Headaches/Migraines
Phil, a 29 year old male, came into our office in May, 2024, with headache and neck pain, as well as some low back pain. While he stated his pain was intermittent, he noted he had been suffering from the back pain for almost ten years and the headaches had plagued him for over a year straight. He listed his pain levels as 6’s on a scale from 0-10. Phil mentioned his pain was interfering with many aspects of his life from working to playing softball, as well as affecting his sleep by keeping him up at night. He said he couldn’t think straight from day to day!
On Phil’s first visit to our office, a complete exam and consultation was completed by Dr. Chris as well as getting a complete set of chiropractic x-rays. Dr. Chris found multiple misalignments in Phil’s neck and lower spine which were directly contributing to his back pain and headaches. Misalignments cause pinching on the nerves that travel to many parts of the body, which result in pain, irritation, and inflammation. Phil began a care plan tailored to his needs which included regular chiropractic adjustments and postural rehabilitation treatments. After only one month’s time, Phil told us his headaches were completely gone! He also listed his back pain at a 1! After 6 weeks, we took x-rays again and Dr. Chris noted considerable improvement.
Phil has been a great patient of ours and continues to improve. He just recently stated he has had an “all around great experience” in our office, and he is “pretty much pain free!” His recent visits show his pain levels listed as all zeros, and he said “everything is better!” He is able to enjoy every day activities again with no headaches, is sleeping better, and recently played in a softball tournament.
A headache is a painful sensation in any part of the head that may occur with or without other symptoms. Headaches can be one of the most debilitating problems a person deals with, and can be caused by a number of reasons. There are different types of headaches ranging from tension headaches, which are the most common, to migraines, which are the most severe. Headache causes include: stress, diet, dehydration, muscle tension, poor posture, irritated or inflamed nerves in the brain, and nerve pressure stemming from the neck.
What are the Symptoms of Headaches?
Dull ache or pain on one or both sides of the head, pain in the back side of the head or behind the eyes, vision changes, nausea, and radiating pain down the neck and to the shoulders. A migraine headache is usually more intense and can cause extreme pain, nausea, vomiting, double vision, light and sound sensitivity, and shortness of breath, lasting anywhere from hours to days.
What Kind of Problems Arise from Headaches?
Depression, anxiety, fatigue, increased levels of stress, decreased alertness, balance issues, visual disturbances, impairment of daily functions such as social, family and work related activities.
How Does Chiropractic Help?
By locating misalignments and disc issues in the neck, chiropractic adjustments relieve pressure on the nerves and joints, which allows increased blood flow and normal oxygen flow to the brain and the surrounding muscles and tissues. This reduces muscle tension to all areas of the brain, helps calm inflamed nerves, and allows the body to heal quicker.
What Does Macomb Township Chiropractic Offer?
Dr. Chris McNeil offers several therapies to treat headaches. Manual spinal and neck adjustments and disc decompression therapy are some of the best choices. Postural rehabilitation therapy works by locating the misalignment of the neck and correcting the alignment back to a close to normal position, which allows for proper functioning of the nerves and blood vessels. The disc decompression table is also an option for gently pulling and releasing the discs in the neck which may be compacted. Dr. McNeil always does a careful analysis of x-rays and patient expectations before any treatments begin.
