Don’t Be A Head Case

by Dr. Brett L. Lukert, DC

The brain is the control center that governs and regulates every activity in our body, which means it is crucial that we do what we can to take care of it. Since there are a multitude of conditions related to the head, this column will focus on description and treatment of the most common traumatic and non-traumatic head conditions.

Concussions are the most common type of traumatic head injuries and result in temporary loss of brain function due to a blow to the head. Concussions are basically a brain bruise and vary in severity from a grade one (least severe) to a grade three (most severe). Symptoms may include loss of consciousness, dizziness, nausea, severe head pain, memory loss, and vomiting.

Concussions are most common in contact sports but also frequently occur in vehicular accidents as well as common day-to-day mishaps, such as a fall on the ice. Concussions are very serious and can be life threatening. If concussion-type symptoms are suspected, your primary care physician should be contacted immediately. Your medical doctor will determine the severity of concussion, appropriate diagnostic tests that may or may not be needed, and when it is appropriate to return to contact activities.

From a non-traumatic standpoint, the most common complaint is the headache, which affects approximately two-thirds of the population. There are many causes of headaches, but one of the most treatable types of headache is called the cervical or cervicogenic headache.

This type of headache is caused by irritation of spinal nerves in the neck, particularly the upper cervical spine, just below the head. There are literally millions of nerves that originate between the top two cervical vertebra (called the atlas and axis) in the spine, which makes this the most neurologically stimulated area in the body. When these vertebra become misaligned, the spinal nerves become irritated. Then, this causes referred pain to the head.
Chiropractic care specializes in treatment of these types of headaches because until these misalignments, called subluxations, are corrected, the cause of headache pain will persist.

Treatment for these types of headaches is very effective, and most people respond remarkably well. As mentioned however, there are many causes of headaches, which make a correct diagnosis imperative. Consult your family chiropractor to find out if chiropractic is an appropriate treatment for you. As always, the goal is to educate and encourage people to be healthy, live healthy and stay healthy!