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Chiropractic Care for Tension Headaches
If you suffer from tension headaches, professional help is available. At Caldwell Chiropractic Center PC, we provide drug-free treatment for chronic tension headaches. Our natural treatments are effective as long-term solutions, and they don't come with the expense and potential side effects of medication.
To learn more about treating your headache with natural chiropractic care, please call us today
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Results of a Study of Chiropractic Headache Care
For many years, anecdotal evidence supported chiropractic treatment for tension headaches, but there had been no clinical trials to corroborate that success. We're proud to announce that things have changed!
Dr. Patrick D. Boline (principal investigator) at the Northwestern College of Chiropractic conducted a study and published the results in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. According to "Chiropractic Spinal Manipulative Therapy vs. Amitriptyline for the Treatment of Chronic Tension-Type Headaches: A Randomized Comparative Clinical Trial," drug-free chiropractic treatment can be an effective treatment for tension headaches.
For the six-week study, which was funded by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER), a total of 126 patients between the ages of 18 and 70 were divided into two groups that were screened and randomly assigned to receive either chiropractic spinal manipulation or pharmaceutical treatment consisting of amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant commonly known by the brand name Elavil. The spinal manipulation group received short-lever, low-amplitude, high-velocity thrust techniques with moist heat and light massage of the cervicothoracic musculature before manipulation.
Patients were palpated to determine the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spinal segment manipulated with particular attention to the upper three cervical segments. The patients in the amitriptyline therapy group received 10 mg daily for the first week, 20 mg daily for the second week, and 30 mg daily after that. This dosage was decreased if the patient didn't tolerate adverse side effects.
During the six weeks that both groups received treatment, both reported similar improvements; however, four weeks after the end of the clinical trial, the superiority of chiropractic treatment was evident. The group receiving spinal manipulation showed a reduction of 32 percent in headache intensity, 42 percent in headache frequency, 30 percent in over-the-counter medication usage, and a 16 percent improvement in functional health status.
The group receiving amitriptyline reverted to the levels recorded at the beginning of the study. The groups also differed significantly in their reporting of side effects. While 82.1 percent of the patients who received medical treatment suffered from drowsiness, dry mouth, and weight gain, only 4.3 percent of the spinal manipulation group reported side effects consisting of neck soreness and stiffness.
"At last, with the results of this study, the claims of thousands of chiropractic patients who have enjoyed relief from pain without drugs will have to be taken seriously by the medical community," said Stephen R. Seater, CAE, Executive Director of FCER. "At last, chiropractic will be recognized as a viable and scientific alternative for relief of common tension headaches."
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