Drug-Free Ways To Alleviate Headaches
A recent study showed that approximately 47% of the global population suffer from one or more forms of headaches¹. When a headache strikes, it is easy to reach for a pain relieving tablet such as panadol or nurofen to alleviate the pain. However, taking over-the-counter pain relief too often can have harmful side effects. If you suffer from regular migraines or tension headaches it is important to identify the cause of the problem and focus on prevention rather than just pain relief.
What Causes Headaches?
There are many different types of headaches such as tension headaches, cervicogenic headaches, and migraines. There is often a number of contributing factors that cause a headache ranging from repetitive movements to driving long distances without rest.
In fact, any activity that overextends the muscles on the back of the neck can lead to pain and often spasms or headaches.
Drug-Free Alternatives To Prevent Or Relieve Headaches
There are a number of drug-free alternatives for headache relief that can be used to not only alleviate headache pain, but to also identify the underlying cause and prevent future headaches.
Simply becoming aware of what is triggering your headaches can help you to prevent future headaches. Some simple practises that can be implemented to prevent headaches include:
- Taking regular breaks when driving or sitting for long periods of time
- Minimising stress
- Sleeping with your neck in a neutral position (on side or back rather than front)
- Massaging neck and shoulder muscles with a massage ball or therapy roller
In addition to simple preventative lifestyle changes, there are a range of other drug-free alternatives to headache relief including:
- Chiropractic Care
- Remedial Massage
- Acupuncture
- Physical Therapy
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Chiropractic care for headaches aims to relieve the pain caused by headaches by restoring spinal function and addressing postural issues. Through a series of adjustments combined with at home exercises and posture techniques, chiropractic treatment aims to restore proper spinal alignment in order to reduce triggers for tension headaches.
In fact, frequent chiropractic care has been shown to reduce the frequency and duration of migraines suffered (Bryans et al. Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic of Adults With Headache. NUOHS 2011).
At Back To Front Chiropractic, we believe that the key to treating headaches is identifying the underlying cause. The first thing we will do is conduct a thorough assessment of the problem including a history of your headaches and an assessment of the head and spine. This allows us to tailor your chiropractic treatment to the underlying cause of your headaches.
If you suffer from frequent tension headaches or migraines, book an appointment with your local chiropractor today to investigate the underlying cause of the problem. Call Back To Front Chiropractic on 07 3393 2201 and ask about our new patient offer!
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