ST. LOUIS, Jan. 13, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A St. Louis chiropractic center wishes to make area headache sufferers aware of drug-free alternatives for the treatment of headache pain. According to Dr. David Sciortino of Sciortino Chiropractic, natural techniques such as spinal adjustment, therapeutic massage, lifestyle counseling and cold laser therapy can address many of the underlying causes of this disruptive, potentially debilitating discomfort. "Headache pain can occur for a variety of reasons and involve muscles, nerves, immune responses and other physical functions," explains St. Louis chiropractor Dr. Sciortino. "Successful treatment of headache symptoms may therefore involve restoring the whole body to a higher level of overall health."
The clinic frequently treats patients suffering from tension of migraine headache issues. "People who habitually carry a lot of tension in the neck, jaw or neck are prone to tension headache pain," says Dr. Sciortino, citing workplace posture, bruxism (chronic jaw clenching as seen in cases of TMJ), eye strain and fatigue as known triggers.
He adds, "Fortunately, natural treatment techniques can be extremely effective in these cases. For instance, we can use spinal adjustments and massage to relieve muscular strain." The underlying mechanism behind a migraine headache is less straightforward, but Dr. Sciortino notes that it involves a rapid rise and fall in cranial blood pressure. "Migraines can be triggered by hormonal alterations, particular foods, caffeine or alcohol, loud sounds, bright lights and a long list of other things," he says. "But even here we can employ natural treatment methods successfully."
Spinal adjustment is known to help normalize blood pressure and hormone levels, which are both factors in migraine development. Dietary advice and lifestyle counseling also are factors in recognizing specific migraine triggers.
Sinus headaches, a common problem during periods of high mold or pollen distribution, can also trigger headaches, and Dr. Sciortino treats this allergy-related discomfort as well. "Many people simply assume that they have to live with their allergies and the symptoms they cause, but many cases of allergic response are a side-effect of improper nerve function," he notes. "The immune system does what the nervous system tells it to do, and an impaired nervous system may send the wrong signals, thus causing or aggravating allergies." The chiropractor employs a form of cold laser therapy known as Bax Aura treatment to improve nerve function, applying the low-level laser to specific acupuncture points known to relieve allergy symptoms.
Some headache symptoms stem from a vertebral misalignment, in which case Dr. Sciortino uses chiropractic adjustment and decompression to diagnose and relieve the referred pain. "For example, our ProAdjuster technique enables us to detect the precise degree of motion in each part of the spine and then use small oscillations to provide pain management."
In addition to headache relief, Sciortino Chiropractic offers wellness checks, personal injury treatment and other forms of pain management. More information can found at: http://chiro-stlouis.com/.