For the past 20 years, Pro-Holistic Care in Chicago, Illinois, has provided pain relief to our patients for various physical conditions. One of the most common conditions that we treat in our office is headaches. Many patients present to the office with pressure in their forehead. Sometimes they describe it as a feeling of a rope around their head, sensitivity to light, or pain and pressure in the neck that moves into the head. Some patients have already been diagnosed with specific types of headaches in the past. Often, patients will say that these headaches are regular because headaches are so widespread in our population. However, patients should know that headaches aren’t regular. They’re very, very common; however, you should be able to lead a life without suffering from headaches regularly.
When a patient comes into the office complaining of headaches, the first thing we need to ask ourselves is what the underlying problem is that’s either causing or triggering these headaches. The next step is to examine the patient to determine the root cause of the headache and develop an effective treatment plan. Before we discuss treatment options, let’s explore the causes of headaches.
Nearly every human being on the planet, at some point in their life, is going to suffer from a headache. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 50% of adults worldwide experience headaches in a given year. Although the prevalence of headaches is widespread, suffering from headaches is not a typical symptom that we should get used to. To truly understand the causes of headaches, it is essential to discuss the two primary types of headaches that exist.
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How Our Care Plan Works
1. Finally Be
Listened To
You know your body best, and we want to hear your story in detail. When you sit down with our doctors, we’ll take the time to listen, ask the right questions, and fully understand your health concerns so we can guide your care with confidence.
2. Understand Exactly What Your Problem Is
Our doctors perform a comprehensive evaluation of your health, which may include a physical exam, strength and stability testing, bloodwork, or x-rays. Whatever is needed, we’ll uncover the root cause and design a personalized plan to move you forward.
3. Get Back To A Happy, Healthy, Fun Life
Every patient receives a customized care plan designed to fit their unique needs. By combining the therapies best suited for you, we promote faster, more effective healing while providing a clear roadmap to correction and lasting success in your health.
How We Treat Headaches In Lincoln Square, IL
Many people wonder why someone would visit a chiropractor for headache relief when they could simply take an over-the-counter pain reliever like Advil or Tylenol. Tylenol, Advil, and Excedrin may offer immediate relief by addressing the symptoms of headaches, but they do not address the root cause of the problem. For this reason, it’s essential to understand that if the root cause of the headaches is not identified and addressed, these headaches are likely to persist, and their frequency and intensity tend to increase over time. A lot of people who seek out treatment at Pro-Holistic Care for headaches come in because they’re tired of taking these medications and realize that the medicines are only providing temporary relief. Many patients do not want to continue to have to take these medications because overuse can negatively affect their health, and the frequency and intensity of their headaches are getting worse.
At Pro-Holistic Care, our chiropractic physicians are trained to understand your body holistically. We use an evidence-based consultation and evaluation process to identify mechanical, neurological, or chemical dysfunction that can be contributing to your headaches. In other words, we seek the root cause of the headache rather than merely managing its symptoms. Whether a patient is suffering from primary or secondary headaches, our primary objective is to identify the issues causing these headaches and correct the underlying problem.
We achieve this by combining a thorough consultation, a physical evaluation, digital X-rays when necessary, and a customized treatment plan to help patients experience fewer headaches in the short term and, most importantly, little to no headaches in the long term. Our primary goal is to enhance the patient’s quality of life.
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
When a patient arrives at Pro-Holistic Care for their initial visit, we make sure they have a proper consultation where we ask particular questions to understand the main symptoms, secondary symptoms, frequency of the problem, past traumas or accidents that could have affected the problem, any treatments they’ve had in the past including medication, physical therapy, chiropractic care or anything they’ve done at home. We want to know how severe the pain is. We want to know what the pain feels like in detail and how the headaches are affecting your life. All of this information helps us understand where the headaches are coming from, how we can help, and how to track our progress. We begin with a neurological examination and a spinal examination to help identify areas of the spine that may be misaligned, areas where nerves are being pinched, and trigger points in the muscles caused by stress. All of these factors can cause pain in the neck and head.
