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Get to the Root of Head & Neck Pain With Chiropractic
Do you or someone you know suffer from headaches and neck pain? Whether you experience these aches simultaneously or at different times, this combination of symptoms is not unusual. In fact, these conditions are intimately connected. And late-breaking research documents this phenomenon. A study published in July 1999 concluded that headache sufferers are more likely to develop neck pain, compared with headache-free individuals (Spine 1999; 24:1455-62).
Dr. Edelson understands the connection between head and neck pain and excavates the underlying causes of this pain pair, rather than just covering up the symptoms or treating these complaints as separate events.
Scientific Reports Linking Neck Disorders With Headache:
– One study compared neck x-rays of 372 headache sufferers with x-rays of 225 control subjects. The study found that, “A great majority of the patients with tension-type headache were found to have straightened cervical spine” (Headache 1993; 33:90-5).
– Research indicates that a forward-curving neck, or reversal of the neck’s natural curve, weakens the deep muscles of the neck (Australian Journal of Physiotherapy: 1998; 44:210).
– In one study, 28.3% of subjects had frequent headaches associated with the cervical spine. In addition, 35.4% reported occasional headaches associated with the cervical spine (Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1999; 512-21).
- Postural imbalances may trigger headache in children as well as adults. One recent study followed 1,290 six- and seven-year-olds for two years. According to the report, “During the first school months, the frequency of headache increased in 20% of children who had headache before the six months preceding the start of school” (Pediatrics 1999; 103:e80). While starting school provokes emotional stress that may trigger headache, postural changes required from sitting at a desk for extended periods of time may also explain these findings.
The Spine: Hidden Cause of Neck and Head Pain
What’s the link between headaches and neck pain? The spine. Poor posture or a history of trauma includes a straightening of the spine of the neck, called the cervical spine. This straightening may result in a reversal of the neck’s natural curve, called the cervical lordosis. When the cervical spine is out of alignment, the nerves and muscles surrounding the spine are affected, in turn, influencing the structures they connect with, such as the skull and neck musculature. The result? Pain.
Beyond pain, another especially destructive consequence of spinal misalignment is a condition called vertebral subluxations. Vertebral subluxations are areas in the spine where movement is restricted or bones (vertebrae) are out of alignment. Not surprisingly, vertebral subluxations spur a myriad of disorders, including head, neck and shoulder pain. One study found that 84% of subjects with tension-style headache had at least two major vertebral subluxations in their upper neck (Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics 1992; 15:418-29).
Chiropractic Halts Head and Neck Pain
Doctors of chiropractic restore mobility to the spine and correct vertebral subluxations with gentle, safe maneuvers called chiropractic adjustments. A wealth of scientific research supports the use of chiropractic adjustments for headache relief. For example, a study presented at the World Federation of Chiropractic’s 1999 Congress in Auckland, New Zealand found that patients with tension-type headache who received chiropractic adjustments experienced fewer – and less intense – headaches, compared with subjects who underwent cervical traction, a type of physiotherapy.
Chiropractic adjustments also often eliminate the need for pain medication with potentially hazardous side effects. On five-week trial compared with chiropractic adjustments to massage and placebo treatment in 53 headache sufferers. Chiropractic patients cut their use of pain medication by 36%. In contrast, no reduction in drug use was seen in the placebo group (Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics 1997; 20: 326-30).
Another article compared chiropractic adjustments to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil, Motrin, and Orudis. The report concluded that, “The best evidence indicates that cervical manipulation [chiropractic adjustment] for neck pain is much safer than the use of NSAIDs, by as much of a factor of several hundred times. There is no evidence that indicates NSAIDs use is any more effective than cervical manipulation for neck pain” (Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics 1996; 18:530-6).
Why risk the side effects of frequent medication use when you can get to he root of your pain and end it for good with chiropractic? Don’t put off taking control of your health, make and appointment for a chiropractic checkup today!
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Tags: chiropractic, Headache, neck pain, Pain
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