We see a large number of folks with headaches in our North County St. Louis, MO office, and Dr. Holland has been able to help many of them. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that half of all adults have difficulties with some manner of headache disorder, so this actually isn't unexpected. One of the most common types of headaches that our patients experience is cervicogenic headache which, luckily, chiropractic therapy can usually help.
A cervicogenic headache is one that starts from an issue in the cervical spine. It could be as a result of an issue with either the spine itself (primarily, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it could be attributable to a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This problem in your spine results in compression or aggravation of the spinal nerves, which can generate headache discomfort.
How can you recognize if the headache you are struggling with is a cervicogenic headache? Other than getting a diagnosis from a healthcare specialist, a typical symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is sometimes coupled with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.
Since cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever problem is initiating them is corrected, it is crucial to get treatment as opposed to just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent approach, and one that can provide a great deal of pain relief.
In one study reported in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, experts followed 80 people who had regular cervicogenic headaches. Half of them received chiropractic care and the other fifty percent underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was assessed 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment and it was discovered that chiropractic offered the most beneficial effects.
Specifically, this study uncovered that chiropractic adjustments offered patients greater pain relief and reduced the number of headaches that occurred. On top of that, it also mitigated the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.
To find out what Dr. Holland can do for you and your headache pain, call us today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you need!
References