“Headaches: The New Normal”
Have things really gotten this bad? Have we become so numb that the idea of having chronic headaches is normal? And by the way, what’s so “normal” about having a headache anyways? I honestly don’t believe anyone really wants to have them, but the way they’re shrugged off makes me think that you’re not serious about it either. Well, although they may seem normal to you, there is absolutely nothing normal about getting headaches, especially children.
Did you know, according to The National Headache Foundation an estimated 60% of children experience occasional headaches? In fact, the majority of school-age children get headaches, and many have headaches on a recurrent basis. Even before entering school, roughly one-third of children experience a headache at some point. Children miss more than one million days of school each year because of headaches.
“A history of migraine may set children up for a lifetime of underachievement.”
Richard Lipton, MD
CHILDHOOD HEADACHES & FUTURE HEALTH PROBLEMS
A study published in the British Medical Journal showed that children who experience frequent headaches are more likely to develop health problems in adulthood, including psychiatric disorders. The findings follow a survey of a random study group over 40 years and could have implications for the health of today’s children and their future well-being. The research team found that children with frequent headaches were more likely to experience psychosocial problems and to grow up with an excess of both headache and other physical and psychiatric symptoms. These findings confirm that children with headaches do not simply “grow out” of their physical complaint, but may instead “grow into” others, say the authors.
LEADING CAUSE OF HEADACHES
Although headaches are not caused by just one specific source, a large amount of research clearly demonstrates that the majority of headaches are caused by problems in the cervical (neck) region of the spine. The vertebra of the cervical spine can become misaligned because of excessive or repetitive stress. These misalignments, also known as “vertebral subluxations” irritate the nerves in the neck and cause excessive muscle tension, all of which can contribute to a wide variety of headaches.
“Over 70% of all headaches arise from problems with the cervical spine and its related structures.”
Canadian Family Physician
HEADACHES & CHIROPRACTIC
An increasing number of headache victims are turning to Chiropractic for help. This only makes sense as the Doctor of Chiropractic specializes in the structure of the spine and its protective relationship to the nervous system. Chiropractors detect and correct spinal misalignments by physically adjusting the spine to restore its proper structural position. This removes the spinal stress and allows the nervous system to function correctly. The effectiveness of Chiropractic in resolving headaches has been well documented in research and case studies all over the world.
“Cervical spine manipulation was associated with significant improvement in headache outcomes in
trials involving patients with neck pain and/or neck dysfunction and headache.”
Duke Evidence Report
Is it possible to live without headaches? In short, yes! At Upper Cervical Chiropractic, an estimated 80% of our patients originally present with a certain measure of chronic headaches and all have found some degree of relief. If you’ve been suffering, let us help you experience what “normal” really is…headache free.
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