Tension Headache and Migraine Treatment In Santa Monica, CA

The pain, pressure, and sensitivity of a tension headache can debilitate you for hours at a time. You can’t focus, and you definitely can’t work until the pain is gone. Headaches can cause you to miss out on important events and activities, such as going for walks or working out at the gym. If you experience migraines, it can be even worse. These types of headaches can cause nausea, sensitivity to light, and other unpleasant symptoms.

Sure, you can take medications for the pain, but that only masks the issue. Do you want a natural treatment that addresses the underlying issues that contribute to migraines or tension headaches? If so, you should visit a Santa Monica, CA chiropractor.

Many people think that chiropractic treatment is just for back pain, but a chiropractor can treat a wide variety of conditions, from headaches to sports injuries.

Tension headaches involve mild to moderate pain. These headaches are the most common types that people experience. Women are more likely than men to have tension headaches.¹

With a tension headache, the pain starts in your neck and travels up your spine to the base of your skull, and then it wraps around your head. People who have tension headaches often say that the pain feels like a tight band around the head, like wearing a crown that is too tight. Tenderness on the neck, shoulders, and scalp is also quite common with tension headaches.

Tension headaches have many causes. The most common sources include poor posture, work pressure and stress, repetitive activities, and tight muscles in the head, shoulder, and neck. Activities that can cause tight muscles include:

• Working at a computer for long periods of time
• Driving for a long time without rest or being stuck in traffic for long periods of time
• Sleeping on your stomach
• Playing video games for hours

Natural treatments for tension headaches are available. Although you can take over-the-counter medications, these simply mask the underlying problem. Plus, they should be used only occasionally, as overuse can lead to rebound headaches.²

One of the most effective non-drug treatments for tension headaches is chiropractic care. Dr. Dean uses three phases of treatment to address headaches. 

1. Eliminate pain. The goal of the first phase of treatment is to get rid of the pain. Various interventions are used to achieve this goal.
2. Improve joint and muscle functioning. Next, Dr. Dean will work on improving muscle and joint functioning as these play a role in headache pain.
3. Muscle strengthening and stretching. Both strengthening and stretching exercises are important when it comes to preventing headaches. Stretching helps loosen up tight, shoulder, back, and neck muscles while strengthening helps activate these muscles. It also helps eliminate weakness that contributes to muscle imbalances.

Dr. Dean uses a variety of solutions during those three phases of treatment. Some of the chiropractic interventions include:

• Spinal manipulation/adjustment. Research has proven that spinal manipulation is an incredibly effective treatment for tension headaches. Spinal problems are often at the root of tension headaches. Spinal manipulation can help alleviate stress on the skeletal system and improve spinal function.³
• Stretching exercises. Tight shoulder and neck muscles often contribute to tension headache pain. Santa Monica, CA chiropractor Dr. Dean can teach you stretching exercises to help relieve tension that has built up in the spine, neck, and shoulders.³ 
• Nutritional advice. What does nutrition have to do with headaches? It turns out a lot. Food additives and certain foods can trigger these painful episodes. Santa Monica, CA chiropractor Dr. Dean can suggest certain supplements that might help tension headaches or talk to you about foods to avoid.
• Ergonomics and posture. One common cause of tension headaches is muscle tension in the neck. Poor workplace ergonomics can contribute to neck strain and tension. Dr. Dean can provide you with advice to help relieve joint and muscle pain due to poor ergonomics and posture.

If you have ever suffered from migraines, you know how painful they can be. When a migraine takes hold, it’s hard to do anything at all. Even concentrating on simple things can seem impossible. Going to the gym or working is out of the question  — especially if your migraines are accompanied by visual disturbances. Thankfully, Santa Monica, CA chiropractor Dr. Dean can help you get relief. Chiropractic therapy is a great natural treatment for migraines.

Migraine headaches involve intense throbbing pain. However, they often have other symptoms besides just the pain. These types of headaches may be accompanied by vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound, and visual disturbances.

Some people who have migraines experience what is called an “aura.” This phenomenon occurs approximately 10 to 30 minutes before the headache pain starts. It may involve seeing flashing lights, bright spots, or blind spots, feeling numbness or tingling in the face, or having a weird sense of smell or taste in the mouth.

Though experts aren’t exactly sure what causes migraines, it appears that a combination of environmental factors and genetics play a role. It is believed that hormonal changes, certain foods, physical fatigue, and medications can all trigger migraines.

Routine chiropractic care can help relieve or manage migraine headaches. Additionally, in research studies, few to no side effects were seen with chiropractic care.⁴ This is a significant contrast to typical migraine medications, which can have serious side effects, including heart disturbances, increase in blood pressure, seizures, and more.⁵

Here are some of the chiropractic treatments that we offer for migraines:

• Spinal manipulation. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that spinal manipulation is an excellent alternative to prescription pain medications for migraines. It reduces the number of migraines, pain, and helps people get back to their normal activity quicker.⁶ 
• Lifestyle counseling. Since migraines are due in part to environmental factors, making small lifestyle changes can often help prevent these attacks.⁷  Dr. Dean can offer you advice on posture, relaxation, and other things that you can do to prevent or relieve migraines. 
• Nutritional counseling. Nutrition plays a role in migraine headaches. Certain foods are known to trigger attacks. Let Santa Monica chiropractor Dr. Dean help you figure out which foods to avoid and what foods can help your migraine pain.

Schedule An Appointment Today

Get relief from your headache pain and stop migraine headaches in their tracks. Don’t wait for relief. Schedule an appointment with top Santa Monica, CA chiropractor, Dr. Dean today. Just fill out this quick and easy online form to get started.