Northern Chiropractic

11723 Old Glenn Highway, #101

Eagle River, AK 99577 US

907-696-4878

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • New Patient Center
    • Virtual Office Tour
    • What to Expect
      • Online Forms
      • Your First Visit
      • Phase 1: Relief Care
      • Phase 2: Corrective Care
      • Phase 3: Wellness Care
    • Health Resources
  • About Us
    • Meet the Doctor
    • Meet The Awesome Staff
    • Fun Office Photos
      • Our Wonderful Patients
      • Maui 2016
      • 2014 Business Persons' Race
      • 2013 Business Persons' Race
      • 2012 Office Christmas Dinner
      • 19th Annual Open House/Merry Merchant Munch
      • Maui 2012
      • Bear Paw Slippery Salmon Relay 2012
      • 2012 Business Persons' Race
      • Christmas Party 2011
      • 18th Annual Open House/Merry Merchant Munch
      • Bear Paw Slippery Salmon Relay 2010
      • Maui 2009
    • Services & Techniques
    • Our Wellness Partners
    • Northern Chiropractic Newsletter
  • Success Stories
  • Office Hours
  • Contact Us
  • Request An Appointment
  • Community Content
    • About Chiropractic Care
      • What is Chiropractic
      • How Does it Work
      • Who is Chiropractic For
      • Vertebral Subluxation
      • Wellness Resources
    • Common Conditions Treated
      • Auto Accident Injuries
      • Back and Shoulder Pain
      • Body Pain
      • Chronic Condition Relief
        • Conditions Affecting Women
        • Headaches
      • Herniated Discs
      • Improved Health
      • Pediatric Ailments
      • Repetitive Use Injuries
      • Respiratory Function
    • Health & Wellness
      • Healthy Thinking
        • Get Positive
        • Relaxation Techniques
      • Life in Motion
      • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
        • Treat Yourself Well
        • Treat Others Well
        • Eat Well
      • Wellness Essentials
        • At Home
        • At Work
        • Exercise
        • Nutrition
        • What You Wear
      • Wellness Perspectives
        • Mental
        • Spiritual
        • Social
        • Physical
    • Therapies & Techniques
      • Techniques
      • Therapies
    • Newsletter Library
      • Back, Body & Joint Pain
      • Healthy Tips
      • Exercise & Fitness
      • Injury Rehab & Prevention
      • Kid's Health
      • Illness Prevention
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
      • Breaking Bad Habits
      • Senior Health
      • Weight Loss
      • Pregnancy & Parenting
      • Wellness
      • Mind-Body Connection
      • Stress & Anxiety
      • Life-Work Balance
      • Staying Young
      • Staying Motivated
    • Wellness4Kids
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Experiencing Headaches?

Experiencing Headaches?

  • Created in Newsletter Library

If you have a headache, you're not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.

What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative.

Research shows that spinal manipulation - the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic - may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.

Also, a 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication.

Headache Triggers

But to get to the bottom of the problem, you first need to find out what is causing your pain. Headaches have many causes, or "triggers." These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems.

Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern.

What Can You Do?

  • If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
  • Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
  • Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) - the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull - leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
  • Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.

In addition, the ACA and its Council on Nutrition suggest you avoid the following food "triggers":

  • Avoid caffeine. Foods such as chocolate, coffee, sodas and cocoa contain high levels of the stimulant.
  • Avoid foods with a high salt or sugar content. These foods may cause migraines, resulting in sensitivity to light, noise, or abrupt movements.
  • Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. These drinks can dehydrate you and cause headache pain.
  • Other headache sufferers may want to avoid not only caffeine, but also high-protein foods, dairy products, red meat and salty foods.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Chiropractors may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:

  • Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
  • Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
  • Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways - not just back pain.

If your headache is symptomatic of a health problem that needs the care of another discipline, your doctor of chiropractic will refer you to an appropriate specialist.

  • About Chiropractic Care
    • What is Chiropractic
    • How Does it Work
    • Who is Chiropractic For
    • Vertebral Subluxation
    • Wellness Resources
  • Common Conditions Treated
    • Auto Accident Injuries
    • Back and Shoulder Pain
    • Body Pain
    • Chronic Condition Relief
      • Conditions Affecting Women
      • Headaches
    • Herniated Discs
    • Improved Health
    • Pediatric Ailments
    • Repetitive Use Injuries
    • Respiratory Function
  • Health & Wellness
    • Healthy Thinking
      • Get Positive
      • Relaxation Techniques
    • Life in Motion
    • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
      • Treat Yourself Well
      • Treat Others Well
      • Eat Well
    • Wellness Essentials
      • At Home
      • At Work
      • Exercise
      • Nutrition
      • What You Wear
    • Wellness Perspectives
      • Mental
      • Spiritual
      • Social
      • Physical
  • Therapies & Techniques
    • Techniques
    • Therapies
  • Newsletter Library
    • Back, Body & Joint Pain
    • Healthy Tips
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Injury Rehab & Prevention
    • Kid's Health
    • Illness Prevention
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
    • Breaking Bad Habits
    • Senior Health
    • Weight Loss
    • Pregnancy & Parenting
    • Wellness
    • Mind-Body Connection
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Life-Work Balance
    • Staying Young
    • Staying Motivated
  • Wellness4Kids

Sign-up using the form or call us at 907-696-4878 to make your appointment today!

Featured Services

Click to Find Out More

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Northern Chiropractic

Monday:

7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Friday:

Closed

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonial

  • "I have been a patient of Dr. Greg’s since 1996. Back when my children were still young and he had none. Dr. Greg has helped me in many ways, from injury, recovery to keeping me mobile through an extremely long and difficult medical issue. Barb his senior massage therapist has been right there providing massage treatment that complimented Dr. Greg’s therapy. His entire office staff is very sweet, nice and professional. That is why I refer Dr. Greg and Northern Chiropractic at every opportunity."
    Dana C. / Chugiak

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

  • February Newsletter: Stay Active This Winter

    Staying active during the winter offers important benefits for your health. ...

    Read More
  • February Newsletter: Promoting Your Body's Natural Energy

    Want to feel more energetic? Chiropractic could help. ...

    Read More
  • January Newsletter: How Chiropractic Will Help You Reach Your Health Goals

    Planning to improve your health this year? Chiropractic can help. ...

    Read More
  • January Newsletter: Why You Should Visit Your Chiropractor This Winter

    Is a visit with the chiropractor on your winter calendar? ...

    Read More
  • December Newsletter: Custom Orthotics Could Be What You Need to Fight Foot Pain

    Are your feet killing you? Orthotics could end your pain. ...

    Read More
  • December Newsletter: Healthy Eating Tips for the Holiday Season

    Worried about gaining weight during the holidays? The healthy eating tips will help you avoid piling on the pounds. ...

    Read More
  • November Newsletter: It's always a good idea to visit your chiropractor after an auto accident

    Feeling sore after a car accident? Give your chiropractor a call. ...

    Read More
  • November Newsletter: Dealing with back pain? A herniated disc could be the cause

    Got stubborn back pain? You may have a herniated disc. ...

    Read More
  • Jaw Pain? You May Have TMJ

    Could your jaw pain mean that you have TMJ? ...

    Read More
  • Too Much Tech Could be Causing Your Neck Pain

    Wondering why your neck hurts? Your tech habits could be the reason. ...

    Read More

Newsletter Sign Up

Follow Us

  • Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • ACA Notices
  • Site Map