If you have ever experienced a raging headache, you don't need to be told how debilitating headaches can be. Unfortunately, headaches are also one of the most common conditions in medicine, and one of the most frequently seen conditions seen in chiropractic offices. Nearly a quarter of all women suffer from migraines or other severe headaches, and about 30 million Americans experience one or more migraine headaches in a year. Tension-type headaches are even more common. You are not alone, but your pain is very real.

You have two options: 1) you can take medication to reduce the headache pain while leaving the cause of the headache untouched, or 2) you can help the body function correctly, thereby eliminating the headache and improving your overall health.

Option 2 has always appealed to chiropractors. Dr. Johnson's first priority will be to attempt to determine the cause of your headache. After all, the pain you feel is a signal from your body that something isn't functioning correctly. Correct the function, and the pain signals will disappear.

How We Can Help Your Headache

Chiropractors specialize in diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Johnson will attempt to categorize your headache (primary or secondary; migraine, cluster, tension, or cervicogenic), find the cause of your headache, and then provide appropriate treatment. Fortunately, the most common type of headache seen in a chiropractor's office is a particular type of muscular referral headache, usually caused by tension, stress, and poor posture.

Modern society almost requires its members to participate in some form of headache-producing posture: head bowed, shoulders rounded forward, eyes downward. This posture (called Upper Crossed Syndrome) puts an immense strain on the muscles at the back of the neck and certain overworked muscles at the front of the neck. This posture is found in just about anyone who types for more than several minutes on a computer, people who watch television from an easy chair, people who read, people who write, people who text, people who use cellphones or iPods or tablets or laptops, people who drive, people who sit for more than fifteen minutes at a stretch.

Chiropractors (and Johnson Family Chiropractic in particular) have had great success with this particular brand of headache (called a cervicogenic headache). Chiropractic care has been shown to have as much effect on these headaches as some popular drugs. The reason that chiropractic is so effective with this type of headache is because it is based in standard neurology: many of the nerves involved in a cervicogenic headache are directly related to the structures of the neck and upper spine.

Do you suffer from migraine headaches?

• A recent systematic review shows that chiropractic may be just as effective as drugs in treating migraines.
• In a randomized clinical trial, many migraine sufferers reported significant relief from chiropractic adjustments after only two months of care.
• A prominent case study also reported the complete cessation of migraines after chiropractic care in a 72 year old woman who had suffered migraines for 60 years!
• Adult migraines may also respond well to a daily low dose of riboflavin (Vitamin B2), according to research.
• There is a wealth of research on chiropractic care and headaches!

Chiropractic may be the answer you seek, whether you suffer from migraines, tension-type headaches, cervicogenic headaches, or cluster headaches. Dr. Johnson's emphasis on the Activator technique also ensures you a gentle and non-aggravating adjustment during your headache. See Dr. Johnson for a thorough examination and appropriate diagnosis for your headache, especially if you're interested in a drug-free approach to improving your body's ability to function and relieving your pain.

Causes

Headaches can result from a numbingly wide variety of causes:

• muscular imbalance in the neck
• side effects from this drug or that drug or these drugs or those drugs or even birth control pills
• blood flow problems
• allergies or reactions to chemicals such as cleaning agents, cigarette smoke, or caffeine (or the withdrawal symptoms from caffeine addiction)
• menstruation or other hormone imbalances
• jaw disorders
• mood changes such as anxiety or depression or panic disorder
• head trauma or concussions
• dangerous life-threatening conditions such as bleeding inside the head, stroke, brain tumors, or a heart attack
• diseases as diverse as meningitis, diabetes, Celiac Disease, Lyme Disease, food poisoning, and more
• working at the computer
• or just watching a widescreen movie

How do you know whether your headache is simple or actually life-threatening? Consult with Dr. Johnson, a chiropractor in Peoria.