Forget the Drugs: How Chiropractic Care Can Alleviate Headache and Migraine Pain

Chiropractic care is a branch of medicine, addressing many different conditions that affect components of the musculoskeletal system, such as bones, tissues, ligaments, nerves, and tendons. 

Spinal manipulation, active and passive exercises, and massage are chiropractic techniques that can be used to treat problems like sciatica, low back pain, and neck pain. In addition, these techniques can also be used to prevent and manage headache pain. 

At Anodyne Pain and Wellness Solutions in Newark, Delaware, our team of medical specialists can tailor chiropractic care to your unique needs. Here’s what we want you to know:

Chiropractic care for headaches

Two types of headaches that chiropractic care works well for are cervicogenic and tension headaches. 

Cervicogenic headaches

Cervicogenic headaches are among the less common headache types. They start with one-sided pain in the back of your head and move toward the front and can also cause pain in your shoulder on the same side. These headaches often stem from neck issues and usually don’t respond well to medication.

Chiropractic techniques include spinal manipulation and joint mobilization of the upper part of your spine in your neck (cervical spine). Spinal manipulation applies a controlled force to a specific area of your spine, and joint mobilization passively moves your joints for improved mobility. 

Tension headaches

Episodic tension headaches are incredibly common and result from prolonged muscle tension in your neck, shoulders, or head. Pain from these headaches usually goes away with over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

However, chronic tension headaches can benefit from soft tissue therapy and stress management. Soft tissue therapy massages trigger points in your back, shoulders, neck, and head to relax your muscles and improve blood flow.

Chiropractic care for migraine headaches

Migraine is a neurological condition characterized by debilitating headaches along with neck pain, stiffness, and tension. There’s no cure for migraine, and management of the condition often includes muscle relaxants and other medications with adverse side effects.

However, chiropractic care techniques like spinal manipulation and soft tissue therapy can relieve tension in your spine and neck, which should reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches.

In addition, we can assist with lifestyle changes like finding migraine triggers, improving posture, doing low-impact exercises, and making any necessary dietary changes.

If you struggle with headache or migraine pain and you’re tired of relying on medication, contact our team to learn why chiropractic care might be just what you need. Set up an appointment with us online or over the phone at 302-208-5589 today.