Now that we have covered what exactly is a headache and how it can be helped with physical medicine and chiropractic care, I, Dr. Sculley, would like to explain what exactly AFC can do for you and how we can get to that point.
So you’re having headaches and you’ve decided it’s time to actually deal with them. As mentioned in our previous blog, Science Daily terms that “A headache (cephalgia in medical terminology) is a condition of pain in the head; sometimes neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted as a headache.” (Science Daily)
AFC Physical Medicine’s holistic approach to headaches will help you get to the root cause to stop your consistent headaches. An initial visit in one of our AFC locations would start with a convenient appointment time. Then, our case manager would sit down with you 1 on 1 for a detailed consultation to find out the details of your headaches. I have found over the years that certain trauma or life experiences can lead to your current headache symptoms, and many times you don’t even realize it! Our next step is a comprehensive spinal exam performed by our Doctor of Chiropractic and a Physician’s Assistant. The exam includes taking you through range of motion for your neck and orthopedic testing to reveal if the cause of your headaches is from the spine, muscles or nerves. After our providers have the information from the exam, an x-ray may be necessary to check for any abnormalities or misalignment of your spine that will cause headaches.
A report of findings will be done to show you the cause of your headaches and to see if we can accept you for care. If we can help you, a recommendation will be given specific to your needs. What I have experienced over my 13 years as a chiropractor, is that the best thing we can offer is a combination of services for our headache patients. Physical therapy would help stretch and strengthen the muscles of your neck to improve postural changes that will affect your headaches. In-office massage therapy with every visit will help reduce headache-causing muscle spasms and trigger points. Trigger point injections done by our physician’s assistant with natural botanicals can help reduce headache pain. Learn more about our trigger point therapy here.
At the end of each visit, our Chiropractors will gently align specific bones in your neck that are out of alignment. I have found that headaches can be caused by one of three bones that are shifted out of alignment, that when corrected, can provide immediate relief while working towards a long-term solution.
To request an appointment and finally get help for your headaches, fill out this form here.
Check back next week where we will share a testimony from a patient who suffered from headaches but, with the help of AFC, has been able to enjoy a greater quality of life!