Chiropractic Adjustment for Tension Headaches

If you've ever suffered from a headache you know well of the constant pressure, fogginess, and debilitating effects it can have on your wellbeing. Some people suffer from repeated episodes of headaches, which can affect work and family life by bringing plans to a screeching halt. Headache sufferers will tend to back away from routines and tasks to reduce the pain and rest until the pain subsides or medication kicks in.

Whether you're experiencing headaches localized behind the eyes or ears,  a generalized pounding sensation, or even nausea, chiropractic care may help you reduce your incidence and effectively treat headaches that originate in the neck.

Tension Headaches & Your Neck

The neck is the gateway to the rest of your body and has a surprising amount of small but vital muscles and connections. Repeated movements, postures, and habits can place stress on muscles in the neck and over time build to create pressure that may result in tension headaches. Chiropractors recognize that chronic misalignment of the cervical (neck portion of) the spine can lead to muscle tension and irritation of the nerves and blood vessels in the neck triggering the body's alarm system causing headaches.

Tension headaches are characterized by dull pain or tightness around the forehead or back of the head. Some liken the feeling of a tension headache to having their skull squeezed by a clamp. If you can tolerate the pain daily activity can go on as usual as tension headaches don't usually affect balance or vision.

Tension headaches come from tightened muscles in the back of the neck and scalp which can be due to:

• Poor sleeping habits or fatigue
• Bad posture
• Anxiety or stress
• Hunger

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache in adults and up to 80% of adults have experienced them from time to time. Though these types of headaches are episodic, they can become chronic if they occur more frequently than 15 days of the month. Daily strain and unchecked triggers may cause these types of headaches to become chronic so it's important to treat the root cause quickly.

Applying Chiropractic Techniques to Relieve Tension Headaches

Chiropractic adjustments use pressure application and manipulation to the vertebrae to adjust for abnormalities and deteriorated function. With spinal adjustments, Chiropractors may help alleviate headaches as well as arm and shoulder pain, upper back pain, and neck pain.

Most tension headaches may be reduced by manipulation of the junction between the cervical and thoracic spine as well as manipulation of the upper two cervical vertebrae. The primary focus of your chiropractic care is correcting the neuromuscoskeletal source of the headache. In some instances, chiropractic adjustment may provide relief almost immediately for headache sufferers.

The first step to finding relief from chronic tension headaches, is to schedule a chiropractic examination to determine the best treatment plan for your unique needs. By helping your body heal itself, Dr. Lanoue's chiropractic clinic provides a tailored treatment to tension headache sufferers.

Contact Dr. Serge Lanoue to schedule your appointment!