While there are various types of headaches and a wide range of problems that can cause headaches, some can actually be treated by chiropractors.

Tension headaches are those painful headaches with intense pressure that are caused by increased stress, fear or anger. While they may be brought on by a particular situation and dissipate a day or two later, chronic tension headaches can be caused by living a stressful life. This stress also tenses up the back muscles as well as muscles in the neck and shoulders, which support the head. Chiropractors can help treat chronic tension headaches by adjusting the spine to realign it to reduce irritation in the nerves that cause the tense feeling of the muscles the headaches as well.

Another type of chronic headache is the migraine headache. This is an extremely painful type of headache that many people experience on a weekly or monthly basis. Migraines can be caused by weather, changes in hormonal levels, predisposed by genetics and even the effect of eating certain foods. Because there are a number of underlying factors that can cause someone to be more likely to get migraines, chiropractic treatments might not always work for everyone.

However, many studies have proven that chiropractic methods can at least reduce the amount of migraines a person has. The chiropractic treatment involves manipulating the neck and spine in order to reduce the irritation of nerves in the spine. This helps reduce or eliminate pain from radiating out of the spine to the head.

For other chronic headache conditions, chiropractors can also use trigger point therapy, which involves applying pressure with the hands to release pressure on the nerves that lead to the head causing headaches. Your chiropractor might also teach you some exercises that can be done routinely to prevent pain, irritation or inflammation from occurring in the these nerves.

Some headaches, including migraines, can be caused by subluxation, or a misalignment of one or more vertebrae. Chiropractors can realign those vertebrae, which takes the pressure off inflamed nerve and rebalance chemical emissions. Some researchers believe that people with subluxations or a misaligned spine are more likely to have chemical imbalances in their brains that could cause headaches as well as many other mental or neurological conditions.

As you can see, most chiropractic approaches to eliminate or alleviate various types of headaches involve a two step approach. First the chiropractor takes pressure of the irritated or inflamed nerves by adjusting the spine. Then they can apply pressure to the various neck, shoulder and back muscles to relax them, allowing the affected nerves to loosen and feel less tense. The more relaxed the muscles are and the straighter the spine is the easier it is for nerve impulses to travel to and from the brain without causing headaches.

There are many different causes for headaches, so at your first consultation appointment your chiropractor should be able to determine what type of headaches you are having and if they are caused by spinal or nerve related issues then create a treatment plan tailored for your particular issue.

Mike Rollins, while not a Chanhassen chiropractor himself, is a freelance writer who writes for a number Chanhassen chiropractors.

Mike is a freelance writer who writes for a number of Eden Prairie chiropractors on various health topics related to chiropractic and natural living. http://www.omega-chiropractic.com

Author Bio: Mike Rollins, while not a Chanhassen chiropractor himself, is a freelance writer who writes for a number Chanhassen chiropractors.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: chiropractor, chiropractors, headaches, headache relief, chiropractic