Digital X-rays
Most patients who present to our office with their pets undergo a motion study x-ray. These X-rays are critical because they help us determine the health of the neck and assess the structures in the neck for spinal misalignment. They also measure if there’s proper motion in the spine. Without adequate motion, nerves can become irritated and pinched, leading to headaches. It’s also essential for us to rule out any condition that might prevent us from treating the head and the neck appropriately. The motion study helps us understand which areas of the spine are not moving correctly, contributing to pressure on the nerves and potentially causing headache symptoms. It also helps educate the patient about the cause of their headaches. After determining the cause of the headaches, we will create a customized treatment plan and select the most effective approach to address the issue.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Lincoln Square, IL
At our clinic, we offer a range of methods and modalities to treat and manage headaches. Often, we use multiple types of treatments in combination to ensure the patient achieves the best possible results. One of the primary methods for treating headaches is through chiropractic adjustments. To truly understand how chiropractic adjustments help treat headaches, it is essential to explain what a subluxation is. During our physical evaluation and x-rays, we look to identify misalignments in the spine. These are called subluxations. Subluxation occurs when the bone in the spine is either out of alignment or not moving correctly. This leads to irritation and compression of the nerves in the neck and head, and can cause neck pain and headaches. Subluxations are usually caused by poor posture, prolonged stress, improper exercise, prolonged inactivity, excessive computer use, phone use, falls, injuries, and repetitive motion at work. When subluxations occur in the neck, they very often trigger headaches. The chiropractic adjustment is gently applied to improve mobility and correct subluxation and misalignments. This allows the nerve to relax and the body to heal. Removing subluxation in the neck relieves pressure on the nerves and alleviates headache pain. This is one of the significant advantages of a Chiropractic adjustment compared to taking over-the-counter medications, massaging the area, or applying topical pain creams. The chiropractic adjustment physically removes the pressure on the nerve and corrects the root cause of the problem.
Cox Flexion Distraction
In some cases, after consultation, evaluation, and X-rays, we may decide that a traditional Chiropractic adjustment is contraindicated in the neck, or we may determine that part of the problem is poor disc health. If the disc is part of the problem or we can’t adjust it using traditional chiropractic techniques, we use a technique called Cox Flexion Distraction. The Cox Flexion Distraction technique is an advanced chiropractic adjustment designed to gently stretch, move, and realign the bones of the neck and the lower back. This technique is used when traditional chiropractic adjustments are not feasible or practical. This technique is also very beneficial for patients suffering from cervical (neck) disc herniations, disc degeneration, or patients who have undergone cervical surgery and other conditions for whom a traditional chiropractic adjustment may not be used. Studies have shown that the Cox Flexion Distraction technique is highly effective in improving disc health, correcting spinal misalignments, and reducing the frequency and intensity of headaches.
Acupuncture
At Pro-Holistic Care, we utilize other therapies in conjunction with chiropractic adjustments to effectively treat headaches. Another treatment commonly used for headaches at Pro-Holistic Care is acupuncture. This is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves inserting skinny needles into specific points on the body to stimulate circulation, relieve stress, decrease pressure on the nerves, and promote soft tissue relaxation. We have successfully used acupuncture to help countless patients get relief from headaches. Acupuncture can be used alone to treat headaches. If a patient has contraindications to chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture can often be a suitable alternative to achieve positive results.
Spinal Rehabilitation Exercises
Another modality we use in our office to treat headaches is spinal rehabilitation exercises. In many cases, the muscles, ligaments, and tendons are responsible for the neck not moving correctly. This can be a problem for the joints, the bones, and the structures in the neck. We always recommend customized rehab exercises, both at home and in the office, to ensure that chiropractic adjustments or acupuncture treatments work more effectively. These exercises are recommended to improve muscular imbalances and improve the patient’s mobility, posture, and symptoms. If we do not rehabilitate the muscles and ligaments, they can continue to pull on the bones in the neck, causing misalignments, putting pressure on the nerves, and leading to headaches.
