Headache Treatment in Boulder, CO

Comprehensive Consultation and Exam

A chiropractor will begin by conducting a comprehensive consultation and exam of your lower back, neck, and head. By performing physical tests and asking questions about the severity, frequency, location, and duration of the headache, a chiropractor can determine if chiropractic care is right for you.

There are over 150 different types of headaches. Determining which headache you are suffering from will define the appropriate steps for care.

Specific Chiropractic Care In Boulder, CO

After your chiropractor has done a comprehensive examination to determine the cause of your headaches, they can develop a specific plan to treat the cause of your headaches. This will be tailored to you and will target areas that may be contributing to the pain. Many headaches are caused by cervical subluxation – spinal misalignments in the neck. These misalignments can disrupt proper muscle balance and function as well as interrupt nerve flow, scrambling communication between the brain and body.

Chiropractic adjustments correct these misalignments to restore proper nerve flow and muscle function, relieving muscle tension.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is one of the most effective non-invasive treatments and can help relieve tension and soreness throughout your entire body. It decreases headaches’ severity by reducing muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, back, and face and improving circulation to accelerate healing. Massage therapy also relieves pain, improves flexibility and range of motion, and helps promote relaxation relieving another cause of headaches, stress.

Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan

Chiropractors may use various exercises to help you improve your condition and reduce pain. These exercises are customized to you and can help strengthen your neck and back muscles, relieving tension throughout the body.

By improving the function of these muscles, you can continue to feel better long after the massage has ended. In addition, exercises improve your range of motion, relieve soreness, and increase flexibility.

Spinal Decompression

Chiropractors often recommend spinal decompression to help relieve pressure on the nervous system by restoring proper alignment of the vertebrae. This therapy can be used for acute and chronic conditions, helping you feel better faster and preventing headaches from returning.

This non-invasive, non-surgical treatment involves simple equipment to relieve pressure on the spinal discs. This reduces pain and nerve irritation, rehydrating the discs and giving them a chance to heal. Patients can quickly see results in as little as one session and go home immediately, so there’s no interruption in work, school, or other daily activities.

Deep Tissue Laser

In addition to massage and exercise therapy, chiropractors use deep-tissue laser therapy to treat muscle spasms, pain, and stiffness throughout the body. Laser therapy helps to reduce pain and tension throughout the entire body and can help relieve you from headaches over time. Its greatest asset is stimulating healing at the cellular level to aid the nervous system in restoring balance and function to the body.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that uses tiny needles to stimulate the body’s natural energy flow to relieve pain and discomfort in various areas within the body.

Many chiropractors use acupuncture as part of their treatment plan for headaches, back pain, neck pain, and other conditions. Acupuncture can reduce pain by stimulating specific points in the body to help treat your condition.

Nutritional Supplementation

Our diet plays a significant role in headaches and headache relief. We will often recommend dietary changes that help support your overall health. A diet high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods helps reduce stress and lessen the effects of headaches throughout the entire body. These include red beans, cucumber, garlic, black tea, and dark chocolate. Reducing inflammation, especially through natural means like diet, is an excellent way to relieve headaches and prevent future flare-ups.

Digital X-rays

Your chiropractor may recommend digital X-rays to rule out more serious causes of headaches, such as structural issues within the head. X-rays may allow your chiropractor to identify spinal misalignments, bone spurs, and other causes of headaches that require more intensive treatment.

Your chiropractor will use X-rays to determine what kind of treatment will be most effective. By addressing the cause of your headache rather than just the pain, chiropractic care can provide more effective long-term results than traditional medical care.

Tension Headache

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. They tend to occur in the neck and scalp. They can be caused by stress, overuse of muscles, and neck strain. Symptoms include a dull headache with stabbing pain on one side of the head. Relieving muscle tension and restoring balance to the musculoskeletal system helps relieve tension headaches and prevent them from returning.

Migraine

Migraines are debilitating headaches typically associated with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound, and smell. Many migraine sufferers experience an aura or visual disturbances before a migraine attack. Headaches typically accompany light sensitivity, but the pain can range from mild to excruciating.

Cluster Headache

Cluster headaches are among the most painful. These headaches occur at the front of the face and behind the eye. They occur in clusters, lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours at a time over six to eight weeks. A patient will typically have between one and three attacks daily during a cluster headache period.

Sinus Headache

Sinus headaches are headaches that occur from sinus pressure or nasal congestion. They may include symptoms such as pain, tenderness, and swelling of the face, sinuses, or throat. Sinus headaches typically cause less pain than migraine headaches but can last several days.

Cervicogenic Headache

Muscle tension or subluxation in the neck causes cervicogenic headaches. They are typically accompanied by neck stiffness, pain on one side of the head, and ear pain. Cervicogenic headaches can be caused by something as simple as sleeping with your head turned in an awkward position. This can easily be corrected with a cervical chiropractic adjustment.

Concussion Headache

Headaches are often the result of a concussion, a mild traumatic brain injury where the brain bounces around the skull. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light, sound, or noise. The headaches can range from mild to severe, with pain that is felt on one side of the head and forehead. Also, you may notice that your vision is blurry, or you see stars or flashing lights.

Pregnancy Headache

Headaches that happen during pregnancy can range from mild to severe. The pain can occur anywhere in the head and face but is typically worse on one side. One or both sides of the head may be affected, which may cause visual changes.

Whiplash Headache

A whiplash headache is often the result of a whiplash injury. These injuries are common during a car accident or among athletes when the neck snaps backward and forward in a violent, rapid motion. Symptoms include a dull but intense pain on one side of the head. You may also notice pain or tenderness around your ears and jaw. Also, the pain may radiate up the back of your neck. A whiplash injury may also damage spinal structure requiring the care of a chiropractor.