Chiropractic Care Shown to Be Effective for Treating Headache

Chiropractic Relieves Headache in Fairfax

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or those that originate in your neck.

Dr. Zapf sees a lot of people in our Fairfax office who are suffering with recurring headaches. Luckily, chiropractic therapy can usually help, potentially diminishing these types of headaches by 50%, and research confirms it.

Research Supports Chiropractic Treatment Helps With Cervicogenic Headaches

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The objective was to discover how effective chiropractic care was for this type of head pain, as well as to ascertain the number of treatment sessions necessary to achieve a positive effect.

The individuals were divided into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other group received twice that amount.

Each patient was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The researchers found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Furthermore, patients who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic care had lower drug usage 24 weeks post-study.

We Can Help People Find Comfort From Head Pain

Dr. Zapf has helped many people who were suffering from headache pain in our Fairfax office. Call us today at (703) 455-9555 for more information or for an appointment.

Reference

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.