Chiropractic For Headaches

By Jay M. Lipoff, DC

“The best lightning rod for your protection is your own spine.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Almost no one is immune to a headache. About 95% of all women and 90% of men will experience one. It is my favorite condition to help people with.

Besides impacting work, headaches can be debilitating and ruin plans. In fact almost 50% of people also noted they had decreased effectiveness if they went to work, stayed home or were at school.

Good posture is important. For every inch your head is forward in relation to your shoulders, known as forward head carriage, will lead to long-term muscle strain; unnatural movement causing early arthritis of the joint space; cause serious injury to the discs and nerves; and lead to headaches.

Many people rely on medications to treat the symptoms of their headaches but it never stops them from returning. That's where chiropractors can help because muscle work, manipulation, ergonomic tips, exercises and stretches help you prevent, reduce and eliminate future headaches altogether.

Dr. Peter Rothbart, MD, FRCPC, President of the North American Cervicogenic Headache Society, proclaimed in the Toronto Star, “All we've been able to do is treat people with an array of medicines, one after the other, and hope the side effects won't be too bad.”

“We couldn't believe it at first. We've been able to put together a scientific explanation for how neck structure causes headaches not all headaches, but a significant number of them. It's true that chiropractors have been saying this for years. Unfortunately, many (medical) doctors tend to have a jaundiced view of chiropractors, but they were right about headaches.”

One of the specific areas that have been linked to neck pain and headaches is the facet joint, which is located toward the back of the vertebra on each side. This joint has been linked to 54-60% of chronic neck pain and 58-88% of chronic headaches.

These findings support the importance of proper posture and alignment of the neck. If there is an alignment problem, then the muscles and the bones of the neck will be under increased stress, and this can result in a headache. If you are ready to say goodbye to your headaches, then a doctor of chiropractic can help. I hope this information helps you resolve your headaches or provides an avenue to get some help and advice.