Are you a chronic headache sufferer? If so, the pain and impact that a headache can have on your day and quality of life is immeasurable. If headaches are severe or happening frequently you may be wondering what’s causing your symptoms. While painkillers can help temporarily alleviate the pain they won’t treat the underlying cause. Luckily, the chiropractic team at Bethesda Back Center has the knowledge and training to be able to pinpoint the cause of your headache symptoms and from there determine the best course of action.
The most common types of headaches are cervicogenic (secondary), tension and migraine headaches. A tension headache causes a band-like tension and pressure around the head, while cervicogenic headaches are often the result of neck pain and tension. Migraines are severe and sometimes debilitating headaches that are often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
Diagnosing and Treating Headaches in Bethesda, MD
When you come into our office for your first visit, our chiropractor Dr. Gina Beech can examine, diagnose and manage your headaches. Many people don’t realize that a chiropractor can diagnose as well as treat certain musculoskeletal conditions. Manual therapy, one of the most commonly used chiropractic techniques, is particularly effective for treating tension and cervicogenic headaches. Manual therapy may even be able to reduce the severity and frequency of migraines.
Manual therapy involves the manipulation of the spine, ligaments, tissue, muscles and nerves of the body to make sure everything is in alignment. When the body is out of alignment, pinched nerves, muscle tension and other issues can trigger a headache. In this case, by alleviating sore, achy and tense muscles and soft tissue around the neck and spine we can prevent tension and cervicogenic headaches from occurring
Manual or manipulative therapy involves a variety of kneading and other manual techniques to boost blood flow, improve joint mobility and reduce swelling. Other ways to improve headache symptoms is through lifestyle changes, rehabilitation, and electrical stimulation. We will sit down with you and discuss the different treatment options available to determine the best approach for reducing your headache symptoms.