Are you like many suffering with headaches? The type, where the tension just won’t let up? Headaches are common, but they are NOT normal. What do I mean by that? Very simply, a lot of people
in our society experience headaches, but just because many people experience them does not make them normal. Think about this right now: in the United States, many people have and die from heart disease, but does that make it normal? No! It just means it is common. While headaches may not be life threatening, they are certainly a warning sign of abnormal function in the body. Typically, headaches are from 2 primary sources- dehydration and cervicogenic. Let’s address the causes and the solutions.
It is common knowledge that hydration is important. However, far too few people recognize the amazing benefits that hydration has on every aspect of health. From cellular health, im
proved digestion and even headaches. Dehydration in the body can actually lead to reduced blood volume in the body. Why is that a problem? In your neck there are blood pressure receptors called baroreceptors, they sense the blood volume that is being sent to the brain, if that volume decreases it sends messages to your heart to pump faster, leading to increase blood pressure which results in those pounding headaches. So, what is the solution? Drink MORE water! A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces per day (ex. Someone weighing 200lbs should drink 100 ounces of water a day). If your headaches persist even after being diligent about drinking more water, then it is most likely arising from another issue stemming from the neck.
Research shows that only about 5% of headaches are due to low hydration levels. This leaves an overwhelming 95% of headaches that are cervicogenic in nature, which means they arise from the neck. Many times, due to restricted motion. When misalignments (or subluxations) causing restriction are present, it will cause nerve tension leading to achiness, and muscle tension. When restricted motion and or subluxation(s) are present, a chiropractic adjustment is the best solution to resolve the problem. The adjustment is the procedural movement of the spine in a specific direction and force to improve mechanics and thereby improve
overall function. These adjustments allow the spine to move freely and your headaches to decrease in intensity, duration AND frequency! If you are experiencing frequent headaches, pounding headaches, or headaches that just interrupt your day in any way– give us a call today for a free consultation to determine if your headaches are something we believe we can help with!
