Blog 38
According to the NHS, 10 million people in the UK get headaches regularly. There are many
types of headaches including migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches & hormonal
headaches. Before I start talking about headaches it is important to say that some can be a
sign of something very serious, so if you are not sure please read the NHS website for red
flags.
Now many of these headaches are minor. They can be treated with rest, drinking more
water and may only last half an hour or so but some headaches can be debilitating and last
days. These more serious headaches affect people’s quality of life drastically and will
inevitably lead patients to seek help from their doctor. There are many prescription and
over the counter drugs for headaches that help patients but a large number of people want
to reduce their headaches using less or no medication at all. So how can we as chiropractors
help?
Firstly I can give you some simple advice right now, drink more water! It’s fair to say that
many of us do not drink enough fluid and I don’t mean hundreds of cups of tea a day, just
plain water will do. Try going to bed an hour earlier, read if you can before sleep to calm
your mind. Extra sleep has been shown to reduce stress and headaches and we are
beginning to find out, unsurprisingly, that it has lots of other reviving benefits.
From a chiropractic point of view there is much we can do to help without medication.
Chiropractic has been shown to be able to help both migraines and tension headaches using
spinal manipulation/mobilisation in multiple studies over many years. My own experience is
that in nearly all case we can reduce or practically resolve patient’s headache complaints
assuming they don’t fit into the very serious category. The only problem is that people just
don’t know that we can help. So here I am shouting it from the rooftops to all of you
wonderful local people, if you or somebody you know suffers from headaches and want
some helpful treatment please tell them that a reputable and fully qualified chiropractor
can help. Your chiropractor should be able to perform a thorough examination and diagnose
the type and likely cause of the headache. At Cleve Chiropractic we combine the traditional
techniques with massage of the neck and shoulders (and dry needling which is westernised
acupuncture, if patients don’t mind needles of course!). During this time, we will help train
your muscles and skeleton to improve your posture which can have a huge effect on the
tension in your neck leading to headaches. Posture is such a common problem within the
clinic that we run an eight-week posture training course to help people conquer a lifetime of
poor habits. The course is designed to measure your posture, then strengthen some muscles
and lengthen others to regain a proper stature without having to constantly think ‘am I
standing straight’? Your body should hold itself naturally and this class teaches you how to
do that.
If you are ever not sure about your headache or your headache is new and severe in nature
then please consult your GP or call 111 or 999.
