by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | May 9, 2012 | Chiropractic Care, Migraines |
Headache Solutions Save Billions With Chiropractic Care Migraine headaches cost U.S. employers more than $24 billion annually It was reported by Doheny in 2006 that migraine headaches cost U.S. employers more than $24 billion annually, including direct health care costs and indirect expenses such as absenteeism—when employees whose heads are pounding stay on the job but aren’t performing up to par. Chiropractic vs. Medication Effectiveness & Safety In randomized clinical trials, chiropractic was 57% more effective in the reduction of headaches and migraines than drug therapy. There has been numerous other studies done on the treatment of headaches with chiropractic. The following two studies are the most widely referenced and well respected. Duke Study A literature review performed by researchers at Duke University looked at a number of studies that looked at chiropractic treatment for headaches. Researchers concluded the following: “Manipulation appeared to result in immediate improvement in headache severity when used to treat episodes of cervicogenic control. Furthermore, when compared to soft-tissue therapies (massage), a course of manipulation treatments resulted in sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity.” Migraine Study This study compared chiropractic spinal manipulation to amitriptyline which is a medication often prescribed for the treatment of headache. The researchers found that “spinal manipulation seemed to be as effective as a well-established and efficacious treatment (amitriptyline), and on the basis of a benign side effects profile, it should be considered a treatment option for patients with frequent migraine headaches.” In other words, the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic treatment or spinal manipulation in the treatment of headache should be considered by patients suffering these symptoms. The researchers...
by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Nov 1, 2011 | Chiropractic Care, Headaches, Migraines |
Chiropractic Treatment For Headaches One third of Americans suffer from tension headaches. These headaches can be felt on both sides of the head as a dull, steady pain that often becomes intense at the end of the day. Unfortunately, traditional medicine has little to offer chronic headache sufferers. Pain medicine and muscle relaxants will ease the pain. Stress reduction, relaxation and exercise can improve wellness and perhaps prevent the occurrence of the headache. For half a century, the American Medical Association waged war against chiropractic, an intervention that relies on spinal adjustments to treat health problems. Chiropractors were regarded as the modern-day equivalent of snake-oil salesmen. Today, chiropractors are the third largest group of health care providers, after physicians and dentists, who treat patients directly. AMA policy now states that it is ethical for physicians not only to associate professionally with chiropractors but also to refer patients to them for diagnostic or therapeutic services. In order to be called a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine (DC), practitioners must graduate from one of the 16 chiropractic schools currently accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education. compares basic science education between chiropractic and medical schools. Before chiropractors can practice, they must be licensed by their state. All states require them to pass the National Chiropractic Board examination. Chiropractic services are covered by most health insurance plans, including Medicare. However, conflict between the chiropractic and medical communities continues over such issues as limitations on insurance reimbursements for chiropractic services and allowing health care providers other than chiropractors to do spinal adjustments. Prior to 1990, very little was known about chiropractic care in terms of...
by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Oct 27, 2011 | Headaches, Migraines |
Chiropractic Treatment of Headaches Headaches can range from annoying to debilitating and their cause can be benign or life threatening. The majority of headaches is benign and is caused by dehydration, muscle spasms, stress or vertebral misalignments. It is important to know what type of headache you are suffering from prior to prescribing a type of treatment. If you are suffering from a dehydration headache, all the aspirin in the world won’t decrease your pain. Headaches can also be caused by serious conditions such as tumors; therefore you need to speak with a healthcare practitioner if your headaches last longer than a week. The following is a brief description of the most common types of headache classifications: Tension Headaches Description: Tension type headaches are the most common, affecting upwards of 75% of all headache sufferers as many as 90% of adults have had tension–type headaches. Tension–type headaches usually involve a steady ache, rather than a throbbing one, are described as a feeling of pressure or tightening, may last minutes to days, affect both sides of the head, and do not worsen with routine physical activity. It may also be accompanied by photophobia or phonophobia (hypersensitivity to light and noise, respectively.). Nausea is usually absent. Some people get tension–type (and migraine) headaches in response to stressful events. Tension–type headaches may also be chronic, occurring frequently or daily. Psychological factors have been overemphasized as causes of headaches. Rebound Headache: Rebound headache may occur among people with tension–type headaches, as well as in those with migraines. It appears to be the result of taking prescription or nonprescription pain relievers daily or almost...
