Summer is here. When you think of summer, beaches, clear blue skies, and spending time with your family would quickly come to mind. Summer sounds fun and all, but summer activities wouldn’t be as enjoyable as you think when the heat strikes.

Getting a stiff neck and headache due to the summer heat is not surprising. You may find yourself struggling and unable to move due to the excess heat you experience in summer. NUCCA chiropractic can help you make the most out of your summer experience. 

Chiropractors know that headaches can take the fun away from your day. So, we’ll share a natural way to prevent or get relief from a bothersome stiff neck and headache this summer.

But before we talk about that, let’s touch on some critical information about headaches.

Understanding Headache Triggers

If you experience burning, piercing pain in your head, you are most likely experiencing headaches. Headaches can attack anyone-- young, old, man, or woman. You might find yourself curled in pain due to headaches after getting exposed to some of these triggers:

• Intense workouts- When you excessively work out, your heart pumps more blood than your body can take. Your blood might flood the veins and arteries surrounding your neck, face, and brain, which can trigger headaches.
• Bright, changing lights- Staying in front of a bright computer or phone screen can hurt your eyes and trigger headaches. So, if you work on a computer or scroll on your phone for long hours, dial down the brightness or install a Blue light filter app to avoid eye strain and headaches.
• Loud noise- Noise from loud music, traffic, and shouting can cause headaches. Give your ears a break by listening to calm music or turning down the volume of whatever show you are binging.
• Stress and anxiety- Combining both of these emotions is a recipe for disaster. If possible, try to destress whenever you get the chance. You can try out relaxing activities like gardening and yoga to release stress positively.
• Certain food items- Overeating junk or processed foods can bring out a headache. Try to avoid foods with MSG, caffeine, alcohol, and too much oil.
• Some medications- Only take medicines if your doctor recommends them.

Other causes of headaches include:

• Poor posture- Your bad posture might be the culprit behind your stiff neck and headache. If you usually slouch when you walk, stand, or sit, you place excess tension on your neck. This leads to poor circulation, resulting in headaches.
• Bad habits - Bad habits are not limited to regular smoking and drinking alcohol. If you like to skip meals and have poor sleeping schedules, your headaches might be coming from these two reasons.
• Sedentary lifestyle- If you stay in your bed or seat the entire day, you’ll likely experience dizziness and headaches once you stand up. Try to take a break from lying down or sitting at least once every hour. Try to walk around your house every chance you get.
• Hormonal changes- Fluctuating hormones are unavoidable, especially if you are a woman. Changes in hormones during your menstrual cycle can trigger headaches. You can ask your doctor for some advice about what pills can help you control the fluctuation and reduce your headaches.

Understanding a Stiff Neck

A stiff neck is painful and annoying. When you get a stiff neck, you usually avoid moving your neck to prevent making the pain and soreness worse. You can develop a stiff neck for a number of reasons:

• Sleeping the wrong way- Stomach sleepers are incredibly vulnerable to having stiff necks. Why? They need to turn their heads to one side so that they can breathe. When you keep your head turned for a long time, it can make the surrounding muscles sore.
• Neck or head injury- Suppose you receive a forceful blow to your neck or head. You might experience some swelling, stiffness, and pain in the affected region. 
• Neck misalignments- Subluxations can occur from poor posture, injuries, and bone or joint disease. When your neck is misaligned, your chance of feeling pain and stiffness in the neck is high.

NUCCA Chiropractic Helps Against Stiff Neck and Headache

Ignoring headaches and stiff necks, especially if they are frequent occurrences, can provoke more serious complications. So, it would be best to find a long-lasting solution to the root of the issue for sustainable relief. 

In case you didn’t know, the leading cause of headaches and stiff necks are neck misalignments. Good thing for everyone, there is a natural technique that can correct neck misalignments.

NUCCA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association) is an upper cervical chiropractic technique used to correct neck misalignments. As mentioned earlier, neck misalignments can result in stiffness and pain in the surrounding region. Since the upper neck also houses the brainstem, the misalignment can put excess pressure on the brainstem, causing headaches.

A 2015 research involving patients with headaches and migraines found that NUCCA chiropractic care has significantly reduced the frequency of the patients’ headaches. The results of the study indicated satisfaction from each of the patients one week after receiving NUCCA adjustments.

NUCCA adjustments are safe and precise. Due to their gentleness, these adjustments can allow lasting healing and recovery for the body. Experience yourself upper cervical care’s benefits to your health, check out the nearest upper cervical doctor in your area today!

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