dr. victor krauss, chiropractor in san diego ca, has had
great success with headache treatments for patients from all over the usa

If you are suffering from headaches, you're not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some headaches are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.

What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative.

New research shows that specific spinal adjustments - the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic - may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal adjustments resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.

Also, a 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication.

Headache Triggers

But to get to the bottom of the problem, you first need to find out what is causing your pain. Headaches have many causes, or "triggers." These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems.

Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern.

"The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck," says Dr. George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from Christiansburg, VA, and chairman of the American Chiropractic Association's (ACA) Board of Governors. "Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache."

What Can Chiropractic Do?

First, you need to find out what is causing your headaches. At Better Life Chiropractic in San Diego our detailed examination process includes the following: a history of your problem, postural analysis, bi-lateral weight assessment, infrared thermography, surface electromyograohy (Semg), electronic range of motion studies and radiographic analysis.

All of this data is used in order to precisely locate the source of the headaches.

Once the problem is identified our patients undergo a first ‘trial’ adjustment of the spine in order to assess their bodies response to care. Once that is determined the patient returns for a follow up visit where a comprehensive care plan is laid out. This often includes a specific number of recommended adjustments over a period of time, home exercise recommendations, sleep position modification and cervical traction.

At Better Life Chiropractic in San Diego our unique Headache Care Plan is designed to correct the underlying cause of your headaches, and, if you complete our program and are not satisfied that the care has helped you we will gladly refund 100% of the cost of your care. I have been doing this for over 10 years now and have never yet had a patient ask for a refund. Where else can you go and have a doctor offer you that kind of assurance?

Some simple tips to decrease the likelihood of initiating headaches include the following:

If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.

Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.

Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints
(TMJ) - the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull - leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.

Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

In addition, the ACA and its Council on Nutrition suggest you avoid the following food "triggers":

Avoid caffeine. Foods such as chocolate, coffee, sodas and cocoa contain high levels of the stimulant.

Avoid foods with a high salt or sugar content. These foods may cause migraines, resulting in sensitivity to light, noise, or abrupt movements.

Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. These drinks can dehydrate you and cause headache pain.

Other headache sufferers may want to avoid not only caffeine, but also high-protein foods, dairy products, red meat and salty foods.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Dr. McClelland says your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:
Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.
"Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways - not just back pain," says Dr. McClelland. "They know how tension in the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can take steps to relieve those problems."

If your headache is symptomatic of a health problem that needs the care of another discipline, your doctor of chiropractic will refer you to an appropriate specialist.

Chiropractic Care Can Help...

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about other ways to improve your lifestyle. Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to examine and treat the entire body with specific emphasis on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. They can also help people lead healthier lives by focusing on wellness and prevention.

Chiropractically Yours,
Victor B.J. Krauss D.C.
Wellness Chiropractor

Better Life Chiropractic
A Creating Wellness Center
6753 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92115

(619) 584-HUGS (4847)

Call now to schedule your appointment

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