subject: Frequent Headaches? Could Be Related To Diet, Posture, Or Dehydration [print this page] According to the American Chiropractic Association, nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some people have headaches only rarely, others are chronic sufferers, while others get headaches in specific circumstances. Plantation residents all have different ways of responding to the pain associated with headaches: over-the-counter pain relievers, prescription meds, taking a nap, massage therapy or spinal manipulation from a chiropractor, or a combination of remedies.
Research indicates that chiropractic care provides almost immediate relief for headache pain that begins in the neck. In addition, spinal manipulation has no chemical side effects and normally provides longer lasting relief than prescribed medicines. Similar results are found when chiropractic care is used to treat tension headaches.
In addition to receiving regular chiropractic care, the American Chiropractic Association offers the following tips for avoiding headaches. If you are aware of any foods that trigger a headache, avoid those foods. It seems like a common sense, but somehow those who suffer from headaches caused by food triggers manage to convince themselves that this time it will be different. It rarely is different. If you regularly experience headaches after consuming chocolate, caffeine, red wines, foods high in nitrates, or any other foods, try staying away from those foods for an extended time. Chart whether or not you get any headaches during that period to determine if it is, indeed, a particular food product that is causing you problems.
Another way to avoid a flare-up of headaches is to make sure to drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water each day. Like all residents of the U.S., Plantation residents tend, on average, to be chronically dehydrated. We simply do not consume the amount of water that we should. Even mild dehydration can lead to headaches. Taking in substantial amounts of water throughout the day can help to keep us headache free. It also helps to rid the body of toxins that can cause other problems, as well.
Finally, if you tend to stay in one fixed position for extended periods of time, at a computer, cash register, or holding a baby, for example, it is absolutely essential to stop and take a break to stretch every 30 minutes to an hour. Make sure that as you stretch, take your head and neck through the entire range of motion. Stretch out your arms, legs, hands, and feet, as well. The stretching releases tension and less tension will mean fewer headaches.
If you still end up with headaches after employing some of these practices, a visit to your Plantation area chiropractor is probably in order. Your chiropractor can help to relieve the pain of headaches through spinal manipulation, but can also provide guidance with regard to proper posture, ergonomics, exercises, and relaxation techniques to help to relieve any tension that you are experiencing.
