Headache
Headaches of all types are some of the most common pain and most debilitating pain American’s face. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 50% of the adult population has some type of headache disorder. Migraines are estimated to cost up to 25 million days in missed work and school. Up to 90% of Americans experience tension type headaches at some point which can be episodic or chronic. Whether you suffer from tension, migraine, cluster, or rebounding headaches, it is universally acknowledged by the conventional medical system that headaches are difficult to treat and rarely solved.
Real Headache Relief
Integrative medicine practitioners including chiropractors and functional medicine practitioners view headaches differently, and therefore get different results. A functional perspective of headache treatment begins with the question, “why” and ends with headache relief, not just symptom relief. The same as with other types of discomfort in your body, there is a reason why you are in pain and it is time to stop settling for incomplete explanations of your pain. The most typical treatment for headache relief is an assortment of dangerous medications that often cause what is now titled “medication overuse headaches,” also known as rebounding headaches. Headache sufferers put up with the rebounding headaches because they are generally less severe than the initial headache and they are not given any other options.
Stop Dangerous Symptom Cover Ups
What has our healthcare system come to that the most common and widely accepted treatment is to prescribe dangerous medications that initiate only a milder version of the initial problem? Not only is this illogical, and inefficient, it is unnecessary. Integrative practitioners have been extremely successful in solving headaches for decades by finding the root cause. Root causes of headaches can vary widely which is one reason well-meaning doctors sometimes give up trying to figure them out. Hormones, food sensitivities, heavy metal poisoning, chemical sensitivities, and functional neck issues are just a few of the underlying causes that are often ignored.
The Link to Scar Tissue
Correcting functional neck issues is one way that chiropractors have been so successful in treating headaches. The vertebrae in the neck and spine need to be in alignment with the vertebrae above and below. This balanced relationship is necessary, but often only part of the equation when it comes of headaches related to functional neck issues. The other underlying cause of headaches is with connective tissue. The fascia of the neck (and all other parts of the body) is not detected on MRI, but can develop adhesions or scar tissue from injury, inflammation, poor posture, or improper biomechanical movements that cause it to not move freely. This is often what is occurring when people experience relief from chiropractic adjustments but the adjustment doesn’t hold for more than hours or days. Your practitioner should consider connective tissue issues alongside functional movement and spine alignment to get you the real relieve without dangerous medications.