Cervical Spine Adjustments: The Cure for Headaches

 

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 throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.

Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches.

The majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck. Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.

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.

Research shows that spinal manipulation – the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic – may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.

Traditional over-the-counter headache remedies (Aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Excedrin, etc.) can have detrimental side-effects to your liver, kidney, stomach, and GI lining. If you or someone you love suffers from daily, weekly, or even monthly headaches and consistently takes OTC or prescribed meds for their headaches, please call Gulf Coast Sport & Spine to see if we can help.

Slip and Fall Injuries

 

Slip and fall injuries can happen to anyone, but especially the elderly and those who do manual labor. Taking precautions to avoid suffering from a slip and fall are necessary: watch your step and avoid stepping over any items in your path, take notice of “wet floor” signs, and use handrails when available. Slip and fall injuries typically happen suddenly because of unexpected circumstances, including:

  • spills
  • uneven ground or flooring
  • faulty stairs
  • puddles
  • patches of ice

Slip and fall describes a broad set of injuries that occur from a slip, trip, fall, or loss of balance. Injuries resulting from a slip and fall can appear on any part of the body. The most common types of slip and fall injuries that require treatment are:

  • nerve damage
  • spinal injury (herniated disc)
  • joint injury (knee, wrist, shoulder, ankle)
  • torn muscles and ligaments
  • neck and head injuries (concussion, whiplash)
  • bone fractures

Chiropractic is one of the best options for slip and fall injury treatment, because Doctors of Chiropractic examine the body as a whole, and don’t merely focus on where the symptoms are. Treatment from an chiropractor can include advanced imaging to confirm your injury, spinal and/or extremity manipulation, whiplash treatment, stretching/strengthening affected areas, and more. Furthermore, chiropractic treatment greatly reduces the risk that the injuries sustained will not become a problem years down the road.

Slip and fall injuries occur suddenly and are always surprising to the injured person; they are never expected. What you can expect is to receive the best slip and fall injury treatment from your chiropractor at Gulf Coast Sport & Spine.