Courtesy of:
Advanced Wellness in Marlboro, New Jersey
(732)984-9597
Headaches: Causes and Treatment
Few conditions leave their victims as miserable and agitated as headaches. There are many causes of headaches including stress, odors, bright lights, noise, fatigue, certain foods, hormonal shifts, allergies, as well as genetic predisposition. With all the possible causes of headaches, it’s not surprising many people seek help from many different approaches such as conventional medical therapies like pharmaceuticals and injections. Others prefer a non-drug treatment approach such as chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling.
Usually, there is not one specific cause of headaches so treatment can focus on various areas. For example, muscles that attach to the base of the skull in the neck and upper back are often very short and tight, resulting in pressure or a squeezing effect on the surrounding nerves and blood vessels -- resulting in headaches. Chiropractic treatment includes methods aimed at reducing the tightness found in the joints and muscles. One of these approaches is called spinal manipulation or “adjustments” where the joints in the neck are moved to restore motion and reduce joint fixations. By relaxing the muscles and tension between the joints, the nerves in the neck are less pressured which, in turn, can reduce headaches. The top three nerves that exit the upper neck travel into the head and are often the culprit behind the onset of headaches. The second nerve from the top is the one responsible for causing radiating pain over the top of the skull which communicates with other nerves sometimes causing the pain behind the eye.
Another chiropractic approach in the management of headaches includes soft tissue therapy where trigger points found in tight muscles are addressed through various forms of massage and mobilization methods. Manual traction of the head and neck can also be highly effective in reducing the tension found in headache sufferers. Exercises are often taught to the headache patient with significant benefits reported. Some of these, such as range of motion exercises with and without resistance (example: pushing your head into your hand during neck movements) and posture re-training (chin tucks – reducing the forward head position), help address the limited motion problems of the neck. Cervical (neck) traction performed by placing a rolled up towel placed behind the neck while lying on the back so that the head can hang off the side of the bed can also be very helpful. Another neck traction approach is the use of a unit that hangs off a door where water is placed in a plastic bag calibrated for weight for 15 minutes at a maximum tolerated weight. This can be of great benefit as it can be performed at home at your convenience multiple times a day or, as needed.
Other treatment approaches that chiropractic utilizes include stress management (such as biofeedback, relaxation instructions, meditation, visualization and others), diet modifications (as certain foods can trigger headaches), nutritional supplementation (such as fish oil, Vit. D, feverfew and others), and sleep restoration.
If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service. We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.
YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR HEADACHES!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL (732)984-9597
the ability of blood to move through the body and potentially causing a blockage - leading to a heart attack or stroke.
physical body to gravity. Only 10% has to do with thinking, metabolism and healing, so when you have forward head posture your brain will rob energy from your thinking, metabolism and immune function to deal with abnormal gravity/posture relationships and processing.
health leading to osteoporosis and a myriad of other problematic 
physical inactivity and smoking cigarettes. If you have a waist size greater than 35” for woman, greater than 40” for men, AND 2 or more risk factors, simply put, you MUST lose weight! Even a small weight loss of 10% (such as 30# if you’re 300#), will help lower your risk of developing diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, high cholesterol related diseases, stroke, certain types of cancers and type 2 diabetes. 
future. 
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition where there is widespread / whole body pain that is often difficult to diagnose. Some patients may spend years of going to different doctors, undergoing many tests (of which most, if not all, are “negative”), and they may be diagnosed with different conditions such as 
requires that “widespread” pain be present throughout the body for at least 3 months (“widespread” is defined as pain on both sides of the body, above and below the waist). The ACR also has identified 18 points on the body of which at least 11 of the 18 “tender points” must be present to secure the diagnosis of FM. There is debate as to the accuracy of this rather stringent criteria as FM symptoms can come and go and vary, making the 11 of 18 tender point findings sometimes change between visits. Hence, widespread pain above/below the waist on both left/right sides of the body for at 3 months has become a more accepted indicator for diagnosing FM. 
condition(s) lead to the development of FM). Hence, the diagnosis process focuses on identifying conditions which can be identified through standard diagnostic tests, often overshadowing the diagnosis of FM. Testing for conditions such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, sleep apnea, diabetes, Crohn’s Disease, and/or others, often makes sense to both you and your doctor, but adds to the delay in diagnosing FM. Here are some suggestions to help your doctor through this diagnostic maze:
confrontational. Be upfront about what is frustrating you about your symptoms.