It is estimated that 45 million Americans regularly suffer from serious, recurring headaches as they spend upwards of $400 million each year on over-the-counter and prescription drugs searching for pain relief. In fact, because headaches are so common, some people think that getting a headache is simply a normal part of life! They couldn’t be more wrong! Headaches are a serious sign that the body is not functioning properly.

Most headaches are usually caused from a combination of two factors. The first is due to muscular contractions of the neck that then restricts the blood supply to the brain. This can cause direct muscle pain and also referred pain like facial or TMJ pain. These pains may be described as dull or burning types.  The second factor is due to pinched nerves caused by spinal misalignments of the neck vertebrae. Pinched nerves most often produce pain described as sharp or sometimes burning. The nerve density in the neck and upper back makes those muscles more sensitive to irritation.

After an examination Dr. Czop will be able to diagnose your problem and tell you why you are having these headaches. A treatment plan will be recommended and/or you may be referred for further investigation if he feels that would be valuable. Management of your headaches would start with gentle Myofascial treatments to release tight , painful muscles. Chiropractic adjustments (no drugs or surgery) to normalize the function of your spine, advice on lifestyle and nutritional changes to help prevent further recurrences and advice on how you can further deal with the problem.