When most St. Petersburg residents think of chiropractic care, they think of traffic accidents and crooked spines.  However, subluxations in the upper spine and neck regions are one of the leading causes of chronic headaches.  Tension headaches are among the most common types of headaches, affecting three out of four headache sufferers.  This unpleasant sensation is often described as dull tightness around the head or behind the eyes. Many people decide to utilize pain medication to treat tension headaches, yet never think to investigate the root cause of their discomfort. Understanding the underlying causes associated with persistent headaches is something that a chiropractic care professional in St. Petersburg will be able to help you with.

Common Causes of Tension Headaches

Surprisingly, the brain is not the part of your body that is in pain during a headache.  Instead, nerve endings and tissues that encapsulate the brain are inflamed or in distress.  The trigger point for many of these pain-sensitive areas can be found in the upper three cervical nerve roots.  Unnatural movements and positions of the neck can irritate these nerve roots causing the recurring pain associated with tension headaches.  While sudden abnormal movements can set off these trigger points, oftentimes there are more common, easily overlooked causes.  Chiropractic care has the ability to adjust these misalignments, returning them to their natural position.  A large number of headache sufferers in St. Petersburg are prone to:

• Prolonged stagnant positions, which can often put stress on the neck, leading to tension headaches. If you spend long hours standing still or sitting down tension can build in your body, creating trigger points.
• Teeth clenching, aside from being a sign of mental stress, can also add unnecessary pressure to your neck and spinal region.
• Poor posture is one of the more obvious causes of subluxations and, consequently, tension headaches. Talk to your chiropractic care professional about things you can do to help reduce or eliminate any of the root causes of your discomfort.

Bond Thomas Chiropractic Care

Dr. Bond Thomas has been established in the St. Petersburg area for nearly twenty years.  At Bond Thomas Chiropractic, we are dedicated to diagnosing and treating spinal subluxations while working toward and maintaining the optimal health of our patients.  If you have been experiencing persistent pain in the head, neck, or spine, let us develop a treatment plan focused on realigning the spine and optimizing the way your body works.  Call us today at 727-522-1900 to schedule an exam and get on track to a better you.