With over 150 different types of headaches, it’s no wonder that more than one in ten people struggle with some type of headache. Although they may be common, they are by no means normal! A headache is another way your body and brain are trying to communicate that something is wrong. Listening to this warning signal and doing something about it is essential to getting you back to your normal life, without pain.
The hard part is figuring out what is wrong. With a multitude of types of headaches, it is crucial to determine what is causing your headaches and treat them appropriately. Not all headaches are equal, and each person requires a different treatment plan to effectively attack these symptoms on a case-by-case basis.
With each new patient, we create a specific care plan for you and your symptoms. Pinecrest Chiropractic offers a multitude of ways to treat headaches, from chiropractic adjustments to laser, shockwave, and rehabilitation exercises. We will combine these things to return you to optimal health and wellness.
With each headache, we take a deep look at the cervical spine as well. The majority of headaches are associated with the muscles and joints in the neck. In fact, the brain itself doesn’t even have pain receptors. So when we have a headache, it is often the neck musculature, neck joints, or dura mater that are creating the sensations experienced with headaches.
You could take Advil or Tylenol to treat the symptoms of the headaches, but they only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. These may create a short-term reprieve from the symptoms, but they are likely to come back quickly without addressing the underlying issue. Consistently taking these medications can also lead to more long-term side effects, like gastrointestinal issues. While there may be a time and a place for these over-the-counter medications, there are significantly better ways to treat your headaches.
$99 New Patient Special
Includes consultation, exam, doctors report of findings, PosturePro analysis, and first adjustment.
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Better
No matter where you start, we can improve together. The first phase focuses on making progress in your current ailments. Typically, this means alleviating pain and helping you return to your daily activities as smoothly and quickly as possible.
2. Stronger
Now that you’ve made progress, how do we KEEP it? We’ve all experienced improvements, only to regress when our focus shifts. This phase empowers your body to sustain the hard-earned progress you’ve worked so diligently to achieve.
3. Healthier
True HEALTHcare! So often, we are only concerned with our sickness and dysfunction, seeking treatment only when we experience symptoms. This is SICKcare. During the healthier phase, we focus on your overall health and maintaining your well-being.
How We Treat Headaches In Fuquay-Varina, NC
Don’t suffer from headaches any longer. Our Chiropractic team is here to get to the underlying cause of your headaches and help you get back to feeling great again. Book your appointment today to get started with care.
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
Understanding your headaches can be challenging and scary. This is why we start every new patient with a full consultation, allowing you the time to tell our team all about your headaches. Following the consultation, we move through a thorough examination. This examination allows us to get to the root cause of your specific headaches. Getting to the root of the problem allows us to create a specific plan based on your symptoms. Treating the underlying condition and finding ways to limit headaches again in the future. We want to build long-term changes in your health and wellness.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Fuquay-Varina, NC
There are over 150 different types of headaches, but the most common is a tension-type headache. Tension-type headaches fall under the umbrella of cervicogenic headaches, meaning they are caused by something in the neck. This is a huge reason why part of every headache examination includes a cervical exam as well. Subluxations and tension within the cervical spine greatly influence headaches of all types, and the removal of these subluxations is crucial to treating the entire headache.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
Many headaches are caused by different mechanical issues surrounding the upper back, neck, and head. Mechanical problems respond best to mechanical solutions, not chemical solutions, which means that a true solution to your headaches is rarely a medication (which is a chemical). One of the most common and successful mechanical solutions for headaches is a custom therapeutic exercise plan. Retraining the exact tissues that are contributing to your recurring headaches will revolutionize the way you manage and treat your headaches. With each headache patient, we create a custom therapeutic exercise plan that is made to attack your symptoms and empower you to make a difference in your care, working towards long-term health and wellness.
Deep Tissue Laser
Deep Tissue Laser, or the more specific name, photobiomodulation, uses infrared light to penetrate 2-3 inches deep into the patient. This light does three things:
- Increases the production of ATP, Adenosine TriPhosphate
- Increases oxygenation
- Increases circulation
Our body naturally heals itself by going through the inflammatory cycle. Once our body experiences trauma or an injury, it responds by recruiting more blood cells to the area to bring in more oxygen and specific cell types called macrophages and leukocytes to remove the debris. It takes a significant energy expenditure to cycle through this process. Laser therapy supercharges this natural healing process, speeding up recovery time.
Applying deep tissue laser therapy to the neck and scalp expedites the healing process of the tight neck muscles. It also increases blood flow to the brain and dura mater (the casing around the brain), allowing this healing process to work more efficiently. Integrating deep tissue laser into treatment plans for headaches has been revolutionary in improving patient responses.
Shockwave
Shockwave therapy uses both pressure and sound to create a pulsing pressure that penetrates soft tissue. These shockwaves break up scar tissue and inflammation, promoting blood flow and healing in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the area.
Shockwave feels like a mixture of a massage gun and a TENS unit. When using this modality, patients often notice immediate results like decreased pain and increased range of motion. Treatments are very quick and usually complete within five minutes, but they allow the body to work through the healing process for the next three to five days. Significant changes from just a few minutes of treatment!
