How to treat those annoying (and sometimes debilitating) headaches.

Headaches are one of the most common types of pain that people experience every day. Researchers found that 9 out of 10 adults in America experience pain from headaches on a regular basis. The pain can range from an annoying mild discomfort to a throbbing pain. Some are bad enough that individuals miss out on work or fun activities because of their debilitating headache. Although people first usually turn to over-the-counter pain killers to treat their headache, chiropractic care can help both lessen the severity and frequency of headaches.

The largest percentage of headaches (around 90%) fall into what is called "primary headaches". These headaches are usually tension headaches. They are brought on by having tense muscles in the neck area or a misalignment (subluxation) of the neck vertebrae. These types of headaches are more of  a "symptom," not an illness. Many headaches that Americans experience are simply due to dehydration. If you are experiencing a headache, the first question you should ask yourself is whether or not you are dehydrated. The headache could be a symptom of a lack of water in your body, so your first method of treatment should just be drinking water. Another factor that could be bringing on your headache is the position you sit in all day. Many Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle--sitting in a fixed position for long periods of time. This actually increases joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck and upper back, causing headaches as a result. In other words, you have tension in your neck and upper back, the nerve fibers at the base of your neck and upper spinal cord become irritated, and your head beings to ache as a result.

The good news is that chronic headaches (or just random headaches) can be treated with chiropractic care. There have been numerous studies published that have found that chiropractic care helps relieve the pain that comes with a headache. In addition to this, a chiropractor can help educate you on how to adjust your daily life to prevent the problem that is actually causing the headache. Dr. Redenius can perform a thorough examination to identify the cause of your headache pain. Depending on your specific case, he may perform a chiropractic adjustment to take the pressure off those irritated nerves, easing your headache pain. He will also recommend how you can alter your diet, exercise, ergonomics, posture, and stress management in order to keep neck tension to a minimum. He may also suggest incorporating a product like a Denneroll (more info on the Denneroll here!) to help get to the root of the problem.

Dr. Redenius has gone through extensive training to help his patients in many ways--not just with back pain. He knows how tension in the spine relates to problems in all  areas of the body, and he knows how to relieve those problems while educating you on how to prevent them. The treatment may be as simple as drinking a couple glasses of water.

While the office is not technically open yet (we are hoping the second or third week of August), you can still call and set up an appointment with Dr. Redenius today! Call 712-464-3301 or visit www.lakecitychiro.com to learn how Dr. Redenius can help your headache pain.

Just like last week, we will be giving away a FREE prize this week! All you need to do is “Like” the Redenius Chiropractic official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/redeniuschiropractic/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel) and SHARE this blog post to your own page by Thursday, July 28, 2016 The giveaway is open to USA residents only.  This week, we will be giving away a FREE reusable water bottle to promote hydration in treatments of headaches!

Have a great week!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius