Chiropractic May Offer Non-Addictive and Non-Invasive Headache & Migraine Relief

Headache and migraine are an unfortunate reality for millions of people around the world. The dull ache, painful throbbing, vision impairment, and other symptoms can be debilitating – particularly if your head pain is recurring.

Although it may seem like the only way to relieve your migraine is to pop a pain pill and wait it out, there are other options when it comes to long-term headache relief. One such option is chiropractic treatment. Many patients in Alameda and Oakland, CA, visit Symmetry Health Center complaining of head pain and are surprised to find that chiropractic has the potential to reduce and even prevent their symptoms.

What’s more, chiropractic is safe, non-addictive, and non-invasive, making it a much more appealing option than others that merely mask pain symptoms.

The chiropractic approach to headache and migraine

Many headaches stem from a problem in the cervical spine. A vertebral subluxation may compress or irritate a nerve, overworked muscles may tense and tighten, or an injury may send pain signals to the head. All of these problems can result in limited blood flow, poor nerve communication, reduced mobility, and, ultimately, severe pain in the head.

Because of these links between the spine and the head, chiropractic is well equipped to identify and potentially resolve the underlying cause of your headaches. Corrective chiropractic offices use advanced methodologies like Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) to identify the source of the pain first and foremost. Then, chiropractic techniques can be applied to the area to correct the spinal problem.

A chiropractic approach to headaches and migraines may incorporate numerous treatments:

• Spinal manipulation: Spinal adjustment or manipulation is often used to correct an abnormality or misalignment in the spine. When your vertebrae shift out of alignment, numerous problems may occur, including nerve compression, muscle tension, and joint stress. These issues may lead to headaches and migraines. By correcting the misalignments, your chiropractor allows your nervous system to communicate more efficiently and your muscles to remain in balance.
• Massage and stretches: Soft tissue massages and guided stretches may relieve tension in the muscles of your upper back, shoulders, and neck. These forms of therapy are particularly useful for tension headaches, which stem from tightness in the neck and back muscles.
• Posture correction: Poor posture is a major culprit in spinal abnormalities and muscle tension. If you hold your head forward all day or slouch over, you may cause additional spinal problems that can lead to migraines. By correcting these postural problems, your chiropractor will give you the tools you need to maintain good spine health and potentially reduce your risk for headaches.
• Lifestyle changes: Many other factors can affect the development of headaches and migraines, including your diet, sleep, exercise, and other triggers. Your chiropractor can work with you to discover your migraine triggers and find ways around them to keep you pain free.

The specific methods your chiropractor might use will ultimately depend on what they believe is the underlying source of your head pain. This is why a thorough examination is necessary – to allow your chiropractor to identify exactly what is wrong with your spine and how it relates to your particular form of headaches.

Benefits of Chiropractic for head pain

With this information, you might be wondering, “Why bother with chiropractic? Is it really that much better or easier than my other headache relief methods?” Most people want the convenience of a pain pill, but few realize the widespread benefits of using chiropractic for head pain.

• Non-addictive: One of the biggest benefits of chiropractic care is that it is not addictive. The same cannot be said for many pain medications – particularly those given through a prescription. You may love the way chiropractic makes you feel, but your body and brain won’t become reliant on it!
• Few side effects: When you consider the potential side effects of chiropractic compared to those of pain medications, chiropractic is the much safer option. Some chiropractic patients experience mild soreness after a spinal adjustment, but pain medication may cause nausea, drowsiness, stomach ulcers, and more.
• Good for long term use: The risk for side effects of medication climb even higher when it is used in the long term. People who experience chronic headaches or migraines should seek treatment options that are safe for long-term use, like chiropractic. Repetitive chiropractic care is actually often encouraged, since spinal abnormalities are not usually rectified in a single visit.
• Treats the problem at the source: Pain medication often treats the symptoms of headaches and migraines but cannot do anything to prevent the problem from occurring. Essentially, medication masks the pain. Chiropractic, on the other hand, aims to identify and treat the problem at its source for long-lasting results.

Chiropractic BioPhysics, or CBP, is one of the most scientific, researched, and results-oriented corrective care techniques. CBP-trained chiropractors aim to realign the spine back to health, eliminating nerve interference and addressing the source of pain, fatigue, and disease. As with all chiropractic care, CBP is gentle, painless, and non-invasive.

The benefits and results of chiropractic treatment often surprise people who have suffered from frequent headaches or migraines for years. If you’re in need of a safe, effective form of pain relief, contact the spinal experts at Symmetry Health Center in Alameda and Oakland, CA to learn more about our CBP approach to patient wellness.

At Symmetry Health Center, Dr. Cynthia Boyd and her team of chiropractic professionals are dedicated to addressing your headache concerns at the source. That way your relief is sustainable and you can live life potentially free of headaches (or at least with fewer of them!). Get in touch with our team in Alameda or Oakland, CA to see what options are available to you today.