Headaches are one of the most common complaints we see. They can vary widely in terms of their intensity, duration and location. Many patients seek to treat their headaches without medicine. Headaches are classed as primary or secondary headaches by the root cause of the pain.
There are three types of primary headache.
- Tension-type headache: Often described as a tight band around the head with associated with tight muscles in the neck and shoulders. Often related to stress, sustained poor posture and eye strain.
- Migraine headache: intense throbbing pain, often on one side of the head. Which is often accommodated by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, visual changes (for example, spots or zig zags), and sensitivity to light, sound, or smell.
- Cluster headache: Severe, piercing pain, usually around one eye. Which can be accompanied by red, teary eyes, nasal congestion, and a droopy eyelid.
Secondary headaches originate from an underlying cause. Such as injury (i.e. concussion headache), infection (i.e. sinusitis headache, tooth ache), substance use (i.e. hangover headache), cervicogenic (i.e. pain originating from the neck), vascular disorder, changes in intracranial pressure and other numerous causes.
How Chiropractic Treatment Could Help Treat Headaches Without Medicine
The first hurdle is diagnosing the cause of your headache, as the best course of treatment will vary. This can be complicated as headaches can exist in isolation or combination. For example, you can have a tension-type headache at the same time as having a sinus headache from a sinus infection.
We take a comprehensive evidence-based approach to managing headaches. We may be able to help you manage your headaches, especially if your headaches are driven or accompanied by muscle tension in the neck, jaw and shoulders or related to sustained poor postures.
- Hands-On Care: we use a combination of soft tissue techniques and joint manipulation to reduce muscle hypertonicity and restrictions in movement. For instance, tension-type headaches often arise from muscle tightness in the neck and shoulders. By applying targeted soft tissue work, we can alleviate this tension and promote better muscle function.
- Patient Education: we can assist you in understanding the root cause and possible triggers for your headaches and how to better manage these day-to-day. Understanding these can be crucial for long-term self-management and relief. We spend time educating our patients about dynamic postures, ergonomics, and lifestyle modifications that can help prevent headaches. For example, sustained postures or poor ergonomics over a period of time can cause muscle imbalances leading to headaches. Introducing changes to reduce time spent in poor postures, repetitive tasks or poor ergonomic set-ups can assist in long term management.
- Rehabilitation and Exercises: a cornerstone of our approach. By strengthening the muscles that support your neck and improving your overall posture can significantly reduce the likelihood of headaches. We design personalised exercise programs that fit into your daily routine, helping you build resilience and maintain a pain-free life.
Take the First Step Toward Treating Your Headaches Without Medicine
If you’d like to treat headaches without medicine, chiropractic care may be a solution for you. Our goal is to reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of your headaches. We providing evidence-based, personalised care to help you manage and overcome headache pain.
