The Headache/Back Pain Connection

By Stepy Kamei

What brings headaches and back pain together? The answer is painfully simple: Poor back and spinal health. You may think you don't need to worry too much about taking care of the health of your spinal column, but as it turns out, this is one of the most important areas of your body which you do indeed need to be focusing on. Poor spinal health can lead to not only back pain, but a myriad of other health problems as well. This includes one of the most common health issues we all face at some point or another -- headaches. If you experience back pain and headaches on a relatively frequent basis, or you notice the discomfort caused by these health issues has been getting steadily and increasingly worse over the past few weeks/months/years, you may be surprised to find out that a spinal misalignment -- also known as a vertebral subluxation -- may be to blame for your woes.

The Spine and the Rest of the Body: How They're Connected

Seeing as the spinal column remains one of the most under-talked about areas of the body, I think it's a good idea for everyone to learn a little bit more about its functions, as well as its significance and the overall role it plays in a person's sense of health and wellness. The spinal column has two primary functions: It serves to keep the body balanced, stable, and upright, and it also houses and protects the central nervous system. When the spinal column is in good health, it's likely that the rest of the body is also functioning well. However, when a misalignment occurs, this brings the body out of balance, and it can impact the inner workings of the central nervous system. In other words, communication between the body and the brain may become impeded or degraded.

These spinal misalignments can be brought about by a wide variety of causes. Injury, illness, strain, stress, and even a poor diet or sleeping habits can lead to a subluxation, either directly or in a more indirect manner. When the spine is misaligned, the rest of the body may tense up in its efforts to overcompensate by keeping the body balanced due to other means. Tension headaches and even migraine headaches are a very common result of this issue.

When the spinal column is brought back into its proper position through the natural methods of chiropractic, lasting health and wellness can be achieved.