headache treatment

A chiropractor for headaches uses a practice that involves the combination of spinal care, active and passive workouts, and massage is also used to manage headache and avoid it. Though chiropractic treatment is trendy, there is partial proof about its efficiency for most headache types, and there are possible unpleasant outcomes of spinal manipulation.

chiropractor for headaches helping a patient

Study shows that spinal manipulation – one of the main treatments provided by a chiropractor for headaches– might be an efficient treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that start off in the neck. A 2014 account in the paper of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) found that interventions frequently used in chiropractic care enhanced outcomes for the cure of acute and persistent neck pain, and the improved benefit was shown in some instances where a multimodal approach to neck pain had been used. In addition, a 2011 JMPT study found that chiropractic care, as well as spinal manipulation, improves migraine and cervicogenic headaches.

Headache Triggers


Headaches have lots of causes, or “triggers.” These might comprise foods, environmental stimuli (noise, light, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (sleeplessness, too much exercise, blood sugar change, etc.). About 5 per cent of most headaches are signals caused by bodily trouble. The remaining 95 per cent of headaches are mainly headaches, for example; tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These examples of headaches are not because of illness; the headache itself is the prime concern.

The highest number of primary headaches are connected with muscle tension in the neck. Nowadays, Americans engage in more sedentary manners than before, and more hours are spent in a single position or posture (for example: sitting in front of a computer). This can exacerbate joint pain and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your headache.

Guidelines concerning the help of a chiropractor for headaches have emerged, with numerous research studies in progress. The headache types that chiropractic therapy is frequently sought out—cervicogenic headaches, migraines, and tension headaches—each react in a different way to chiropractic cure.

For Cervicogenic Headaches


Cervicogenic headaches usually start with one-sided pain that sets off at the back of the head and afterwards to the front, frequently with associated same-side shoulder or arm pain. Cervicogenic headaches are supposed to stem from underlying neck trouble and may be triggered by an injury.

Cervicogenic headaches, which are amongst the least frequent headache types, often don’t progress with the aid of medicines. It’s the only headache type for which spinal management is suggested.

A chiropractor for headaches could use these practices for cervicogenic headaches:

Spinal Manipulation

This is a process in which a chiropractor for headaches who is skilled in spinal manipulation uses hands or tools to pertain a controlled force to a precise joint of your spine. You may hear a popping sound when the force is applied.

The cervical spine (upper part of the spine in the neck) is the area of focus when spinal manipulation is used for treating cervicogenic headaches.

Most undesirable effects are gentle and short-lived, but there are also are a number of serious risks connected with spinal manipulation of the upper spine that has to be considered:

  • Nerve compression
  • Bleeding
  • Stroke
  • Disc herniation

Joint Mobilization

chiropractor for headaches

A type of therapy done by a chiropractor for headaches wherein your joints are reflexively moved for the function of improving movement or lessening pain, this action targets the cervical spine when used for headaches.

Deep Neck Flexion Exercises

These exercises entail actively moving your muscles and joints under the supervision of a chiropractor for headaches.

An example of a deep neck flexion exercise is one in which you lie flat on the floor previous to doing a sequence of chin tucks, followed by nodding your head. These muscle contractions typically last for 10-second intervals followed by 10 seconds of rest for 15 repetitions.

Eventually, the objective is to stretch the deep neck flexor muscles that play a vital role in supporting your neck.

For Migraines


Migraines are categorized by headaches, in addition to other symptoms, for instance; wooziness and sickness. There are efficient medications that can be used for migraine avoidance or for heightened migraine episodes. Some actions, like pain injections, have also been doing well.

Chiropractic treatment is not amongst the most efficient or regularly recommended options for migraines, but there are a number of types of chiropractic therapies that might be helpful.

Chiropractic therapy options for migraines consist of:

Neuromuscular Massage

Massage with a focus on trigger points in the back, shoulder, neck, and head might relieve symptoms.

Multidisciplinary Care Intervention

This approach done by a chiropractor for headaches, which combines physical therapy movements, relaxation techniques, stress managing, and dietary counselling, has been known to be efficient in lessening migraine pain, regularity, interval, and disability.