solutions.
Hands-off
Stretching: if you spend several hours in one position, our chiropractic clinic in Charlotte can show you how to stretch properly in order to keep your muscles and joints limber. These stretches involve taking your head and neck through a full, comfortable range of motion.
Exercise: the benefits of regular exercise are well-covered. From a chiropractic point of view, exercises like walking and low-impact aerobics can help minimize the paint related to primary headaches. Our team will introduce you to several exercises that should be of significant benefit.
Diet: a healthy diet offers a range of benefits to the human body, one of which is reduced headaches. For example, dehydration is a known contributor to headaches, so drinking at least eight 8oz glasses of water a day will help. Active Life Chiropractic in Charlotte provides dietary advice to interested clients, including input on vitamin intake and diet regimens.
Hands-on
At the beginning, the majority of our hands-on approach to headache relief is focused on spinal manipulation and other chiropractic adjustments deigned to reduce the stress on your overall musculature system, and optimize spinal function. As we move further into treatment, other approaches may be introduced. These include treatments focused on posture/ergonomics, various exercises, and different relaxation techniques. We might also explore heating/cooling pads and electrostimulation.
Our chiropractors in Charlotte understand that pain in one area of the body can cause pain in another, especially as it relates to the spine. We’ll work diligently to locate the source of your headaches, whether it’s in your shoulder, lower back, neck, or elsewhere.