Shockwave is extremely helpful for tension type headaches, decreasing the tension in the muscles that create the headaches.
Common Types of Headaches in Fuquay-Varina, NC
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are very common in patients today, and the good news is that Chiropractors are able to help with these! A tension headache wraps around the head, the temples, and the forehead like a headband. It feels tight, dull, and achy. They are typically due to muscle tension, stress, improper posture, and a variety of other things. If you feel like this is a headache you are experiencing, give us a call, and we will be more than happy to set you up with an appointment to investigate your symptoms further.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches are another very common type of headache we see in the office. This headache presents as a pulsing or throbbing headache. They typically present as a one-sided headache, but can be bilateral. This headache can also present with an aura, described as visual disturbances such as stars or sparkles. They can present with a sensitivity to light or sound. A migraine can also present with severe nausea and vomiting. In the office we have many different ways to treat migraines and can find a way to help you specifically!
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches typically present as burning or piercing behind one of the eyes, occurring in smaller bouts of pain more frequently throughout the day, hence their name, cluster headaches. Reported triggers are changes in sleeping patterns, intense smells, heat exertion, and alcohol.
Trigeminal Neuralgia
The trigeminal nerve carries sensation from your face to your brain. Trigeminal nerve pain can be relentless and excruciating. These headaches typically present on one side of the face, usually in the jaw, cheek, or above the eye. Some of the triggers that can make it worse are sensations touching the face and movement of the jaw of any kind, including chewing and talking.
Allergy or Sinus Headaches
Allergy or sinus headaches are dull, steady pressure in the forehead or around the eyes. They are often associated with itchy eyes or throats and get worse during allergy season or with allergen exposure.
Cervicogenic Headache
This type of headache originates in the neck, even though there is pain in the head. This is what we call a radiation or referral. There are many different causes of these types of headaches, ranging from cervical subluxation to muscle tightness or strain and poor posture.
Cervicogenic headaches are characterized by pain on one side of the head or neck, starting at the base of the skull, and neck stiffness or tightness. Chiropractic can absolutely help with these headaches, helping you recover from them and eliminate them.
Concussion Headache
We take concussion headaches seriously. These headaches occur after a force is applied to either the head or the body that causes jostling to the brain in the skull. They are caused by injury to the brain as a result of this unnecessary force. Some symptoms of these are nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and the occurrence after a trauma to the head or body, resulting in improper motion of the head or neck.
Pregnancy Headache
Pregnancy headaches can be very common in the first trimester of pregnancy due to many things, hormonal fluctuations, low blood sugar due to changing eating habits, fatigue, stress, etc. They typically ease up during the second trimester and can make another appearance in the third trimester.
In the first trimester, these headaches can stem from postural changes, as the baby grows, sleep disturbances, and neck and upper back tension. Every Momma experiences headaches differently throughout pregnancy so symptoms range from Momma to Momma.
Check Out Our Location Near You
609 Attain St #141, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526
Frequently Asked Questions About Headaches
Is a chiropractor in Fuquay-Varina, NC good for headaches?
Absolutely, we have many patients come in with headaches that they are having trouble getting rid of, and find great relief from their symptoms, through chiropractic care.
When should you see a chiropractor for headaches?
Most people don’t know that a Chiropractor can help with headaches, so people have often been experiencing headaches for a long time before making an appointment. However, whether you have been experiencing years of headaches or having your first headache, make an appointment so we can investigate further on how to get you headache free!
Is a massage or chiropractic better for headaches?
Although massage is a great option for many headaches, it only has the ability to address one cause of your headache. Massage works on the tight muscles, which can therefore help with symptoms of a tension type headache, but doesn’t correct the cause of the tension, and doesn’t correct any other causes for the headache. Massage is better served as a component of a care plan instead of the only treatment.
Do medical doctors recommend chiropractors for headaches?
Yes. Chiropractic continues to grow and is backed up with a multitude of published literature to show how well chiropractic works.
Are chiropractors covered by insurance for headaches?
Yes. Our office is in network with all major insurance companies, and we utilize your insurance when treating your condition.
How can I relieve my headaches?
To relieve headaches, you first need to figure out what is causing them. During our new patient process we work through this with you, working to understand every symptom you are experiencing. Once we have a genuine understanding of your condition, we can then work to treat not just the symptoms, but the root cause as well.
Can getting your neck adjusted help with headaches?
Yes. For almost all headaches, there is a cervical component to your symptoms. To make long-term changes in your headaches, it is essential to treat the cervical spine as well as the head.
What is a natural way to relieve tension headaches?
There are a handful of ways to relieve tension headaches. The first component is to decrease the tension itself to work to decrease symptoms. Once progress is made here, we need to find out what was causing the tension and eliminate the root cause so these headaches don’t return.
$99 New Patient Special
Includes consultation, exam, doctors report of findings, PosturePro analysis, and first adjustment.
