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Headache is a common problem affecting 16% of the population at any given time. Research now shows that headaches classified as tension headache or migraine, in fact arise from the structures of the neck, ( now called “cervicogenic headache” by the International Headache Society ), and that chiropractic management is appropriate and effective. Researchers at Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Minnesota, compared chiropractic care to certain drug therapies for tension and migraine headaches. This published study involved 218 headache sufferers who were given either chiropractic care or drug therapy or both. Pain was reduced by 40-50% in all groups initially. However, four weeks after all care was stopped, only the chiropractic group still retained the benefits, while those who received the drug therapy lost about half of their improvement. The implications are that chiropractic is not just a therapy or treatment, but rather gets to the cause allowing the body to effect a correction that lasts beyond the actual treatment period. A study published in JMPT, Feb 2000 showed that people suffering with migraine headaches were helped with chiropractic care. One hundred and seventeen volunteers were studied, who had migraine headaches for an average of 18 years. Many also suffered neck pain. On average the group that received chiropractic care showed a significant improvement in migraine frequency, duration and disability. Also 94% of these volunteers had no neck pain or a decrease in neck pain after a period of two months. References: Nilsson N.
Christiansen HW Hartvigsen J, The effects of spinal manipulation
in the treatment of cervicogenic headache. JMPT, 1997;20(5): 326-330 |
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