Just about everyone in Santa Cruz suffers from headaches once in a while. Most of them don’t require any kind of medical attention and gradually subside with time. It is when a headache starts to interfere with your daily activities or takes them over completely that you need to seek professional attention. Follow these headache tips from a Santa Cruz chiropractic office to find relief and stay one step ahead of the problem.
Why Does My Head Hurt?
There are a host of different triggers that may be causing your headaches. Some have to do with lifestyle choices, some are due to an underlying health condition, some are genetic and some are postural. Some common headache triggers include specific foods, certain smells, bright lights, loud noises, obsessive exercise, changes in blood sugar, using an improper pillow at night, poor posture at work, or poor sleeping habits.
In roughly 95% of headache cases, the headache is not caused by an underlying health issue or disease. Most headaches are the result of muscle tension in your neck and/or upper back caused by spending long hours in one fixed position. This means virtually every headache can be treated by changing your habits and making an appointment with a Santa Cruz chiropractor.
Help Yourself First
The most important headache tip you’ll receive from Santa Cruz chiropractors is to take steps to help yourself. If you have a job that requires you to sit in a static position for several hours per day, force yourself to get up and move around every 30 minutes or so. It doesn’t have to be anything substantial. Even a walk around the office or light stretching will do, as long as you aren’t sitting.
If you are prone to getting dull, throbbing headaches you’ll want to avoid engaging in heavy exercise until they are under control. You can still work out, just switch things up to include more low-impact activities. Clenching your teeth during exercise or any time is another thing to avoid because it causes stress to the joints in your jaw. Dehydration is always a big headache trigger so drink water throughout the day and keep yourself hydrated.
Visiting Your Chiropractor
If you find that your headaches persist, even after following the self-help tips, make an appointment with our Santa Cruz chiropractic team at Sawyer Chiropractic Group. Spinal adjustments are an effective treatment for headaches that originate in your neck or upper back. Once your misaligned vertebrae are back into position and normal function is restored, your headache pain may subside.
At Sawyer Chiropractic Group our team is here to help answer your questions. Please feel free to contact us today.