Chiropractic Care for Headaches: Causes, Triggers, and Treatments

Did you know that 9 out of 10 Americans suffer from Headaches? Whether they’re frequent, one sided, tension, each headache is unique to the person. 

So how do you treat your headache when one comes on? Ice pack? Advil? Water? Studies have shown that spinal manipulation can be an effective treatment option for those that suffer from tension headaches and headaches with a neck origin. Chiropractic care can offer improvement in severity of symptoms for acute and chronic neck pain, treating the source of headaches for some. 

Let's dive into headache triggers; these are causes that can influence frequency and/or severity of a headache. Triggers can stem from certain foods, overstimulation of environmental factors (sounds, smells, lights) and/or certain behaviors (lack of sleep, large fluctuations in blood sugar, lack of water). 

95% of headaches experienced are known as Primary Headaches. What’s a primary headache you ask? They’re our tension, migraine, or cluster headaches which identify as the main concern. Most of these headaches correlate with muscle tension in the neck. Recently, Americans lead more sedentary lifestyles, leaving us in a fixed position or posture (cue the hunched over gremlin behind their laptop). Being in this state frequently or for long periods can increase joint irritation and muscle neck tension, or even upper back and scalp (YES I SAID SCALP) discomfort which causes your head to ache.

Okay so where do you go from here? Quince Orchard Medical Center has a few ideas.

• Take a break! If you’re someone who finds themselves seated most of the day, try taking a break to stretch things out every 30 minutes to an hour. Doing some neck circles or stretches can increase blood flow and reduce tension in the neck.
• Dull, throbbing headaches? Then avoid heavy exercise! Practice low-impact exercises instead to help relieve your aches. Exercises can include a walk around the block or swimming.
• Say it with me, “Unclench that jaw!” Do you wake up with a sore jaw or notice your teeth are usually touching? This can be a sign of stress at the temporomandibular joints. These joins connect the jaw to your skill, so adding stress to it can cause irritation and result in a headache.
• Thirsty? Drink at least eight 8-oz. Glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration! A lack of water can lead to headaches so it’s important to check in with yourself throughout your day.

What can we do for you? 

• If comfortable, we can try to improve your spinal function and alleviate strain on your nervous system through spinal manipulation.
• Let's check that posture. We can offer guidance on what you can implement in your daily routine to improve your ergonomics (work postures) whether through exercises or relaxation techniques. Performing these tasks will ultimately help reduce any tension in the neck and upper back.

Alright that sounds great and all but you mean someone’s going to pop my spine?! Not necessarily. Chiropractors help increase mobility of a spinal joint through many means learned during their doctoral programs. This can be done by manipulating the spine, stretching, muscle activation, or massaging a muscle. You can also receive treatment without spinal manipulation if you’re not quite ready for that step. 

It’s important to talk to your provider about your questions or concerns, they’re there for you and will do their best to create a treatment plan that best suits your needs. 

References:

1. “American College of Physicians Issues Guideline for Treating Nonradicular Low Back Pain.” American College of Physicians Issues Guideline for Treating Nonradicular Low Back Pain | ACP Online, 15 Feb. 2017, www.acponline.org/acp-newsroom/american-college-of-physicians-issues-guideline-for-treating-nonradicular-low-back-pain. 
2. Beychok, Tina. “Text Neck Pain, Treatment and Prevention.” Chiropractic Economics, 30 Oct. 2019, www.chiroeco.com/text-neck-pain/.
3. “Chiropractic Profession.” Palmer College of Chiropractic, 10 Oct. 2023, www.palmer.edu/about-palmer/chiropractic-profession/.