Headaches are one of the most common medical complaints, with over 90% of people experiencing a headache at some point in their life. For many, headaches can be managed with over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. But for others, headaches are chronic, severe, and debilitating. This leads many headache sufferers to seek out alternative treatments, like visiting a chiropractor.
What Causes Headaches?
Headaches can be triggered by a number of factors, including:
- Stress
- Genetics
- Poor posture
- Dehydration
- Sleep problems
- Eyestrain
- TMJ disorders
- Neck injuries
- Weather changes
- Food sensitivities
- Hormone changes
The most common types of headaches include:
- Tension headaches – The most common type of headache, caused by muscle tension in the head and neck. Tension headaches cause a constant, pressing pain on both sides of the head.
- Migraines – Severe, throbbing headaches, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines can last for hours or days.
- Cluster headaches – Intense headaches that occur in clusters, causing excruciating pain around one eye. Cluster headaches can occur regularly for weeks or months at a time.
- Sinus headaches – Headaches caused by sinus congestion, which causes pain and pressure around the sinus cavities.
How Can a Chiropractor Help Headaches?
There are a few key ways a chiropractor may be able to provide relief for headaches:
1. Alleviate muscle tension and strain
Chiropractors use spinal manipulation and massage techniques to loosen tight muscles and joints, especially in the neck and upper back. This can help reduce muscle tension that contributes to tension headaches and migraines. Specific techniques like trigger point therapy may target muscles knots that cause referred pain into the head.
2. Improve spinal alignment
Proper spinal alignment allows the neck vertebrae to move and function normally. Misalignments, called subluxations by chiropractors, can irritate nerves and cause muscle tension and pain. Chiropractic adjustments aim to restore alignment and mobility to the spine, reducing headaches linked to neck and back problems.
3. Reduce nerve irritation
Irritation to nerves in the upper neck and back of the head can trigger headaches. Chiropractors relieve pressure on pinched nerves that may cause this irritation through spinal adjustments, as well as stretches and exercises that take pressure off the nerves.
What Does the Research Say?
Numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of chiropractic care for headaches. Some key research findings include:
- A 2019 literature review found moderate evidence that spinal manipulation provided short-term relief better than medication for cervicogenic headaches originating in the neck.
- Multiple clinical trials found that chiropractic care significantly reduced migraine intensity, duration, and frequency.
- A 2016 study reported spinal manipulation delivered better migraine relief compared to drug therapies like amitriptyline or topiramate.
- Research reviews report that 22-70% of tension headache sufferers obtain significant relief from chiropractic treatment.
- A clinical trial in 2020 showed that just 5 sessions of chiropractic care cut tension headache pain intensity by 35% and frequency by 40%.
While more research is still needed, current evidence indicates chiropractic adjustments, along with massage and exercise therapies, can be beneficial as headache treatment.
Chiropractic Techniques Used for Headaches
There are many specific chiropractic techniques that may be used to provide headache relief. The most common approaches include:
Spinal Manipulation
Also known as an adjustment, this technique involves manually applying controlled force to restricted joints in order to restore normal motion. Manipulation can be done using short, quick thrusts or slower mobilization motions.
Active Release Technique (ART)
ART uses specific massage motions along muscles, tendons, and nerves to relieve tension and scar tissue. It can target myofascial trigger points linked to headaches.
Flexion-Distraction Technique
This gentle chiropractic technique uses a specialized table to alternately flex and distract the spine and neck to relieve pressure.
Drop-Piece Technique
The chiropractor will raise and then gently drop a section of the table the patient is lying on to manipulate the spine.
Instrument Adjusting
Hand-held devices that provide gentle and precise adjusting thrusts are used instead of manual manipulation.
Trigger Point Therapy
Firm pressure is applied toknotted muscle areas to reduce referred pain and tension.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
TENS machines deliver small electrical impulses through electrode pads on the skin to block headache pain signals.
Therapeutic Exercises and Stretches
Spinal and neck mobility exercises, along with stretches and posture exercises, may be prescribed to prevent tension and recurring headaches.
What to Expect When Visiting a Chiropractor for Headaches
Your first appointment with a chiropractor for headaches will likely follow this basic process:
Patient History and Examination
The chiropractor will ask detailed questions about your headaches, triggers, pain location, severity, frequency, and any treatments you’ve tried. They will examine your posture, spine, neck, shoulders, and hips for misalignments, mobility issues, and muscle tension.
Diagnostic Testing
If needed, imaging like x-rays or MRI may be ordered to help confirm spinal problems contributing to headaches. Range of motion assessments also help identify impaired neck mobility.
