Headaches in Bethesda

Headaches are one of the most common causes of head pain, but most people don’t consider chiropractic treatment for their pain. They’d rather just pop some over the counter pain pills and hope desperately that the pain goes away.

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What causes headaches?

Headaches are varied and can have any number of causes.

Tension headaches are among the most frequent, and are caused by muscle tension in the neck and shoulders. This tension is usually the result of sitting for long periods of time in one position without moving, such as in front of a computer or a sewing machine. These can vary from low dull pain to a fierce throbbing discomfort and many may not be affected by the use of over the counter pain medication.

Migraines are among the most severe headaches, and can be coupled with symptoms such as loss of vision, light and sound sensitivity, and nausea and vomiting.

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What can I do to mitigate headache pain?

The ACA (American Chiropractic Association) has a few suggestions to help with constant headache pain.

1. Stay hydrated. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day to avoid dehydration which can cause or exacerbate headaches.
2. Avoid clenching or grinding your teeth. This causes stress in your jaw that can spread into your neck and head, causing headaches.
3. If you sit in one position for a long period of time, take a break every 30-60 minutes and move through a range of motion stretches. This can help eliminate stress and tension in your head and neck.
4. Exercise. Low impact exercise has been known to alleviate some of the pain associated with headaches.

While these can help mitigate the pain and frequency of your headaches, sometimes it just isn’t enough. This is where a visit to your local Bethesda chiropractor can come in handy.

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What can a chiropractor do for headaches?

Primary headaches, which is the term used to define migraine, tension, and cluster headaches, can be treated with the use of spinal manipulation.

These chiropractic adjustments can be used to help alleviate the stress on your spine that can translate into tension in the neck and back, and cause headaches. A single visit to your local chiropractor can help to alleviate or even eliminate headaches and headache related symptoms for weeks or more, which is a godsend if you suffer from headaches multiple times per week.

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Any other suggestions?

Your chiropractor, or your family doctor, may suggest that you alter your diet to include a variety of B-complex vitamins. A lack of these vitamins has been shown to cause headaches and other similar symptoms.

He or she may also be able to offer advice on maintaining proper posture. Sitting or standing correctly, especially if you have to remain in that same position for a long period of time, can make an enormous difference in the amount of stress and tension in your spine.

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Conclusions

Just because 9 out of 10 people suffer from headaches on a daily basis, don’t think that you need to suffer too. Set up an appointment with your local chiropractor and find out for yourself the amazing relief that a chiropractic treatment can have on headache pain.

By Cory Aplin D.C.