Will Chiropractic Care in Portland Help Headaches?

The thing about headaches is that we often don't know why we're having them. It's common enough to have a headache a few times a year without any kind of rhyme or reason. But sometimes, they start happening regularly and becoming a disruptive and painful part of our routines.

When you tell people about your head pain, they'll give you lists of things they feel could be causing it. They've seen you on your computer a lot, so they tell you it must be eye strain. They tell you to stop eating sugar or wheat, because their best friend had a food allergy, and so that must be the cause. The advice for addressing headaches is endless. It comes from a well-intentioned place, but when you're in pain, you want real answers as to why. How do you know what is causing your headache? And what can you do about it?

For most of us, the cause of our headaches actually can be found in our routines.

When you visit your Portland chiropractor, they will ask you a lot of questions about your daily life. They will ask about activities performed at your job, when and what you eat, how much exercise you get, and much more. They'll perform a thorough exam to see what they can discover about what might be causing your headaches.

What Causes Headaches in Portland

The truth is that there are many different things that cause headaches. So many, in fact, that it's possible multiple factors are contributing to your symptoms. Even so, there are some pretty common places that attribute to headaches for most of us.

Your upper back, shoulders, and neck are the place your chiropractor may be most likely to discover the source of your headaches.

If you're emotionally stressed, you may be tensing your upper back, neck, or shoulders. When these muscles are held tense for a long time, they can push on your vertebrae (the small interlocking bones in your neck that are part of your spinal column). This can move the vertebrae out of proper alignment. When this happens, the bones may be pressing on nerves that are then sending pain signals to your head, causing you pain.

In the modern world, we are often holding our bodies in the same position for hours on end. We slouch at our desks. We reach for the same things repeatedly throughout the day. As we perform these activities, we are putting repetitive stress on our upper back, shoulders, and neck. Again, this can cause the vertebrae to become misaligned, irritate or compress nerves, and cause headaches and other symptoms.

Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation for Headaches

In these cases, your chiropractor will perform spinal manipulation. This is a gentle, natural, and non-invasive method. While some people may say this is your chiropractor "popping your back", it's more complex and gentle than that. Your Portland chiropractor has spent years training to help your spinal column and other joints become properly aligned.

When they perform this chiropractic method you will likely feel some immediate relief. The area may feel more loose and mobile. If you had a headache when you came in, you will hopefully feel some relief from these symptoms. Having your spinal health in good order will help with long term relief as well.

This isn't the end of your headache care, however. Your chiropractor at North Portland Wellness Group will talk to you about long term solutions to prevent and manage your headaches down the line. This may include future chiropractic adjustments on a schedule, depending on your situation. They will also discuss tips you can use at home. Many people will find these tips to make a big difference in their headaches if they're experiencing chronic symptoms.

Some of these tips may be specific stretches your chiropractor teaches you, diet tips, and strategies for better managing your spinal health during your workday.