There is much more to chiropractic care than helping relieve back pain. Chiropractic care can help people with chronic headaches by getting to the root of the issue, rather than focusing on treating the side effects. This can lead to longterm lasting results that change the way you live your life for the better. Here are four ways chiropractic care can help with headaches.
1. Spinal Manipulation
This method is often used to help people who suffer from cervicogenic headaches. These headaches typically begin with one-sided pain that starts at the back of the head then moves to the front. This procedure involves applying a controlled force to a specific joint of your spine.
The area that is commonly focused on is the cervical spine. This is located in the upper part of the spine in the neck and is used for treating cervicogenic headaches. Most adverse effects of spinal manipulation are mild and short-lived.
2. Joint Mobilization
This type of therapy involves passively moving joints. The sole purpose is to improve movement in your neck and reduce any pain. This treatment targets the cervical spine when it is used to help prevent headaches.
The idea is that a better range of motion will take unneeded stress off of your neck. Often times, this stress can lead to debilitating headaches that make it difficult to move your head in any direction. Keeping the neck mobile can lead to a lasting positive impact when it comes to headaches.
3. Deep Neck Flexion Exercises
These exercises involve actively moving your muscles and joints to help keep flexibility. A common exercise is to lie flat on the floor before doing a series of chin tucks. These exercises last for 10-second intervals followed by 10-seconds of rest for 15 repetitions.
It is important that these exercises are done under the guidance of a healthcare professional. The professional will make sure you are doing the workout correctly. The goal of these exercises is to stretch the deep neck flexor muscles that play a vital role in supporting the neck.
4. Multidisciplinary Care Intervention
This method is one of the more popular and successful methods when it comes to preventing headaches by using chiropractic care. This approach combines physical therapy exercises, relaxation techniques, stress management, and dietary counseling. It has proven to be successful in reducing migraine pain, frequency, and duration.
The reason why this method appears to be successful is because it tackles the issue at the root. Rather than trying to find a way to battle your side effects, multidisciplinary care intervention aims at preventing the side effects entirely. This may require wholesale lifestyle changes.
Other Benefits of Chiropractic Care
The benefits of chiropractic care extend far beyond helping reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches. Chiropractic care helps promote full-body health by helping you feel more relaxed. Here are some of the other benefits of chiropractic care:
- Pain relief
- Stress relief
- Weight loss
- Increased energy
- Improves sleep
- Strengthens the immune system
- Speeds up the recovery process
Chiropractic care can help you gain control of your body’s wellbeing. No matter what you are struggling with, chiropractic care can provide you with relief. As mentioned earlier, chiropractic care is interested in getting to the root of your problems, not just treating the side effects.
Chiropractic Care in Santa Barbara
If you are looking for chiropractic care in the Santa Barbara area, let Dr. Bastomski and our team at the Back to Health Wellness Center help. Contact us today either via phone or email to find out how we can help you.