Manual Therapy Techniques
At Pro-Holistic Care, we also utilize three types of manual therapy techniques. These techniques help loosen the muscle, improve mobility, and circulation. One of these treatments is called rapid release therapy. This machine produces a powerful vibration, allowing for relaxed muscles and soft tissue. Our patients often describe this as a short vibration-type massage. The second technique we use is something called Gua Sha. This is a manual therapy technique that helps release a thin layer of tissue, called the myofascia. When the myofascia is tight and immobile, it impairs proper motion of the muscle. When we release this tension, it reduces spasm and improves the range of motion not only in the muscle, but also in the ligaments and tendons. This allows the area to move more freely and decreases triggers for certain types of headaches. The third type of soft tissue modality we use is called shockwave therapy. This technique utilizes a machine that produces acoustic waves to stimulate healing deep within the tissues. The acoustic waves stimulate the breakdown of scar tissue and damaged muscle fibers. It also increases mobility and promotes healthy inflammation, making the tissue more flexible and facilitating the healing of damaged muscle fibers.
Nutritional Guidance
In some cases, we discover other factors that can be contributing to headache symptoms. One of these factors could be nutritional deficiencies. Nutritional deficiencies can affect organs and create enough stress in the body to trigger headaches. In some cases, we recommend our nutrition and blood work testing. This testing examines organ health and blood chemistry to identify nutritional deficiencies that may cause headaches. This bloodwork test, which we perform in the office, can help us create a better internal environment to support better health. Another type of test we can do is a food sensitivity test. This test enables us to identify which foods may be causing a mild to moderate allergic reaction in the body. This reaction can directly contribute to headaches. These tests will allow us to eliminate or rotate foods to identify which ones are truly causing the problems, allowing you to avoid them in your diet. Laboratory testing also provides us with sufficient information to recommend specific supplements and dietary adjustments. Not only can it help alleviate headaches, but it can also enhance your overall well-being. These tests are conducted in the office and then sent to LabCorp for evaluation.
If you’re wondering if you need to have a specific type of headache to schedule an appointment at Pro-Holistic Care, the answer is no. We can treat people with all different types of headaches. It is essential, however, to understand when your headache is an emergency. According to the Mayo Clinic, some symptoms can help you determine if your headache is an emergency and needs immediate care including a very severe sudden headache, a headache unlike any headache you’ve had before, a severe headache after a head injury or fall, fever accompanied with stiff neck, rash, confusion, seizure, double vision, weakness, numbness, or difficulty speaking with a headache, and headache pain that worsens despite treatment.
In conclusion, at Pro-Holistic Care in Chicago, Illinois, we are dedicated to understanding the underlying causes of your headaches and providing the most effective relief through holistic and natural methods. We achieve this by integrating chiropractic care, acupuncture, rehabilitation exercises, manual therapy, and laboratory testing with nutritional guidance to provide comprehensive care. We aim to empower every patient to manage and eliminate headaches, thereby improving their quality of life.
Common Types of Headaches We Treat in Lincoln Square, IL
The two main classifications for headaches are primary and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are types of headaches that occur independently, not due to another underlying medical condition, and the symptoms themselves are the primary issue. The majority of primary headaches are one of the three types: tension headaches, migraines, or cluster headaches.
Tension Headache
Tension headaches are the most common type of primary headache. The symptoms of this type of headache include pain in the back of the neck or head, as well as pain in the front of the head, temples, or behind the eyes. The pain can range from very mild to severe. This type of headache is usually caused by stress. When we become stressed, it leads to the muscles in the back of our neck tightening up, as well as those in our face, head, and scalp. This will cause pressure on the nerves exiting the spine in the neck, leading to headaches. Some other triggers are things like mood changes, anxiety, lack of sleep, certain foods, and dehydration. Tension-type headaches can occur at any stage of life and can last from a few hours to a couple of days for many people.
Migraines
The next most common type of primary headache is a migraine. For many people, migraines are very severe. However, some people do have milder migraines as well. Migraines are typically described as a pulsing pain that can range from mild to severe. Patients often experience digestive disturbances, such as nausea and vomiting, as well as other symptoms, including sleep disturbances, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to noise. A classic migraine is located on only one side of the head. A headache that is only on one side of the head has a high likelihood of being a migraine-type headache. A migraine is often preceded by a phenomenon known as an aura. An aura is a visual change that happens before the actual headache pain begins, and it can last into the headache or stop when the headache starts. People describe migraine auras as flashing lights or blurry patches in the vision. Some studies show that migraines have a strong genetic component and can even run in your family. Still, many situations can trigger migraines, like sleep deprivation, low blood sugar, and hormone changes. This type of headache most commonly affects women in their 20s to 40s, and the symptoms of a migraine can last four or more hours if not treated.
Cluster Headaches
The third type of primary headache is something called a cluster headache. This is the most painful type of primary headache and can be very difficult to diagnose. This type of headache is called a cluster headache because it typically occurs in clusters at a given time. Some patients may experience them daily for a few months, after which the headaches can disappear for months or even years. Cluster headaches also typically affect one side of the head, and there’s usually pain around the eye. They tend to occur more frequently at night and can also cause a stuffy nose and teary eyes on the side of the head that hurts. There’s no real known cause for this type of headache. It usually affects men more than women, especially smokers, and the duration can last from 10 minutes to 3 hours.
Secondary Headaches
Secondary headaches are headaches that are caused by some other underlying condition. This could be due to various factors, including injuries to the head and neck, as well as the muscles of the neck and upper back. We’ve also diagnosed secondary headaches that were caused by other things like allergic reactions to food, sensitivity to chemical odors, sinus infections, low blood sugar, and other illnesses. However, the most common reason for secondary headaches is injuries to the head and neck, like whiplash from slips, falls, car accidents, and sports injuries. However, our everyday activities can also cause neck injuries. Activities such as sitting at your computer for extended periods or constantly being on your phone can affect the neck and lead to headaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you see a chiropractor for headaches?
Because chiropractors examine the underlying causes of headaches, anyone suffering from headaches should consider consulting a chiropractor. If we determine that our treatments are contraindicated for the specific condition causing the headaches, we have a network of providers to whom we can refer the patient.
Does insurance cover chiropractors for headaches?
The majority of commercial insurance policies cover chiropractic care, including treatment for headaches and other related conditions. At Pro-Holistic Care, we verify insurance benefits and educate patients about their coverage and costs. But not having insurance doesn’t mean you won’t be able to afford our care. We work with every patient, regardless of their insurance, by offering flexible payment plans.
Is chiropractic effective for migraines?
There are plenty of studies demonstrating the benefits of chiropractic care for relieving migraine symptoms. In our 20 years, we have helped thousands of patients with migraine either to minimize the frequency and the intensity of migraines.
Do medical doctors recommend chiropractors for headaches?
Yes, in recent years, we have seen an increase in medical doctors referring patients to chiropractors due to the remarkable results. Ultimately, there is no requirement for a referral from a medical provider to be evaluated by a chiropractor.
How can I relieve my headaches?
Many home remedies can help relieve headache symptoms, as well as various medications recommended by your medical provider. Here are a few home remedies: hydration and supplements that reduce inflammation, such as turmeric, garlic, and magnesium. Specific stretches and exercises, such as yoga, can help release tension in the neck, which may reduce headache symptoms. However, it’s essential to recognize that these remedies may not address the root cause of chronic headaches; many home remedies only treat the symptoms, and, as we mentioned, if the underlying problem is not addressed, it can exacerbate the issue. That’s why it’s recommended that you get professionally evaluated by a chiropractor.
$49 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Evaluation, X-rays if needed & Doctor’s report of findings
