Headache Relief | Migraines in St Louis

When bones of the spine lose their natural position or motion, sensitive muscles, nerves and blood vessels to the head can be affected. When spinal nerves and related tissues are stretched or irritated, they can produce painful headaches. Over the counter and prescription medications may mask the pain, but do not correct the underlying structural cause.

Types of headaches include:

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches are caused by irritated muscles in the neck that tighten around the nerves that travel from the spine to the top of the head. This can create headache pain and pressure at the temple, forehead, bridge of the nose or behind the eye.

Migraines

A migraine headache is a form of vascular headache. Migraine headache is caused by enlargement of blood vessels that causes the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around the large arteries of the brain. Enlargement of these blood vessels stretches the nerves that coil around them and causes the nerves to release chemicals. The chemicals cause inflammation, pain, and further enlargement of the artery. The increasing enlargement of the arteries magnifies the pain.

Sinus Headaches

Sinus headache symptoms are usually characterized by pain over the sinuses behind the eyebrows and cheekbones.  Poor drainage of the sinus cavities will often lead to an increase in sinus pressure and headache.

How Can a Chiropractor Help?

By careful manipulation of the neck and spine, chiropractic adjustments may be able to reduce nerve irritation in the spine, thus preventing radiating or referred pain, and improve vascular flow. Acupuncture is another treatment that can be successful in the removal of headaches.