Headaches and migraine are painful and can affect your everyday activities. No matter where you’re at in life, they can appear seemingly out of nowhere or, in some cases, result from known factors like your family history or an injury. Unfortunately, headaches can also severely impair your ability to focus and function in day-to-day life, with factors such as light and sound making environments unbearable.
The good news is that head-related pain is manageable and can be treated with chiropractic care, so you can get back to feeling like yourself again.
Dr. Amy Brown, a chiropractor practising at Langs Chiropractic and Coronation Chiropractic, Massage, & Physiotherapy in Cambridge, Ontario has noticed an increase in office workers experiencing head-related pain over the last few years. “This shift could be related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in more people working from home, often in makeshift offices and sitting for longer periods behind the computer. These long hours spent sitting in one position can cause neck and back strain which can often trigger headaches,” says Dr. Brown.
To stay healthy and comfortable while working from home or at the office, it’s important to optimize your work setup and take regular breaks away from your desk, listening to your body if something doesn’t feel right.
What to Expect When Getting Help from a Chiropractor for Headaches and Migraine
As part of the diagnostic or assessment process, your chiropractor will ask questions and perform tests to better understand your current health and medical history, as well as any issues you’re experiencing in your spine, muscles, joints, and nervous system. They may also order X-rays or refer you to your family doctor or nurse practitioner for diagnostic tests to better assess your condition.
For headaches specifically, your chiropractor will also conduct a thorough health exam, including a physical health assessment and neurological testing. “It’s crucial for your chiropractor to decide if you need additional care from other health care professionals as part of your overall treatment plan,” says Dr. Brown. “That’s why it’s important to provide all the information you can when meeting with your chiropractor. Even seemingly insignificant details can be important. This approach ensures you will receive the most appropriate treatment and care to help you feel your best.”
Your treatment plan may include hands-on manual therapy, trigger point therapy or other soft tissue treatment. It will often also include at-home therapeutic exercises to help relieve tension related to your pain, such as stretches to relieve tight muscles, home-management strategies (like using hot and cold compresses, and strengthening exercises), and advice for the most effective ergonomics setup.
A Holistic Approach to Care
Chiropractic care can be a great option if you’re suffering from headaches and migraine. It’s been found effective at alleviating and even eliminating these symptoms, reducing inflammation, improving your range of motion, and restoring function. By using gentle, non-invasive manipulation of the spine and other joints to correct misalignments, chiropractors can help reduce tension in your neck and spine, which can be a major source of headaches.
Remember, when it comes to dealing with head-related pain, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. It’s often due to a variety of reasons and requires several approaches from different health care professionals. That’s why a chiropractor considers various lifestyle modifications, such as diet, exercise, stretching and stress management to help relieve symptoms and prevent future headaches.
Combining chiropractic care with other treatments, such as registered massage therapy and acupuncture at the advice of your chiropractor may also help ease chronic headaches and acute episodes. This type of holistic approach can help you regain your strength and mobility, and greatly improve quality of life.
Contact Your Local Chiropractor for Help
To get started, look at your office setup and the environment you spend most of your time in. Make sure it’s not causing you issues. It can also be helpful to try to move more so be sure to take short movement breaks throughout your day. You can set a timer to remind yourself to get up and walk around every hour.
If you’re still experiencing headache-related pain, consult your family doctor or nurse practitioner to rule out any serious causes and schedule a visit with your local chiropractor to help reduce the frequency or severity of your headaches.
“Chiropractors are qualified to assess and diagnose your spine, muscles, joints, and related nerve conditions. We’ll provide you with a treatment plan, which will likely include manual therapy, at-home therapeutic exercises, and strength training to help manage headache-related symptoms so you can get through the day as pain-free as possible,” says Dr. Brown.
To find a chiropractor near you, use the chiropractor locator on our website. In Ontario, you can visit a chiropractor without a referral from a doctor, nurse practitioner or other health care professional.
Dr. Amy Brown