If you regularly suffer from tension headaches, a chiropractor at Advanced Physical Medicine in Yorkville can help. Frequent tension headaches can be caused by a whiplash injury that happened years ago, repeated strain on the neck muscles due to working at a desk job or simply from plain old stress. A chiropractor can work with you to help correct subluxations or spinal injuries that may be contributing to your headaches. Over time, chiropractic therapy may be able to eliminate your tension headaches.
Causes of Tension Headaches
The most frequent cause of tension headaches is poor posture resulting from sitting at a desk job all day. There is a tiny muscle in the neck which has a tendon that attaches to the thin layer of tissue that surrounds the brain. When that muscle spasms, it tugs at the layer of tissue around the brain and causes the pain experienced in a tension headache. Stress and poor posture can both trigger these spasms, and the resulting tension headache can last from 30 minutes to several days.
Chiropractic for Tension Headaches
Spinal manipulative therapy from a chiropractor can be a highly effective means of long-lasting relief from tension headaches. The chiropractor will use adjustment therapy on the upper two thoracic vertebrae, as well as the juncture between the cervical and thoracic spine. This can relieve the tension in the RCPM and tendon that result from poor posture, which in turn causes the headaches to go away. Your chiropractor at Advanced Physical Medicine will also recommend posture improvement changes that can help to prevent recurrence of the tension headaches.
Trigger Point Massage for Tension Headaches
Another highly effective chiropractic treatment for tension headaches is trigger point massage. There are four muscle groups that attach the upper back to the base of the skull or the spine. When these muscles tense up, it causes them to pull at the neck and upper spine in ways that can cause tension headaches and a host of other types of referred pain problems. Trigger point massage therapy on these muscle groups can correct many of the issues that may be causing your tension headaches.
Tension Headache Triggers
While your chiropractor can provide therapies to relieve the pain of tension headaches, another important part of your treatment will involve figuring out the actual cause or trigger of the headaches. Your doctor will recommend keeping a headache diary to help identify tension headache triggers. Certain types of foods, changes in the weather, mood changes and other factors could be contributing to your headaches. Once the triggers are identified, you can begin making lifestyle changes to prevent headache recurrence.
Contact Advanced Physical Medicine of Yorkville
Tension headaches do not need to be a regular part of your life. Contact Advanced Physical Medicine of Yorkville today to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor
