If there’s a problem in your neck, pain may radiate into your head. Many people think of chiropractic as the practice of realigning the back, so it may seem odd to them that a chiropractor can help with certain kinds of headaches. But the bones of the neck, also called cervical bones, are part of the spinal column, and when they are misaligned, blockages and strains can affect parts of the body further up as well as below. At Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, we provide an array of holistic, non-invasive, non-addictive treatments for all sorts of musculoskeletal injuries, and we want our prospective patients to know that the solution to their headaches may not depend on drugs or surgery.
Nerves emerge from the spinal cord through holes in vertebrae called foramen. When the vertebrae are misaligned or soft tissues are swollen, they may compress nerves at their roots and cause pain, shocks, or numbness along the nerve’s length. One of the nerves that emerges from the neck bones is the trigeminal nerve. It travels up into the head, and compression of its root could result in pain radiating into the temple, forehead, or eyes. There are also muscles that run from the neck to the head, and when they are strained, a person may feel stiffness along those muscles, particularly in their jaw. Because these kinds of headaches originate in the cervical region, they are called cervicogenic headaches.
Potential solutions for cervicogenic headaches include spinal adjustments to the neck. These are done gently with the goal of realigning the vertebrae so they won’t compress nerve roots and the neck muscles won’t have to strain as much to glide over them. We also advise patients on maintaining postures that will balance their heads more efficiently, significantly reducing the pressure on their necks and making them less vulnerable to overuse injuries in the future.
Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.