Treatment Plan
Next, the chiropractor will outline their recommended treatment plan. This may include spinal manipulation, massage, mobilization techniques, exercises, lifestyle advice, and other therapies.
Initial Treatment
At your first visit, you may receive the first round of hands-on therapies like spinal adjustments and massage. The chiropractor will explain all procedures thoroughly before starting.
Follow-Up Appointments
After the initial visit, you’ll likely be scheduled for several follow-up appointments to monitor progress and provide ongoing treatments. The frequency of visits depends on headache severity and your response to care.
Are There Any Side Effects from Chiropractic Headache Treatment?
Chiropractic care is considered very low-risk for most people. However, some temporary side effects can occur, including:
- Mild soreness – It’s common to feel muscle soreness or stiffness for up to a day after spinal manipulation, similar to starting a new workout routine.
- Tiredness – Some patients report feeling drained or fatigued after their adjustments. This likely results from muscles and the nervous system recalibrating.
- Headache – Ironically, spinal adjustments can occasionally trigger a mild headache as your body adjusts to the changes.
More serious side effects like disc herniation or vertebral artery dissection are extremely rare occurrences. Your chiropractor should evaluate your individual health to rule out any conditions making adjustments unsafe.
Lifestyle Changes to Complement Chiropractic Headache Treatment
To gain maximum relief from chiropractic therapy, your chiropractor may suggest making the following lifestyle changes:
- Improve posture – Reduce slouching by adjusting your workstation, sitting upright, and practicing proper head positioning.
- Exercise more – Low-impact, moderate exercise like walking, yoga, or swimming helps increase circulation and decrease headaches.
- Limit caffeine – Cutting back on coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks can curb caffeine withdrawal headaches.
- Drink water – Stay well hydrated to prevent headaches associated with dehydration.
- Try stress-relief techniques – Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness reduce stress that can trigger headaches.
- Get enough sleep – Aim for 7-9 hours per night, and keep a consistent sleep schedule.
- Eat regular meals – Skipping meals leads to low blood sugar that can cause headaches in some people.
- Check your vision – Headache symptoms may warrant an updated eyeglasses prescription.
When to See a Medical Doctor for Headaches
While chiropractors can help many types of headaches, it’s also important to see a medical doctor in certain scenarios, including:
- Sudden, severe headache unlike previous headaches
- Headache with fever, stiff neck, rash, nausea, weakness, or confusion
- Headaches that keep getting worse despite chiropractic treatment
- New headache in someone over age 50
- Headache causing disturbance in vision, speech, or balance
- Headache after a head injury
Seeing a doctor can rule out dangerous causes of headaches like meningitis, tumors, strokes, or hemorrhages. Be sure to let your chiropractor know if you experience any headache red flags they should refer you to a doctor for.
The Bottom Line on Chiropractic for Headaches
Research indicates chiropractic adjustments, massage, and spinal mobilization techniques can indeed offer relief for many headache sufferers. It provides a non-drug option worth trying for chronic or severe headaches that don’t respond to other treatments.
While more studies are needed, chiropractic appears most effective for cervicogenic headaches stemming from neck and spinal problems. It has also demonstrated benefits for reducing migraine intensity and frequency.
Visiting a chiropractor for tension headaches, migraines, or other chronic headache pain is likely worth a try, given the side effects are minimal and it may provide lasting relief when other options fail. Working closely with your chiropractor on a comprehensive treatment plan along with positive lifestyle changes gives you the best chances for overcoming chronic headaches.
References
- Biondi DM. Cervicogenic headache: mechanisms, evaluation, and treatment strategies. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2000 Nov;100(11 Suppl):S7-14. doi: 10.7556/jaoa.2000.100.11.s7. PMID: 11233390.
- Astin JA, Ernst E. The effectiveness of spinal manipulation for the treatment of headache disorders: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Cephalalgia. 2002 Oct;22(8):617-23. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2002.00423.x. PMID: 12383058.
- Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Spine J. 2010 Feb;10(2):117-28. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2009.09.002. Epub 2009 Oct 21. PMID: 19853782; PMCID: PMC2819630.
- Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, Marcoux H, Potter B, Ruegg R, Shaw L, Watkin R, White E. Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011 Jun;34(5):274-89. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.04.008. PMID: 21640251.
- Lystad RP, Bell G, Bonnevie-Svendsen M, Carter CV. Manual therapy with and without vestibular rehabilitation for cervicogenic dizziness: a systematic review. Chiropr Man Therap. 2011 Sep 23;19(1):21. doi: 10.1186/2045-709X-19-21. PMID: 21939533; PMCID: PMC3187959.