Headache is one of the most frequent reasons for patients to seek medical advice, with around up to 80% of adults in the UK suffering from the condition. Women are more likely to suffer than men, and symptoms can begin as early on as in childhood. The most common type of headache is the tension-type headache.
Tension-type headache
Tension-type headaches can have several causative factors, one of them being faulty mechanics of the spine or elsewhere in the skeletal system, or tense muscles of the neck and/or scalp. Tension-type headaches often come and go, but the pain can be there daily or even all the time. Patients may also report that they are sensitive to light or sound. Generally patients are prescribed ibuprofen or paracetamol by their GP to help cope with the headaches, but this suppresses the symptoms without looking at the underlying cause.
Getting to the cause
Chiropractors have a different approach. After taking a thorough history in which they may already identify one or more causative factors, they asses the patient. Chiropractors look at the patient as a whole, looking at the mechanics of the spine, as well as the other joints of the body, and the muscles and other soft tissues that may be involved. Once they find the cause of the problem, they target their treatment to deal with this. This can be in the form of specific Chiropractic adjustments to the vertebra, or in other cases mobilisation, work on the soft tissues, or even re-training the nervous system. Patients will be given lifestyle advice to help reduce the recurrence of their headache.
Have you been suffering from headaches, and would you like to find out whether chiropractic can help you like so many others? Ring our office for a consultation today!