April is stomach health month, so we will be discussing topics involving the stomach and digestive tract. We will be looking at some common issues related to these areas and ways chiropractic care can help. Be watching for the first post in the series, on April 1. It will be "Acid Reflux: A Chiropractic Approach".
A build up of pressure within the sinus cavities can become painful and cause pressure in the head, creating a sinus headache. The pain or pressure is felt in the forehead or eyes and is typically caused by a buildup of pressure within the sinus cavity due to the inability of the sinuses to drain. There are other factors that contribute to sinus headaches such as cervicogenic components or problems arising from the neck region due to misaligned vertebrae creating nerve pressure.
Chiropractors work on reducing the nerve pressure by restoring proper spinal alignment to the neck through a series of specific adjustments to the subluxated or misaligned vertebrae. Once the pressure is removed from the nerve and it begins to heal, the sinuses will have the ability to drain properly. Specific chiropractic care to the area of the neck can reduce the tension of the soft palate and or muscles of the throat, reduce swelling around the openings of the sinuses, and restore alignment of the neck. These will all allow the sinuses to drain normally and prevent future problems with sinus pressure. All of these can be achieved without harmful side effects and are safe for people of every age.
Becky Halstead recently spoke at the Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association's Spring Conference in Omaha, NE. Halstead is a retired Army Brigadier General, who served our country with 27 years of armed forces service. Becky struggled with the painful symptoms of her disease for several years, before being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2004. Since there is no cure, medical doctors immediately began to try and treat Halstead's growing list of fibromyalgia symptoms. As with most traditional medical thought, prescription drugs were the proffered solution. By 2008, taking numerous medications, daily, and still suffering from the life-altering pain of fibromyalgia, General Halstead retired from the Army. Doctors had offered her little hope, for a change in her condition. "You're not going to have good days, you're just going to have days."¹
After her retirement, Becky discovered chiropractic and began learning that chiropractors are not just "back doctors", as is the common misconception, but doctors of the nervous system. Chiropractic relieves pressure on nerves that are pinched or compressed by subluxated vertebrae. Every organ and system in our body is connected to the brain by an intricate network of nerves, and all of those nerves must ultimately run through the spinal column to reach the brain. A misaligned (subluxated) vertebra, or a disc ( the cushion between vertebrae) that is inflamed or damaged, pinches or puts pressure on the nearby nerve, interrupting the normal signal to the brain, often signaling pain instead. Where, and to what extent, that pain is experienced, depends on the nerve being compressed. That is why patients can see a chiropractor to gain relief from problems as varied as migraine headaches to shingles, the common flu to PMS, low back pain to colic, or allergies to carpal tunnel syndrome. Whatever symptoms present in our bodies, God has built in a wondrous system to tell us, first, "Hey, there's a problem." and then secondly, to prompt us to take action that allows our bodies to heal, as He designed them to do. Doctors of Chiropractic are skilled in assessing pain and inflammation to determine where subluxations have occurred in the spine and subsequently, where a nerve is being injured. With appropriate and consistent chiropractic care, the subluxated vertebra can be realigned, taking pressure off the nerve and allowing the body to begin to function properly and heal as it was designed to.
As mentioned previously, General Halstead was taking between eight and ten prescription medications, when she retired in 2008, without very favorable results. Within one year of completing semi-monthly chiropractic visits, Becky Halstead's pain has decreased from a daily 9 or 10, to 2 or 3, with some days being as low as 1. All this without the use of medications. That's right. She is now, prescription-free. She has found relief and hope through chiropractic care and it has become her new mission to share her experience, and that hope, with others. I encourage you to read the full write-up on her talk at the conference, in this World Herald article and see how her idea of what it means to be healthy, has changed. I'd also like to leave you with some final thoughts.
Are there any medications you take regularly that are simply masking symptoms without getting to the root cause of your health issue? Maybe you are even taking a medication to reduce the symptoms and side effects caused by another medication. If there was a safe, natural alternative that addressed the cause for your pain or illness, wouldn't it make sense to use it, instead of altering your body's responses, and hiding problems with yet another drug? Chiropractic IS that safe, natural alternative.
Hackbart Chiropractic has many educational resources and materials available to our patients. We even host Chiropractic Care Classes each Monday evening, at 6 pm, to provide helpful information and answer questions. Many of our patients have recently been utilizing our lending library to check out a DVD called Doctored, that discusses much of the misinformation about Chiropractic and the misguided, "mainstream" thinking that prescriptions and OTC medications are a better option. We'd love to have you borrow a copy or stop by the office to meet the doctors and ask any questions you may have.
Wishing you hope, health and healing! Have a great day!
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¹Healey, Katy. "Retired General Becky Halstead Speaks at Nebraska Chiropractic Convention." Omaha.com. Omaha World Herald, 16 Mar. 2013. Web. 21 Mar. 2013.
Classified into two types, common and classic, migraine headaches normally cover half of the forehead and one eye. The pain however can also spread from the back of the head or be located behind both eyes. The common migraine is less severe than the classic and is often associated with a pulsing headache and nausea. The classic migraine is preceded by an ‘aura’ which is described as flashing lights as well as light sensitivity. Migraines are thought to be caused by changes in the function of the nervous system or vascular system as well as chemical imbalances within the body.
With chiropractic care all of these causes can be addressed. Chiropractors work with the nervous system which can indirectly make changes to the vascular system as well as the chemical balance of the body. With migraine headaches the common area to adjust is in the upper or lower neck. Both of these areas contain nerves which would control the fore mentioned systems that cause the migraines. Along with chiropractic adjustments, chiropractors can help to identify specific triggers as well as give nutritional advice. Some common supplements that have been shown to help with migraines include omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, vitamin D, and others.
Tension headaches typically start at the back of your head and move forward eventually including your neck, scalp, and head. It feels like having a tight band across your head. Some common causes of tension headaches include:
Chiropractors work on removing the pressure on the nerve by delivering a specific adjustment. In the case of a tension headache, the most common areas to be adjusted are up in the neck. When improper signals are sent to the musculature of the neck is causes them to tighten up putting a lot of tension on the neck and back of the head. When a chiropractor removes the pressure of the nerve with an adjustment to the region of the neck, proper communication can once again be restored between the brain and rest of the body.
Along with an adjustment, other helpful measures to resolve tension headaches include: