Chiropractic Healthiness

Question:

Nancy, Thanks for your post. I was a patient of Diamond Headache Clinic for years. Have you heard of this? I have one, it is helping. Dr Jim Boyd was on Good Morning America and worked with DHC to get FDA approval. Jan http://www.nti-tss.com/>Have a Splitting Headache? Don’t Let it Get You Down – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer >from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and >throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. >What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your >teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There >is a better alternative. But first, you need to find out what is causing the >pain. >Headaches have many causes. One is diet – for instance, too much chocolate, >for instance, or monosodium glutamate (MSG), a common "flavor enhancer." >Another is disease. About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals >caused by physical problems. >Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, >migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by >disease. The headache itself is the primary concern. >"The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle >tension in the neck," says Dr. George B. McClelland, a chiropractor from >Christiansburg, VA, and member of the American Chiropractic Association’s >(ACA) Board of Governors. "Today, Americans engage in more sedentary >activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position >or posture. This can increase muscle tension in the neck, upper back and >scalp, causing your head to ache." >So, how do you avoid headaches? The American Chiropractic Association >suggests the following: >If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front >of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and >stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head >and neck through a full range of motion. >Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary >headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid >heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact >aerobics. >Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except >when swallowing. This results in tension of the temporomandibular joints >(TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ >and tension headaches. >Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid >dehydration, which can lead to headaches. >In addition, the ACA and its Council on Nutrition suggest you avoid the >following food triggers: >Avoid caffeine. Foods such as chocolate, coffee, sodas and cocoa contain >high levels of the stimulant. >Avoid foods with a high salt or sugar content. These foods may cause >migraines, resulting in sensitivity to light, noise, or abrupt movements. >Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. These drinks can dehydrate you and cause >headache pain. >If you suffer from tension headaches, avoid not only caffeine, but also >high-protein foods, dairy products, red meat and salty foods. >What Can a Chiropractor Do? >"Chiropractors undergo extensive training to help their patients in many >ways – not just back pain," says Dr. McClelland. "They know how tension in >the spine relates to problems in other parts of the body, and they can take >steps to relieve those problems." >If your chiropractor determines you suffer from primary headaches, he or she >can treat you. Dr. McClelland says your chiropractor may: >Perform spinal manipulation or adjustment to loosen the muscles and >alleviate the stress on your system. >Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the >addition of B complex vitamins. >Offer advice on posture, exercises and relaxation techniques. The >chiropractor will attempt to relieve the tension in the muscles of the upper >back. >"Plenty of research exists that demonstrates the effectiveness of >chiropractic for headaches," says Dr. McClelland. For example, a study in >the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that >"spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension >headaches" and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks >experienced a "sustained therapeutic benefit" in contrast with those >patients who received other forms of treatment. >If your headache is symptomatic of a health problem that needs the care of >another discipline, your chiropractor will refer you to a specialist. >Chiropractic Care Can Help… >Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about other ways to improve your >lifestyle. Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to treat the >entire neuromusculoskeletal system and can help people lead healthier lives >by focusing on wellness and prevention. >Chiropractic in Cyberspace