Presented by Dr. Drew McPhail,
Chiropractic Physician
The National Headache Foundation estimates 60% of all children suffer from
occasional headaches, and miss more than one million days of school each
year.
Causes of Headaches
The majority of headaches are caused when the vertebra of the cervical
spine becomes misaligned because of excessive or repetitive stress.
Fatigue, worry, noise, fluorescent lights, travel, improper sleep, smoke
and food additives, such as MSG and nitrates, often trigger headaches. But
the actual cause of the headache is often a series of traumatic or
repetitive micro-traumatic events, including motor vehicle accidents,
contact sports, postural habits, whiplash, and occupational tasks.
Headaches and other symptoms may take weeks, months, and even years to show
up following these events.
Children & Headaches
The birth process, even under normal conditions, can create significant
stress on the spine of the newborn. As children grow, they fall learning
to walk, fall at the playground and off bicycles, bump their heads, and get
into numerous injuries in sports, which can cause stress on their young
spines.
"Forward Head Posture", from heavy book bags, repetitive tasks, and
excessive time spent in front of video screens, can also cause the neck to
become misaligned. For every inch that the head projects forward, the
weight experienced by the muscles of the neck doubles, causing stress on
the spine.
A study published in the British Medical Journal showed that children who
experience frequent headaches are more likely to develop health problems in
adulthood, including psychiatric disorders. These findings confirm that
children with headaches do not simply "grow out" of their physical
complaint, but may instead "grow into" others.
Look for the next Back Talk to learn about treatment options.
Excerpt from "Children & Headaches" a research review by Keith Wassung. To
reserve a seat at the June 24th Free "Headache relief class" or to read or
download the complete study, please visit www.drmcphail.com . For more
information about relief of your headaches, call Dr. McPhail at 873-2225
