Chiropractors have helped millions of people around the world, for the past 100 years deal with head and neck pain symptoms.
Chiropractic provides an evidenced based health care solution to headaches and neck pain. The following research supports Chiropractic as an effective form of treatment.
For Headaches
There is solid evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic treatment for many types of headache. 1-6,9
The research shows that chiropractic care (sometimes in conjunction with exercise) can result in significant improvements in patients suffering from migraines, tension and cervicogenic headaches.1-5
In a study conducted at Macquarie University, specific chiropractic adjustments to the spine “significantly reduced migraines in 71% of the people surveyed. The frequency, duration, severity and amount of medication all decreased markedly.”5
“Cervical spine manipulation was associated with significant improvement in headache outcomes in trials involving patients with neck pain and/or neck dysfunction and headache.”5
“The results of this study show that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches… Four weeks after cessation of treatment…. the patients who received spinal manipulative therapy experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in all major outcomes in contrast to the patients that received amitriptyline therapy, who reverted to baseline values.”7
For Neck Pain
National Institutes of Health (US) funded a study, conducted to test the effectiveness of different approaches for treating mechanical neck pain. There were 272 participants- divided into three groups that received either spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) from a Chiropractor, pain medication (over-the-counter pain relievers, narcotics and muscle relaxants) or exercise recommendations. After 12 weeks, about 57 percent of those who underwent chiropractic treatment and 48 percent who exercised reported at least a 75 percent reduction in pain, compared to 33 percent of the people in the medication group. After one year, approximately 53 percent of the drug-free groups continued to report at least a 75 percent reduction in pain; compared to just 38 percent pain reduction among those who took medication.8
“…patients suffering from back and/or neck complaints experience chiropractic care as an effective means of resolving or ameliorating pain and functional impairments, thus reinforcing previous results showing the benefits of chiropractic treatment for back and neck pain.”9
A large number of headaches and migraines can be caused by problems that are easily solved by gentle Chiropractic adjustments in the neck. Pain can also refer to the jaw and facial region. Altered biomechanics of the tempomandiblular joint may be involved.
The vertebral joints in the cervical spine may become misaligned, causing tension between the joints, discs, muscles and even nerves. Headaches, migraines and neck pain may also be caused by irritation of the jaw and delicate muscles of the neck and shoulders. Correcting spinal misalignments and the underlying structural problems can provide headache relief, and also minimizes the chances of it re-occurring in the future. Lifestyle advice on nutrition, stretching, exercise and postural may also be given to prevent headaches re-appearing.
A through clinical history and a complete biomechanical, orthopaedic and neurological examination will determine a diagnosis for your headache or neck pain. Should symptoms be non-musculoskeletal in nature immediate referral to your G.P is given.
Chiropractic is all about offering you safe and effective long term solutions.
References
1.UK BEAM. BOLINE, P. D., KASSAK, K., BRONFORT, G., NELSON, C. & ANDERSON, A. V. 1995. Spinal manipulation vs. amitriptyline for the treatment of chronic tension-type headaches: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, 18, 148-54.
2.GEMMA, V. E. & ANTONIA, G. C. 2014. Efficacy of manual and manipulative therapy in the perception of pain and cervical motion in patients with tension-type headache: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. J Chiropr Med, 13, 4-13.
3. JULL G, T. P., POTTER H, ZITO G, NIERE K, SHIRLEY D, ET AL 2002. A randomized controlled trial of exercise and manipulative therapy for cervicogenic headache.Spine,27, 1835-43.
4. NILSSON, N., CHRISTENSEN, H. W. & HARTVIGSEN, J. 1997. The effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of cervicogenic headache.J Manipulative Physiol Ther,20, 326-30.
5. TUCHIN, P. J., POLLARD, H. & BONELLO, R. 2000. A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine.Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics,23, 91-5.
6. McCRORY, Penzlen, Hasselblad, Gray (2001), Duke Evidence Report
7. BOLINE et al. (1995), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
8. BRONFORT et al. (2012), Annals of Internal Medicine
9.KOES BW, ASSENDELFT WJJ, van der Heijden GJMG et al. Spinal manipulation and mobilisation for back and neck pain: a blinded review. BMJ 1991a; 363:1298-1303
