SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 19, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recurring headaches may be more than just a source of pain and discomfort, says chiropractic physician Dr. Daniel Secrest, DC. The Arizona chiropractor is working to educate patients about the root causes for headaches and how untreated health problems, like a whiplash injury, could be contributing factors to this pain. Treating the root cause for headache pain may produce better outcomes than relying on medication alone to manage pain, says Dr. Secrest, DC. The chiropractor routinely treats patients for cluster headaches, tension headaches and migraine headaches. Depending on a patient's needs, treatment may include cranial adjustments, neck adjustments and spine adjustments.
Secrest Family Chiropractic announced that the practice has had significant success treating headaches through the use of chiropractic adjustments, including cranial adjustments. The reason for this success may be that adjustments target the root cause of headache pain, says Dr. Daniel Secrest, DC.
"Increasingly, patients are coming to our practice frustrated with medication-based approaches to treating headache pain," said Dr. Secrest, DC. "I understand their concerns. While some over-the-counter painkillers can help relieve headache pain, this relief is temporary. If a spinal misalignment is the root cause for headache pain, then correcting the alignment is the first step to providing long-lasting pain relief."
Undiagnosed whiplash injuries are one of the most common causes for headache pain, says Dr. Secrest, DC. The force of a rear accident injury can whip the cervical spine backwards and forwards, knocking the spine out of alignment and triggering chronic neck pain and headaches. These headaches are typically at the base of the skull.
"A misaligned spine may compress nearby nerves and muscles," said Dr. Secrest, DC. "Pinched nerves, especially in the neck can lead to recurring headache problems. Even stress can trigger headaches. When we are stressed, we may clench our teeth and strain the neck muscles, which tugs on the vertebra pulling them out of alignment."
Unlike tension and cluster headaches, migraine pain is caused by constricted blood vessels. While further research is necessary to understand the exact role that various triggers play in the development of migraine pain, initial research shows that changes in the brainstem and the trigeminal nerve may be linked to migraine headaches.
"Many of our patients experience a significant quality of life improvement thanks to cranial adjustments," said Dr. Secrest, DC. "Cranial adjustments relieve pressure on the nerves and reduce blood vessel constriction. This helps to reduce the recurrence of headaches without the need for medication."
In addition to cranial adjustments, Dr. Secrest, DC says chiropractic care's "whole body" treatment approach is beneficial for improving headache treatment outcomes. In addition to spinal misalignments, stress, nutrition and lifestyle factors may all play a role in migraine pain development.
For more information about how chiropractic care can treat different types of headaches, visit http://secrestfamilychiropractic.com/.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/basics/causes/con-20026358