Do you suffer from chronic headaches? If so, and if you haven’t found any success with traditional treatments, you might want to consider utilizing osteopathic medicine in Niles, Illinois.
Osteopathic medicine has a great deal to offer those who suffer from chronic headaches. Below, we’ll review what osteopathic treatment for chronic headaches might entail.
Acupuncture
One form of osteopathic treatment which can be used to treat chronic headaches is acupuncture. This is a form of treatment that involves placing thin needles into the patient’s body, hitting pressure points, releasing important brain chemicals, and helping to stimulate blood flow.
Typically, when used to treat headaches, needles will be inserted into the upper back and neck area. In most cases, the patient won’t even recognize that there is a needle in his or her body. The process is essentially entirely painless.
While acupuncture may not offer total headache relief on its own, it works well as a supplement to other forms of treatment. Engaging in acupuncture sessions on a weekly basis will typically offer the best results.
One important thing to note when undergoing acupuncture treatments is that you should work with a certified acupuncturist. This will ensure that the process is carried out in a healthy and sanitary manner.
Osteopathic Manipulation
A hands-on procedure which can be used to treat chronic headaches is osteopathic manipulation. This is a procedure in which a physician massages and manipulates a patient’s muscles and joints with his or her hands. Not only does this procedure provide direct pain relief, it also helps to release vital body chemicals, and to trigger blood flow as well.
Though osteopathic manipulation involves the manipulation of muscles and joints all over the body, when used to treat headaches specifically, the neck and upper back will receive the most attention. By manipulating the muscles and joints in your upper back, your physician is able to relieve your body of stress.
Headaches are often caused when the muscles in the upper back, neck, and head are overused. By relieving the areas of overuse, osteopathic manipulation serves to reduce the amount and severity of headaches.
For most individuals, osteopathic manipulation is not a be-all, end-all treatment for relieving headaches. Generally, it is more effective when used in tandem with other procedures and techniques. If you want to optimize your chance at success, it’s wise to undergo osteopathic manipulation sessions on a regular basis.
Dietary Planning
Often times, those who suffer from chronic headaches suffer because of the poor quality of their diets. The fact of the matter is that some kinds of foods are much more likely to lead to a headache than are others.
Because of this, when being treated for your headaches by an osteopathic physician, they will likely ask about your diet and lifestyle. This helps your physician determine whether or not your diet is contributing to the problem. Diets that are high in sugar or sodium, for example, could play a role in causing headaches for some individuals.
Should your diet be deemed problematic, your physician can help you establish a diet intended to eliminate headaches. In some cases, your physician might suggest certain supplements or vitamins which you should be taking. These supplements and vitamins can help you meet your daily nutritional needs, allowing your body to function at its full capacity.
Seeking Osteopathic Treatment in Niles, Illinois?
Interested to learn more? Seeking osteopathic treatment in Niles, Illinois? If so, our staff at the Feely Center for Optimal Health are the people to see.
Our physicians are well-versed in the treatment of chronic headaches, taking a whole health approach to the issue and utilizing the above-described osteopathic procedures in order to help relieve pain.
Contact us today to get started!
