| If you have a headache, you're not alone. Nine out | | | | headaches. These types of headaches are not |
| of ten Americans suffer from headaches. | | | | caused by disease. The headache itself is the |
| Headaches comprise the top three reasons why | | | | primary concern. Today, Americans engage in |
| one goes to the doctor. Some are occasional, | | | | more sedentary activities than they used to, and |
| some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and | | | | more hours are spent in one fixed position or |
| some cause debilitating pain and nausea. What do | | | | posture. Many find themselves in fluorescent |
| you do when you suffer from a pounding | | | | lighting and/or in front of a computer monitor all |
| headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? | | | | day. Many are on the telephone much of the day, |
| Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes | | | | which is very stressful on the muscles of the |
| away? There is a better alternative. As a | | | | head, neck and shoulder. These scenarios are fuel |
| chiropractic neurologist, I have been successfully | | | | for headaches. |
| helping patients rid themselves of headaches, | | | | So what can you do? |
| oftentimes in as little as one treatment. Research | | | | If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed |
| has demonstrated the value of manipulative | | | | position, such as in front of a computer, take a |
| therapy for a multitude of disorders including | | | | break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. |
| headaches. A report released in 2001 by | | | | Exercise may help relieve the pain associated with |
| researchers at the Duke University Evidence | | | | primary headaches, however, this will often |
| Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that | | | | aggravate headaches of migraineurs. As migraine |
| spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate | | | | headaches are vascular headaches, they should |
| improvement for those headaches that originate | | | | always be evaluated prior to entertaining any |
| in the neck, and had significantly fewer side | | | | course of self-treatment. Drink at least eight |
| effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type | | | | 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid |
| headache than a commonly prescribed medication. | | | | dehydration, which can lead to headaches. |
| As a neurologist, we have many diagnostic | | | | Naturally, I would recommend all headache |
| capabilities at our disposal, as well as adjunctive | | | | sufferers to come see us for an evaluation, as |
| therapies, which have proven to work very well | | | | most will be helped in a short amount of time |
| for migraineurs as well as headache sufferers | | | | without requiring drug therapies, which can often |
| who have yet to be diagnosed. Headaches have | | | | have deleterious side effects and consequences. |
| many causes, or "triggers." These may include | | | | You will be referred for these types of therapies |
| foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, | | | | if felt to be warranted to be used as an |
| etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive | | | | alternative course of care, although this is |
| exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 | | | | certainly not the norm but rather the minority. |
| percent of all headaches are warning signals | | | | The vast majority of our headache patients share |
| caused by physical problems. The other | | | | a common conclusion; they invariably wish that |
| ninety-five percent of headaches are primary | | | | they had come in to see us sooner and avoided |
| headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster | | | | the years of unnecessary suffering. |