At
some point, almost everyone will have a headache, whether it's from
stress, lack of sleep, hormonal related or even self-induced after
having way too much fun the night before!
In fact, 9 out of 10
Americans suffer from headaches. The focus of this article is to
discuss the most common form of headache – the tension-type
headache or, TTHA.
Tension-type headaches (TTHA) are defined
by the Mayo Clinic as "a diffuse, mild to moderate pain that's
often described as feeling like a tight band around your head."
These are sometimes described as muscle contraction
headaches but
many experts no longer think muscle contractions are the cause.
They now feel that "mixed signals" coming from
nerve pathways to the brain are the cause and may be the result of
"overactive pain receptors."
Regardless of the
cause, the triggers of tension headaches are well known and include
stress, depression/anxiety, poor posture, faulty awkward work station
set-ups, jaw clenching and many others.
Risk factors for TTHA
include being a woman (studies show that almost 90% of woman
experience tension headaches at some point in life) and being middle
aged (TTHA's appear to peak in our 40s, though TTHA's are not limited
to any one age group).
Complications associated with TTHA's
may include job productivity loss and the use of sick days, family
and social interaction disruption, and relationship strain.
Treatment utilizing over the counter medications are often
effective but often come with side effects, such as stomach
irritation and/or liver and kidney issues.
Actually over the
counter (OTC) and prescription medications have shown to be the cause
of death in over 100,000 people each year and seriously injure over
2.1 million.
Controlling stress by trimming out less important
duties or "taking
on less" can help. Yoga, stretching, prayer biofeedback and
relaxation therapy are also great!
An "ergonomic"
assessment of a computer workstation and how it "fits" the
headache patient can also yield great results.
Other highly
effective therapies include food allergy and food sensitivity
testing, massage therapy, behavior
and/or cognitive therapy as
well as of course, chiropractic!
Chiropractic is a GREAT
choice compared to standard medical care, especially when side
effects to medications exist. This is because spinal adjustments of
the cervical spine addresses the cause of the headache and doesn't
just try to "cover up" the pain.
In 2001, Duke
University reported compelling evidence that spinal adjustments
resulted in almost immediate improvement for those with headaches
that originate in the neck with significantly fewer side effects and
longer-lasting relief compared to commonly prescribed medication.
In our office, our course of treatment include (partial
list): spinal adjustments, trigger point therapy, cold laser,
mobilization techniques, exercise training, dietary and
supplementation education / advice, food allergy and sensitivity
testing, lifestyle coaching and ergonomic assessments.
We
realize you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare
services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for
headaches, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by
choosing our services and look forward to serving you and your family
both presently and, in the future.
Schedule an appointment
today to see how Chiropractic would benefit you.
Call us at
(609) 484-9300.
Or click the link below to schedule an
appointment.
http://www.drgitto.com/hylnet/clientapp/appointmen...
You
can also visit us on the web at www.drgitto.com/