20 Jun What is Causing My Headaches? Can a Chiropractor Help me?
One of the most common reasons people come to my chiropractic office is because they have headaches. Most people lose hope that anything can be done to solve their problems. Let’s talk about three of the most common reasons for headaches and how to help yourself.
1) Too much time in front of your computer. Does anyone else notice that after an hour or so at your computer you start to develop what I call “turtle posture”? Your start to hunch over and slump, your head inches forward towards your computer screen and your shoulders begin to round.
Sooner or later your body begins to feel more natural in this position than it does in a good healthy posture. Chiropractic adjustments can definitely help get your spine moving again so that your body can find a better and healthier posture.
2) Too much stress and tension in your neck and shoulders. Many people carry their stress in different parts of their bodies. For me, it is my lower back. For many of my patients, it is their neck and shoulders. I notice that when they have a bad day, the first sign is the fact their shoulders are up by their ears. It starts to be an unconscious reaction to stress. The longer they keep their shoulders elevated, the more the body develops a habit of keeping the muscles very tense. Getting adjusted helps your body clear out any physical manifestations of stress you’ve been feeling so they don’t accumulate into a chronic problem.
3) Clenching your teeth at night and TMJ problems. A big cause of headaches…I have personal experience with this one myself.
Many people don’t realize that your jaw can be adjusted just like your neck. You also have muscles on the inside of your mouth that if massaged, will relax and lessen the pain and tension in your jaw. Though this is an uncomfortable procedure, the discomfort is brief and the results are great. From my own personal experience, it is my opinion that only the best and most experienced chiropractors should be adjusting jaws. It is a very easy area to irritate. I’ve gotten really good at it over the years simply because I have had so many TMJ issues of my own since a bad car accident and have had to really work hard to find out what works and what doesn’t.
While there are many causes of headaches, many can be treated with a simple chiropractic adjustment. In fact, we have a success rate with headaches of nearly 90%. I’ve seen many patients with this common condition and with a tailor-made program to reduce the stress in their spines, many have great results. Remember that while headaches are common, they are never normal and should be treated with caution and concern. Call our office today to schedule your own appointment or to just talk to Dr. Travis Ring of Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic to see if it could be a good fit for you. 918-940-4630. Thank you for allowing us to be your chiropractor.