Headaches and Migraines

Headaches Q&A

What causes headaches?

Headaches are among the most common medical complaints today, affecting millions of people of nearly all ages. They can be triggered by an array of medical and lifestyle issues, including:

• tension in the back or neck muscles
• chronic stress
• injury or trauma
• bright lights and loud noises
• insomnia
• fatigue
• eye strain
• reactions to medications
• sedentary lifestyle
• changes in blood sugar
• high blood pressure
• underlying diseases and medical conditions
• spine problems, especially those affecting the cervical spine

How does chiropractic care treat headaches?

Chiropractic helps you tap into your body's natural healing processes to stimulate natural healing. In headache treatment, chiropractic adjustments can help relieve the pressures in the neck and back that can cause tension to build up resulting in headaches. In addition to adjustments, Dr. Lichy can offer lifestyle and nutritional guidance aimed at addressing specific underlying causes, as well as providing advice on proper posture and ergonomics at work and at home. He'll also help you develop a plan of stretching and exercises to avoid headaches in the future by relieving ongoing pressure and stress in your neck and back.

What can I do to prevent headaches?

The best way to prevent headaches is to begin with a complete evaluation to determine the causes. Once you understand your triggers, you can take steps like exercising, improving diet or posture, or using a pillow or mattress that offer more support to your neck muscles. In addition to being evaluated by Dr. Lichy, another way to understand your headache triggers is to use a headache diary to record when you experience headaches and what you were doing in the moments or hours prior to your symptoms developing.