Overview

If you have a headache, you’re not alone. 9 out of 10 Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and achy, and some cause debilitating pain even nausea. What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative.

Location

The location of the headache often indicates the cause.  Headaches in the back of the head can be caused by a spasm of the sub-occipital muscles that are trying to fix a mis-alignment of the upper neck vertebra.  Headaches in the temples can be caused by spasm of the sternocleidomastoid or scalene muscles that are trying to fix a mis-alignment of the upper neck vertebra.  Headaches in the forehead can be caused by spasm of the sub-occipital muscles that are trying to fix a mis-alignment in the upper neck vertebra.  Headaches behind the eyes can be from a spasm of the longus coli that is trying to fix a mis-alignment in the neck.  The key to headache treatment is to find the body structures causing the malfunction.

Treatment

Research shows that chiropractic treatments may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck. A 2014 report in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) found that interventions commonly used in chiropractic care improved outcomes for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain and increased benefit was shown when additional therapies were used  in addition to chiropractic adjustments¹. Also, a 2011 JMPT study found that chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, improves migraine and headaches referred from the neck². If chiropractic treatments do not work for your headaches, we will be glad to refer you.

Finding the Right Doctor

Getting the proper treatment for your headache depends on finding the cause of the headache.  Dr. Paul Gurney has over 20 years experience in the treatment of headaches.  He also has advanced certification in sports injuries from the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians.  Why trust anyone else?

References:

^{1. Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, et al. Evidence based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with neck pain. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2014; 37: 42-63.
2. Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, et al. Evidence based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2011; 34: 274-89.}