According to the American Headache Society, lost work due to Migraine Disease costs more than $13 billion every year in the U.S., and more than $1 billion is spent annually on over-the-counter medications to treat headaches and Migraines.
Unbeknownst to most, Chiropractors have been relieving headaches for years without the use of drugs, and their tremendous success has eliminated headache recurrence in many chiropractic patients.
Dr. Steven Shoshany (www.drshoshany.com) of Downing Chiropractic and Pain Management Center is a New York Chiropractor who has had great success eliminating the causes of his patients’ headaches. Dr. Shoshany learned early in his career that relieving headaches naturally was within the realm of chiropractic care, and explained, "My first real success was as a Chiropractic student and came from a young women who suffered horrible migraines both day and night. There wasn’t a medication that she did not try, and within six visits her headaches pretty much disappeared."
Dr. Shoshany is surprised at our nation’s hesitance to seek natural care for headaches, and was recently motivated to push the headache agenda when he heard a radio broadcast regarding health. A caller complained of headaches and the radio "doctor" mentioned everything expect chiropractic care for their treatment. According to Dr. Shoshany, "It appalled me that the relief this caller needed could be as close at their local chiropractic office, yet they were misinformed and will probably continue to suffer because of it."
"Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be as effective, and in some cases even more effective, than medications in reducing the severity and frequency of headaches", Dr. Shoshany continued. "Chiropractic is particularly successful dealing with cervicogenic headaches [originating form the cervical spine ... and chiropractic's ability to adjust spinal abnormalities seems to lessen or remove the forces contributing to headache pain."
WHAT KINDS OF HEADACHES ARE THERE?
Many people experience what are termed ‘analgesic rebound headaches’ from taking painkillers every day, or nearly every day. "Watch out!" says Dr. Shoshany, "The medicines you take to get rid of today's headache may give you a headache tomorrow and the days after."
More than 90 percent of headaches can be classified as tension-type, migraine or cervicogenic.(originating from the cervical spine). By far, most people get tension-type headaches, and they get them frequently. These generally cause mild to moderate pain affecting both sides of the head, and the pain is often described as tight, stiff, and constricting – like having something wrapped around your head and pressing tightly.
Migraines are periodic severe, throbbing headaches that afflict far fewer people (and more women than men). Migraines typically cause pain on only one side of the head and can cause loss of appetite, nausea and even vomiting. Some migraines also involve a visual change known as aura.
A Cervicogenic headache is a muskuloskeletal form of tension-type headache (which may also be related to migraines). Many times, cervicogenic headaches go undiagnosed as such due to the relative newness of this classification.
HOW CAN CHIROPRACTIC HELP?
Chiropractic care can effectively eliminate headaches and reduce the pressure on very sensitive nerves in the cervical spine. Chiropractors also teach their patients to avoid making things worse by using drugs – even over-the-counter, nonprescription drugs – because they can have serious side effects and dangerous interactions with other medications or supplements you take.
According to Dr. Shoshany, "Many times patients will try every drug on the market before seeking chiropractic care. They come to my office in desperation, find relief for their headaches, and wish that they where informed sooner of the benefits of Chiropractic Care."
Spinal injuries are major causes of headaches, and chiropractors normally perform spinal manipulations (aka chiropractic adjustments) on headache sufferers. By simply taking the pressure off of irritated nerves and/or relaxing the muscles attached to the skull, the intensity and recurrence rate of headaches and migraines can be drastically improved.
Chiropractors also routinely provide their patients with proper nutritional advice, which can include a diet change, the elimination of headache triggering foods, and the addition of necessary vitamins. They also teach the importance of proper posture, ergonomics, exercises and relaxation techniques, which can all help reduce the recurrence of headaches.
Dr. Steven Shoshany has been practicing chiropractic in New York for more than ten years and is an established member of www.therightchiropractor.com, an exclusive Internet chiropractor directory. You can find more information about his practice, and about chiropractic care in general, at www.drshoshany.com.
Author Information
Frankie Marzocchi
The Right Publishing, LLC
