Having a headache is bad enough, but the real suffering comes from the way headaches affect your quality of life. It’s the fact that they always return. It’s how headaches “shut down” your day. It’s the way headaches “zap” your energy and affect your mood, and your relationships. It’s the missed work, the dirty house, the missed errands and the uncooked meals. It’s giving up the activities that you love…things like golf, tennis, shopping, playing with your kids/grandkids because of the headaches. Even more than that, it’s the fear. Fear that the headaches won’t go away. Fear that you might need some sort of surgery. Even once you’re feeling better, there’s the fear that the slightest thing might set off the whole cycle of limitation once again.
Why are Headaches So Complex?
Headaches are a complex problem that plagues thousands every day. Complex, because there can be many different components to a single headache. A single headache can have a mechanical component, a neurological component, a vascular component, a chemical component, an emotional component, a hormonal component, and an external component. What makes the treatment of headaches so complex is that unless enough of the components are identified and dealt with appropriately, the headaches continue and you’re left trying to mask the pain.
What If Other Forms of Treatment Haven’t Helped?
If the headaches have a mechanical or a neck component (which some studies show as many as 60% of headaches can), no amount of medication will address the underlying mechanical problem. Taking drugs just masks the pain, it will never cure the headache. Even drugs such as aspirin, if taken over a long period of time, can cause damage to your liver, kidneys, and stomach lining. Masking the headache pain may even prevent you from addressing the underlying source of the pain, which allows the problem to become progressively worse over time.
How to Determine If Your Headache is Likely to Respond to Conservative Chiropractic Care…
Often, a brief screening exam can often determine if there is a mechanical component that may be contributing to headaches. Further evaluation of headache sufferers should include a thorough history of the condition, a hands-on evaluation including spinal exam and orthopedic/neurological exam. Diagnostic imaging, including X-rays and MRI’s may be needed as well in order to properly assess your problem.