How Neck Pain Relates to Headaches
Headaches are very common in today’s fast-paced world. One thing that is seen in a number of headaches sufferers is neck pain. Often neck pain is caused by a car accident or a sporting injury, but it can also be a warning sign that a headache is about to happen.
An online survey was conducted by the National Headache Foundation that revealed 69% of people that suffered from headaches also had neck pain with them. Of these, 38% said that they had neck pain before or after a headache, and 31% said they had neck pain during a headache.
Where Headaches May Originate
Cervicogenic headaches (a headache that is caused by a problem in the neck) often begin with a feeling of tightness in the shoulders or neck area. This feeling is connected to the cervical spine and it stimulates the nerves of the neck that reach into the head, in turn, causing pain leading to headaches.
The tightness of the neck muscles can be due to physical strain or even emotional and mental stress. Taking medication will not usually help the problem, rather medication masks it so the symptoms go away, never getting to the root cause of the headaches. So, what can be done?
Natural, Effective Headache Assistance
Sometimes, it may be as simple as trying to reduce stress in the person’s life, or at the very least helping them to develop better stress coping mechanisms. Changing schedules, bad eating habits, and making time to relax on a daily basis can help alleviate headaches for some. Including exercise and stress-relieving techniques can also help. Often, this is not enough by itself. A good place to find some professional help is to consult with an upper cervical chiropractor.
We focus our attention on our patients’ upper neck vertebrae. If a misalignment is found in either the atlas or axis bones (the top bones of the neck), it is possible that they are responsible for a person’s headaches . By using a gentle, effective method, we can realign the vertebrae and bring much relief to a patient’s suffering.
To learn more about how Atlas Orthogonal might help you, visit us at HopeChiropracticDM.com ,contact us here, or call us at 515-868-0202.