For some, headaches only occur sporadically or under extreme or specific circumstances, and don’t often pose a threat to day-to-day living. For others, headaches can be the bane of their existence, causing disturbances in everyday life, affecting everything from sleep and work productivity to mood and energy levels and every little thing in between. For many, headaches can often be debilitating.

If you are experiencing bad headaches regularly, a visit to Dr. Gena Chiropractic, your favorite family chiropractors in Plantation, may provide you the relief you have been searching for. Over-the-counter painkillers, headache medications like Tylenol, and other heavy prescription medications for really debilitating situations can be a quick fix solution, but as far as remedying the problem long term, you’ll need to go deeper than that — and that is what Dr. Gena and her team of chiropractors are here to do for you! Many of Dr. Gena Chiropractic patients have reported back resolution of headaches and migraine headaches and that they were able to lessen or avoid using their medications once the problem was fixed.

Headaches are very common, and can show themselves in many different ways. Sometimes the pain is only on one side of the head while other times it could be a pounding sensation that takes over entirely. Sometimes headaches come with nausea; sometimes it lasts for minutes and sometimes it lasts for days. The causes come from all across the board as well, including, but not limited to, low blood sugar, high blood pressure, stress, anxiety, fatigue, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), reactions to medications, negative reactions to chemical stresses (foods) and neck pain.

There are three types of headaches that we treat and take care of here at Dr. Gena Chiropractic: tension headaches, migraine headaches, and cluster headaches. 

Tension Headaches

This is the most common type of headache, and is typically associated with a pain that is spread out, almost as if you are wearing a tight band around your head. Additional symptoms include a persistent dull ache, a sensitive scalp, and feelings of tenderness in your shoulder and neck muscles and tightness around the forehead, sides and back of the head. The pain tends to worsen as the day goes on, and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to hours upon hours, depending on the type of tension headache you are experiencing. Episodic tension headaches recur for up to two weeks per month, for about a half hour to a week, while chronic tension headaches can be continuous for lengthy periods of time. 

These headaches are often caused by emotional stressors like anxiety and depression. Physically, muscle strain can be a cause as well. 

Chiropractic care is helpful for these headaches as it can offer pain relief without the need of OTC pain medication or prescription antidepressants and muscle relaxers. Since the pain often starts in the neck, an adjustment can help realign the spine to improve posture and allow the neck muscles to relax. Certain ergonomics and relaxation techniques may help as well. Yoga, meditation, stretching and regular exercise are recommended as well.

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are much worse than tension headaches, lasting anywhere from a few hours to three days even. These impairing headaches often also include nausea, blurred or obstructed vision known as an “aura”, dizziness, tingling sensations, sensitivity to light, sound, smell and even touch. Migraines typically are experienced on both sides of the head, however they might start on one side and slowly expand to the other. Migraines can cause people to become a recluse while experiencing the pain, becoming irritable, depressed and eager to be alone without any noise or commotion – debilitating.

There are various triggers for migraines, so it’s often suggested that people keep a journal and write down the things that occurred just before the migraine appeared: your surroundings, what you ate or drank, what you are wearing, etc. Alcohol, certain foods, stress, odors, hormones, loud noises… All of these things can trigger a migraine headache.

While there is no cure, yet, suggested alternative remedies include massage, herbs and supplements, acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments. 

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are sort of the “sister” to a migraine. Less common, but much more intense. These types of headaches occur in a cyclical pattern, and can last for as long as weeks or months at a time. They appear quickly and painfully, and symptoms are very noticeable — drooping eyelids, facial swelling, excessive tearing, runny nose, etc.

Some sufferers have recurring cluster headaches that happen at the same time every day, or during a specific time of year. Others experience the pain at random times, sometimes even in the middle of the night and it wakes them from sleep.

There are many medications and preventative treatments available, and because of the severity of this condition, support groups are often an ideal avenue for sufferers so they know they are not alone. Chiropractic care can help by way of upper cervical chiropractic adjustments to help sufferers find relief from the pain they are experiencing.

In the case of any type of headache, a lot of the relief comes from assessing, adjusting and specifically correcting the upper cervical area, which are the top three bones (occiput/C0, Atlas/C1, Axis/C2) as they directly affect the brain stem and the nervous system.

In addition to chiropractic care, there are also lifestyle changes that can make a huge difference. Good hydration is very important. We recommend drinking coconut water or using these electrolytes we sell in the office as well as online, to help you better hydrate. It is also important to get an adequate amount of sleep each night and practice proper ergonomics to lessen the strain on the head, neck and upper back muscles to relieve any tension.

If you are experiencing tension headaches, migraines or cluster headaches, there is no need for you to suffer in silence. Call our office today at 954-417-5815 to schedule an appointment with our chiropractors. Remember, your health is in your hands; our hands are here to help.