If you suffer from headaches, a chiropractic spinal checkup is one of the best things that you can do. Chiropractic’s safe, gentle, drugless methods have helped millions of headache sufferers over the years. Yet, chiropractic does not claim to be a headache treatment and cure- it has a different approach to health care. Doctors of chiropractic free your body from the vertebral sublexation complex, or VSC, that has the power to destroy your health. It affects millions of us- it is a hidden epidemic. When freed of sublexations, your body works more efficiently to use its’ natural energies to heal itself. How is this accomplished? Read on.
MUSCLE TENSION HEADACHES
Many things can cause a headache: strong smells, intense lights, sinus trouble, high blood pressure, dental problems, ear, eye or vision conditions, fevers, infections, tumors, seizures, lumbar punctures, alcoholic drinks, drugs, accidents and other causes. You can get a headache just worrying about all of the things that can cause them. That leads us to the most common headache of all: the muscle tension, worry or “stress headache that makes up 90% of all headaches.
WHAT PUTS THE ACHE IN HEADACHE?
The ache in headache does not come from the brain. It’s true! Your brain can feel no sensation. Even during brain surgery, the patient is often wide awake, feeling no pain, even talking to the doctors while his/her brain is being tampered with (a local anesthetic numbs the scalp). What puts the “ache” in headache? Veins and arteries inside the brain and skull, membranes that wrap around the brain and certain nerves in the head called the cranial nerves. When these are pulled, stretched, compressed, irritated, inflamed or infected, headaches often result."
TREATMENT
Headache treatment depends on what caused it. A headache arising from visual problems can often be cured by eyeglasses. An infection headache of the sinuses or ears is relieved when the infection subsides. But the most common headaches are usually treated with painkillers. The hundreds of millions of dollars spent each year on everything from aspirin and Tylenol TM to prescription drugs may provide blessed relief, but please remember- the pain may be gone but the cause of the headache is not corrected. That’s why we may see millions of people swallowing pills for years, possibly suffering from the side effects of long-term medication- and not getting any better, only temporarily “feeling” better. Surely, that’s not a healthy way to live.
THE CHIROPRACTIC APPROACH
Millions of headache sufferers are turning to the natural, drugless chiropractic approach to health. Chiropractors are the only healing professionals who are trained to analyze and correct the vertebral sublexation complex- a spinal distortion that can damage your nerves, inflame your tissues, cause muscles to tighten and knot, weaken your body, cause fatigue and set the stage for sickness and disease. It is truly a hidden epidemic.
THE CHIROPRACTIC CHECKUP
Just as you may have a cavity in your teeth and be unaware of the damage that it is causing, so the VSC may be causing serious harm to your body-sometimes for years-without your knowledge.
Using his/her hands, x-ray and other instruments to analyze your spine, the chiropractor will determine if you have VSC. Then, using special techniques, your chiropractor will perform a chiropractic spinal adjustment to correct the vertebral sublexation complex, removing the nerve pressure and spinal distortions.
TO RESTORE ITSELF
Remember, the purpose of the chiropractic spinal adjustment is to remove the nerve and spinal stress caused by the vertebral sublexation complex. This permits your body to restore itself to a greater level of health and wholeness- in effect, to better heal itself.
THE SPINE & HEADACHES
Researchers have often noted that the relationship between the spine and many types of headaches.1-4 For example, one study of 6,000 long-term (2-25 years) headache sufferers revealed that neck injury (whiplash, falls) was the most important factor in the cause of the headache and should be suspected in every nonspecific case of headache.5
For over 100 years, doctors of chiropractic have observed an intimate relationship between the spine and headaches. Many migraine patients (both adult & child) have claimed relief under chiropractic care.6,7
In other words, if you suffer from headaches, make sure that your spine is healthy-see your chiropractor.
POSTSCRIPT
No matter what disease or condition you have, you can benefit from a healthy spine. Spinal health can be as important for your overall healing as proper nutrition. Are you and your family carrying the vertebral subluxation complex in your spines? Only a chiropractic spinal checkup can tell. Among the many things contrubuting to your health: the quality of the air, food and water you take in; how you handle emotional stress; your inherited weaknesses and strengths; your use of drugs; exercise; and relaxation--a healthy spine is absolutely essential. In some people it is a major factor and can make the diffeence between a life of health, strength and vitality or a life of disease, weakness and disability.
A healthy spine can improve your life--see your chiropractor for periodic spinal checkups.
References
- Seletz, E. Whiplash injuries. JAMA, Nov. 29, 1958, pp.1750-1755.
- Bogduk, N. Cervical causes of headache and dizziness. In G. Grieve (Ed.), Modern manual therapy of the vertebral column. Churchill Livingstone, 1986, pp. 289-299.
- Bogduk, N. The anatomical basis for cervicogenic headache. JMPT, Jan. 1992, pp. 67-70.
- Kreeft, J. Headache following whiplash. In Spine: State of the art reviews: Cervical flexion-extension / whiplash injuries, Sept. 1993, p. 395.
- Braaf, M. M. & Rosner, S.J. Trauma of the cervical spine as cause of chronic headache. Trauma, 1975, 15, pp. 441-446.
- Whittingham, W., Ellis, W. B. & Molyneux, J.B. The effect of manipulation for headaches with upper cervical joint dysfunction: A pilot study. JMPT, 1994 17 (6), pp. 369-375.
- Turk, Z. & Ratkolb, O. Mobilization of the cervical spine in chronic headaches. Manuel Medizin, 1987, pp. 15-17.