Natural Treatment for Migraines & Headaches

Types of Headaches

Cervicogenic Headaches

Cervicogenic headaches are headaches and head pain referred from soft tissue and bony structures in the neck. They are often caused by head or neck injury and present like tension type headaches and/or migraines. Published articles document the effectiveness of chiropractic for this symptom. 

Migraines

Migraine headaches are characterized by intense pain on either one or both sides of the head. Pain is usually located behind an eye or around the temples. Sensitivity to light, dizziness and nausea are common symptoms that accompany migraines. Visual disturbances know as an aura, such as a flashing lights, blind spots or rainbow stripes may be precede the migraine.  Published research documents the effectiveness of Atlas Orthogonal upper cervical care for migraines.

Tension-type Headaches

Tension-type headaches, also known as stress headaches, occur randomly and are often the result of temporary stress, anxiety, or fatigue. They often start midday and usually consist of a dull, aching pain rather than a sharp, intense one. They start gradually and slowly build in intensity. Tension headaches may last anywhere from less than one to several hours. 

Integrated Medical and Chiropractic Approach

Dr. David Biondi's article "Cervicogenic Headache: A Review of Diagnostic and Treatment Strategies" provides an excellent background into the cause of headaches. If you have tried a strictly medical approach that hasn't worked for your, consider his quote:

The successful treatment of cervicogenic headache usually requires a multifaceted approach using pharmacologic, nonpharmacologic, manipulative, anesthetic, and occasionally surgical interventions. Medications alone are often ineffective or provide only modest benefit for this condition.

Gentle Chiropractic Treatment

Atlas Orthogonal, an Upper Cervical Care technique, is an all-natural treatment for headaches that works by restoring the body's natural alignment. Enliven Chiropractic is dedicated to helping you restore your health through natural holistic methods and assist in headache relief.

There are many different types and causes of headaches. From migraines to tension headaches, many of our patients have found relief through upper cervical care.  Many of the chronic headaches respond favorably to correction of the positioned of the injured cervical (neck) vertebra. Enliven Chiropractic utilizes the gentle Atlas Orthogonal Technique to restore this alignment. Our treatment often reduces the severity, frequency and/or duration of headaches.

“Cervical spine manipulation was associated with significant improvement in headache outcomes in trials involving patients with neck pain and/or neck dysfunction and headache.”

-- McCrory, Penzlen, Hasselblad, Gray (2001), Duke Evidence Report

“The results of this study show that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches. . . Four weeks after cessation of treatment . . . the patients who received spinal manipulative therapy experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in all major outcomes in contrast to the patients that received amitriptyline therapy, who reverted to baseline values.”

-- Boline et al. (1995), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

nutraceuticals