Chiropractor Helps With Headaches in Olympia WA

Headaches have many causes, or "triggers." These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.), and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). Here is how chiropractic care in Olympia WA can help with your headaches.

Headaches and Chiropractic Care in Olympia WA

About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems. The remaining 95 percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease; the headache itself is the primary concern.

Majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck. Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than in the past, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture, such as sitting in front of a computer. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back, and scalp, causing your head to ache.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following suggestions to prevent headaches:

If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position as talked about earlier, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion. Low-impact exercises may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics. Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) - the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull - leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches. Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

When it comes to chiropractic care and alleviating headaches, chiropractors can provide a few different treatments and options. The main treatment that will help is spinal manipulation (adjustments) to improve spinal alignment, aiding in proper blood circulation to help reduce inflammation. Chiropractors might also add in nutritional advice, such as change in diet and/or herbal supplements. Advice and recommendations on posture, exercises, and relaxation techniques may also be included in the chiropractor's care plan.