Headaches Are Not a Normal Part of Life
More people today struggle with headaches than ever before. In fact, it’s so prevalent that I’ve heard many people refer to these symptoms as just “normal headaches.” Many of our new clients come to us for other problems, but during the consultation or examination, we also discover that they often have headaches, thinking it’s not worth mentioning and just something they have to live with.
Fortunately, chiropractic care can help with headaches, even if people fail to tell us about it. In fact, this is one of the problems I’ve often seen improve and can resolve under regular chiropractic care. Many even forget they used to have headaches, until I ask them about their old problem.
Studies have shown that specific chiropractic adjustments can help with various types of headaches, including migraines, tension-type, cervicogenic, cluster, sinus, TMJ, and even neuralgia. In more recent years, new types of headaches have emerged, including New Persistent Daily Headaches (NPDH) and Medication Overuse Headaches (MOH). We’ve helped many with these new modern headaches, as well.
It’s important to remember that headaches are a neurological problem, so the rising rate of neurological problems and brain inflammation is likely contributing to the increasing prevalence of headaches. Like most health problems, headaches are unlikely the result of a single cause, requiring a concerted effort to change and improve various aspects of daily living.
Medically, the first line of treatment, before considering any lifestyle modification, are painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, both of which can turn an acute problem into a chronic one, while creating many potentially more harmful side effects. Overuse of headache drugs can also lead to what’s called Rebound Headaches, which “are caused by the regular overuse of headache medication for over three months.” According to a 2023 review, “An unfortunate cycle of medication overuse results in increased headache frequency, whereby the medication indicated for the treatment of the primary headache becomes the cause of headaches.”

Before resorting to drugs, especially for children whose brains are still developing, chiropractic care should be the first option. We recently had a young client who suffered with headaches for several months, but was admittedly scared coming to see me. Most people associate chiropractic care with more forceful manipulations, but fortunately we can often get even better results gently and safely, with the tried and tested approach of Activator Methods.
Fortunately, there are drug-free ways to live without persistent and chronic headaches at any age, expanding the mind’s capacity to achieve life’s full potential.
by Dr SJ NANA, DrNana.co.za

References:
Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic Treatment of Adults With Headache
Clinical Trial Proves Link Between Chiropractic And Migraines
Please see my previous articles related to this topic: