Chiropractic care involves a combination of spinal manipulation, active and passive exercises, massage, and acupuncture. This holistic approach to pain relief has been found to treat everything from back pain and arthritis to sports injuries and headaches. If you experience chronic headaches, use this guide to better understand how your chiropractor may your key to wellness. 

What Are the Different Types of Headaches?

There are more than 150 different types of headaches. While a chiropractor may not be able to manage pain for every type, they can effectively relieve symptoms of cervicogenic headaches, migraines, and tension headaches. Spinal manipulation can provide nearly immediate results for headaches that originate in the neck. 

Cervicogenic headaches are characterized by one-sided pain that starts in the back of the head and moves to the front, commonly caused by a neck problem or injury. This headache is the only type that can be successfully mitigated through spinal manipulation. Migraines require a different approach. Trigger point therapy, or neuromuscular massage, uses specific points on the back, shoulder, neck, and head to release compressed nerves resulting in relaxed muscles, improved blood flow, and reduced stress. Tension headaches, the most common, respond to soft tissue therapy as well as stress management to combat muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, and head. 

How Can You Avoid Headache Triggers?

It's important to keep a headache journal to document how internal and external factors may be contributing to or exacerbating your headaches. For example, common components include stress, odors, menstrual periods, and changes in weather. 

Food can also be a significant element. Nitrates, found in hot dogs and other processed meats, can cause pounding headaches, as can foods prepared with monosodium glutamate (MSG). Foods like ripened cheeses, chocolate, pickled, and fermented foods tend to be high in the amino acid tyramine, which is linked to headaches. If you are able to notice a pattern or antecedent for your headaches, whether it's exposure to insecticides or experiencing heightened emotions, you are better equipped to avoid headaches altogether. 

Whether you’ve experienced a sports injury or are enduring chronic pain, you deserve expertise your body can rely on. Mid Rivers Chiropractic in St. Peters, MO, offers a holistic path to healing and wellness. With over 30 years of experience, these caring professionals can diagnose the source of your pain and implement effective, sustainable treatments to help patients return to their life, pain free. From acupuncture and spinal manipulation to sports injury treatments and massage, chiropractor James Lustig, DC, uses the most advanced techniques in the field to get you back to feeling your best. To schedule an appointment, call (636) 279-1400 or visit the website.