In an article by Choose Natural, they summed up what happens when you experience headaches, so well, so I quote:
“When a vertebra (spinal bone) is misaligned or out of place, it presses on the nerves that exit the spine above and below it, causing nerve interference. When nerve interference is present, it disrupts the communication link between the brain and the affected body part, causing discomfort and other conditions, including chronic headaches.
Usually with headaches, the misplaced bone is located in the upper cervical spine (top of the spine). Spinal misalignments typically occur with a traumatic head or neck injury, such as a fall, an accident or an injury that might have occurred without your even knowing it!”
In simple terms your spine protects your nervous system, which starts with the brain and becomes the spinal cord. When the vertebrae in your neck are unable to move appropriately, it puts pressure on the nerves in that area. To correct this problem (called a subluxation) a chiropractor gently adjusts the vertebrae. Since most headaches are caused by subluxations they can be treated very effectively with chiropractic treatment.
Tension type headaches are the most common, affecting upwards of 75% of all headache sufferers. Most people describe a tension headache as a constant dull, achy feeling either on one side or both sides of the head, often described as a feeling of a tight band or dull ache around the head or behind the eyes. Tension headaches are often the result of stress or bad posture, which stresses the spine and muscles in the upper back and neck.
Chiropractors take the time necessary to look at your past health history and to help you try to remember if you had a sports-related injury or fell from a bed or even a tree. Maybe you were in a car accident as a young child or even as an adult. All of these types of events can cause a spinal bone to shift out of its proper position. They will also provide you with a thorough examination to determine whether chiropractic care can help to reduce or even eliminate your tension headache pain.
Clinical trials have shown that spinal adjustments may help in the treatment of tension headaches. One such study compared chiropractic adjustments to Elavil® in the treatment of tension headaches. The results? Candidates in both groups improved, but those who received spinal adjustments had fewer side effects and longer lasting benefits, even a month after treatment when the study ended, while the Elavil® study group did not.
Adjustments are not the only way that your Chiropractor can help. They can also give you nutritional advice and recommend supplements that would counter these headaches.
