Healthy Living

Patient Information from the American Chiropractic Association

Headaches and Chiropractic

If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of
ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occa-
sional, 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 spinal manipulation – the pri-

mary 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,
Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary
NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost
headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster
immediate improvement for those headaches that orig-
headaches. These types of headaches are not caused
inate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side
by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern.
effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type
headache than a commonly prescribed medication.
“The greatest majority of primary headaches are asso-
ciated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr.
Also, a 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and
George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from
Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipula-
Christiansburg, VA. “Today, Americans engage in more
tive therapy is an effective treatment for tension
sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours
headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic
are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can
treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained
increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck,
therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who
upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.”
received a commonly prescribed medication.

Headache Triggers What Can You Do?

Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These The ACA suggests the following:
may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises,
lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, exces- • If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed
sive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 per- position, such as in front of a computer, on a
cent of all headaches are warning signals caused by sewing machine, typing or reading, take a
physical problems. break and stretch every 30 minutes to one
Healthy Living
Headaches and Chiropractic

hour. The stretches should take your head and

neck through a comfortable range of motion.
• Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain Avoid the Following Food “Triggers”
associated with primary headaches. However, if • Avoid caffeine. Foods such as chocolate,
you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, coffee, sodas and cocoa contain high lev-
avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities els of the stimulant.
as walking and low-impact aerobics. • Avoid foods with a high salt or sugar con-
• Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should tent. These foods may cause migraines,
never touch the lowers, except when swallow- resulting in sensitivity to light, noise or
ing. This results in stress at the temporo- abrupt movements.
mandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that • Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. These
connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ drinks can dehydrate you and cause
irritation and a form of tension headaches. headache pain.
• Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a • Other headache sufferers may want to
day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead avoid not only caffeine, but also high-pro-
to headaches. tein 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 pri-
mary headache:
Chiropractic Care Can Help
• Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about other ways to
adjustments to improve spinal function and improve your lifestyle. Doctors of chiropractic are
alleviate the stress on your system. trained and licensed to examine and treat the entire
• Provide nutritional advice, recommending a body with specific emphasis on the nervous and
change in diet and perhaps the addition of B musculoskeletal systems. They can also help people
complex vitamins. lead healthier lives by focusing on wellness and
• Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work pos- prevention.
tures), 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,” For more information on prevention and wellness, or to
says Dr. McClelland. “They know how tension in the find a doctor of chiropractic near you, go to the Patient
Information section on ACA’s Web site at www.acato-
spine relates to problems in other parts of the body,
day.org or call 800-986-4636.
and they can take steps to relieve those problems.”

This patient information page is a public service of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association. The

nline
information and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in most instances, but they are not a
substitute for a diagnosis by a specialist. For specific information concerning your health condition, consult your
doctor of chiropractic. This page may be reproduced noncommercially by doctors of chiropractic and other
healthcare professionals to educate patients. Any other reproduction is subject to ACA approval.