Most people experience headaches occasionally, and some of us are plagued by them on a more regular basis. Those with milder headaches tend to think of it as “no big deal”, pop a painkiller, and continue on with our days. Others suffer from more significant pain, and continue to look for better ways to manage the problem.
Both of these groups are doing one thing wrong: They’re treating their headache as a stand-alone disorder, when headaches are actually a symptom of another problem. If you uncover the root cause of your symptom, you can address that instead. Wouldn’t it be great to live without frequent headache pain, rather than continually looking for a better way to accept or manage the misery?
Of course, that’s a bit easier said than done. Many different conditions within the body can trigger a headache, ranging from mild occurrences like dehydration to serious chronic illnesses. But since the cause of many headaches can be uncovered and treated by chiropractic care, consultation with a chiropractor is definitely recommended.
A problem within your musculoskeletal system could be the root cause of your headaches. Headaches can arise as a symptom of injuries (old or new), misalignments, or just plain old “wear and tear” on your joints, muscles, tendons, and nerves. Frequently, malpositioning of the C1, C2, and C3 vertebrae in the upper spine are to blame.
In many cases, the muscles of your neck and upper back are to blame. Hypertonicity (overly tense muscles) or spasticity (tight or spasming muscles) can pull vertebrae out of place. These subluxations in the spine then place pressure on nerves, and the end result can be a headache.
Rather than relying upon painkillers, or continuing to suffer when those don’t work, why not uncover the root cause of your headaches and treat that instead? If you suspect that your headaches might be related to a misalignment in the spine, muscle tension, or perhaps an old injury, please give us a call. We can schedule a consultation and decide if chiropractic care is right for you.