Headaches

Severe headaches like migraines can be so intense you can’t function normally during an attack. If you suffer from headaches or migraines, visit Steven Zimmerman, DC, of Zimmerman Chiropractic in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Zimmerman uses drug-free therapies such as chiropractic care and BrainCore™ neurofeedback to reduce pain and prevent headaches. To learn more about effective headache and migraine therapies, call Zimmerman Chiropractic today or book an appointment online.

Why do I get headaches?

Most headaches result from stress and muscle tension. When the stress eases, so does the pain. You can also get headaches from dehydration if you don’t drink enough, and headaches are a common symptom of infectious diseases like colds and flu.

Persistent headaches could be cervicogenic, meaning they develop because of misalignments in the vertebrae that form your neck. Or you might get recurring headaches, the most common of which are migraines.

Migraines typically cause intense, throbbing pain, often in one side of your head. You might have visual disturbances like seeing flashing lights (known as an aura) and experience weakness, fatigue, light and sound sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting. Migraines can be overwhelming, making you incapable of doing much more than lying in a quiet room.

Many things can trigger a migraine, from hormonal imbalances, sensory overstimulation, dehydration, and allergies to chemical imbalances in the brain. Your brain becomes overstressed and imbalanced, leading to a migraine attack.

How are headaches treated?

If you have a headache because you’re sick, it should pass when you get better. If you’re dehydrated, drinking more fluids should help, and learning relaxation techniques is beneficial if you get stress headaches. Chiropractic manipulation can help with cervicogenic headaches by realigning the neck vertebrae and tissues.

If you get migraines, medication can help. Some drugs reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Others make your symptoms less severe. Medications often offer effective short-term migraine relief but don’t address the cause of your headaches.

Dr. Zimmerman offers an innovative treatment for headaches and migraines called neurofeedback. Research indicates that neurofeedback is one of the most effective treatments for migraine symptoms.

How does neurofeedback help with headaches and migraines?

Migraines cause excessive brain stress and brainwave imbalances. This can negatively affect normal brain function. Repeated triggering of the migraine causes a chronic response that makes it increasingly difficult for your brain to regulate itself or restore normal function.

Neurofeedback uses scientifically proven techniques to retrain your brain, creating new patterns and altering the body’s responses to triggers and stress. The new responses improve brainwave activity and restore proper function.

The treatment involves having painless electrodes attached to your head so you can interact with sounds or games that you control using your brainwaves. After several sessions, your brain’s function improves and headache and migraine symptoms reduce.

For a happier, healthier brain, call Zimmerman Chiropractic today or book an appointment online.