Tension Headaches or Migraines Treatment

A headache is a common condition that most people experience many times in their lives. If you feel pain and discomfort in your head, you’re likely experiencing one. There are different types of headaches, each differing in terms of severity, pain type, frequency, and location. The most common of which are tension headaches and migraines.

They may sound the same, but they’re actually different issues with overlapping symptoms. A tension headache is typically muscular in origin and linked to blood pressure functions. It’s often described as feeling like a pulsating pain as if there’s a tight band wrapped around your head. They can affect all ages and are often caused by stress, muscle tightness, and environmental factors. 

Meanwhile, a migraine is a unilateral or bilateral pain with more severe symptoms, such as an aura, light sensitivity, vomiting, and spotty vision. They can be episodic and sometimes debilitating. Triggers vary per person, and they often occur spontaneously. Treatment for this headache type includes chiropractic care, sleeping, and being in a cool, dark, and quiet place.

There are also cluster headaches that occur around the eye and eyebrow on one side of the head and feel like a stabbing pain that doesn’t last long. On the other hand, cervicogenic headaches are characterized by unilateral pain that starts from the neck. It’s a chronic headache linked to neck movement, usually accompanied by a reduced range of motion.

Chiropractic care for these types of headaches is a popular alternative to pain-relieving drugs. This holistic approach relieves your discomfort and allows you to manage your condition better. At LifeClinic chiropractic and rehabilitation center, we help identify the root cause of your pain to keep you functioning to your potential.

Before we develop a chiropractic treatment program, you’ll undergo medical tests so we can identify risk factors and better understand your condition. We’ll also ask about your medical history and lifestyle so we can develop a personalized treatment plan that best suits your needs. During treatment, we can help address any issues you might face and prevent your condition from developing into a more severe case. Our focus is on improving your overall health so you can quickly return to your normal way of life.

At LifeClinic, our goal is to restore, maintain, and optimize human function through our various chiropractic, physical therapy, and rehabilitation services. Let our team of professionals help you on your journey to recovery. Together, we’ll work towards achieving optimal health and wellness.

Treat Migraine with Chiropractic Care and Physical Therapy

Our chiropractors and physical therapists use different methods to treat tension headaches or migraines. These include:

Chiropractic Treatment for Migraine

Chiropractic care involves using non-invasive techniques to treat migraine patients. It can serve as an alternative to painkillers or other prescription drugs that most people rely on.

• Fascial Distortion Model – This treatment model involves hands-on, deep pressure application which provides immediate relief and reduces the severity of migraines or tension headaches.
• Spine Alignment – In some instances, a migraine can be a result of minor misalignments in the spine which affects the nerve signals sent to and from the brain. By realigning your spinal column, we help your nervous system function better and reduce inflammation in the soft tissues of your back.
• Hydromassage – This type of massage therapy uses heat and water pressure on the body to relieve stress and promote relaxation. When your muscles are relaxed, they are less prone to tensing, which reduces the frequency of migraines attacks
• Dietary Counseling – Tension headaches can be triggered by certain foods and additives. Your chiropractor may recommend lifestyle changes to eliminate common food triggers from your diet and help you manage your migraine.

Chiropractic Care: An Alternative to Painkillers

Some patients take pain medication for their migraines or tension headaches, but chiropractic care offers the long-term relief minus the side effects.

• Muscle Tension Release – Extra pressure exerted on any part of your body often results in pain or discomfort. Through chiropractic procedures, you can reduce pressure on your head and prevent migraine attacks.
• Personalized Treatment Plans – Our chiropractors will ask about your medical background and clinical history with migraine. We will also run tests for an accurate diagnosis to develop a personalized treatment program.
• Holistic & Preventative Care – Through our holistic approach and results-oriented methods, you can focus on regaining optimal health. We combine our chiropractic services with physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Physical Therapy for Migraine

The system of physical therapy is focused on the structure of the body to relieve pain and allow you to better manage your condition.

• Acupuncture – Rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, this medical practice divides the body into a series of zones and pressure points. It involves puncturing the skin with needles to stimulate your nerves to release hormones, particularly endorphins, which are your brain’s natural painkillers. This stimulation process helps relieve tension headaches or migraines,
• Dry Needling – This technique involves inserting a dry needle through the skin into areas of the muscle to reduce pain and reduce muscle tension around your head.
• Cupping – This form of therapy involves the application of heated cups on your forehead, cheekbones, and base of your neck to create suction and negative pressure. This results in relaxed muscles and increased blood supply, which somehow reverses the cause of migraine.