QuestionI asked another Chiropracter here this question and he couldn't answer, which I don't understand, I thought it was within the expertise of Chiropractors, am I wrong? Maybe you can answer...
Whenever I've had a tension headache, it would always go away soon after taking something like Ibuprofen. I recently have had a headache due to neck pain and learned that it is called a
"cervicogenic headache." I also read that this kind of headache, unlike most others, doesn't respond well to medication, which seems to be the case--when I take ibuprofen, it does nothing for it. Can you tell me why this particular kind of headache doesn't respond to meds? Thanks
Answerheadaches, staten island headache, cervicogenic headache, NSAIDS, nsaid side effects, nsaid complications,
Hello Lee,
Thank You for your question.
I am sorry that you are prone to headaches of any kind!
".....I asked another Chiropracter here this question and he couldn't answer.....", I do not think it is the case that he(she) could not answer,,,, I think it is more the case that this doctor would not answer. Why not answer???, because this is a medical question about medication. The Doctor of Chiropractic is NOT licensed to dispense medication, is NOT licensed to provide medical advice. In many states a Chiropractic Doctor (DC) is actually PROHIBITED from discussing medications. In some states a Doctor could get in trouble discussing medications, if they are a chiropractic doctor!!!
In many states: ONLY A MEDICAL DOCTOR CAN DISCUSS MEDICATION.
That being said,
I would recommend you ask our medical colleagues here on ALLExperts.com the same question.
That being said,
I will discuss this issue, but state: I am NOT a MEDICAL DOCTOR (MD), I am a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), so any comments I would make upon the medications are:
public knowledge, not specific to your case, not specific to the specific drug, just general information on headaches in general and medicine in general.
So you ask: "....I asked another Chiropracter here this question and he couldn't answer, which I don't understand, I thought it was within the expertise of Chiropractors, am I wrong?....", there are legalities which may preclude some doctors (chiropractors) from wanting to come close to this discussion.
Ibuprofen is a anti-inflammatory - see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibuprofen
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see also: http://www.drugs.com/ibuprofen.html
Important information about ibuprofen
Ibuprofen can increase your risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart attack or stroke. This risk will increase the longer you use ibuprofen. Do not use this medicine just before or after having heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).
Seek emergency medical help if you have symptoms of heart or circulation problems, such as chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, slurred speech, or problems with vision or balance.
Ibuprofen can also increase your risk of serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole).
Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of bleeding in your stomach or intestines. This includes black, bloody, or tarry stools, or coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds.
Do not take more ibuprofen than is recommended. An overdose can cause damage to your stomach or intestines. Use only the smallest amount of ibuprofen needed to get relief from your pain, swelling, or fever.
Before taking ibuprofen
NSAIDs can increase your risk of life-threatening heart or circulation problems, including heart attack or stroke. This risk will increase the longer you take ibuprofen. Do not use this medicine just before or after having heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).
NSAIDs can also increase your risk of serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole). These conditions can be fatal and gastrointestinal effects can occur without warning at any time while you are taking an NSAID.
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to ibuprofen, aspirin or other NSAIDs.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medication if you have:
a history of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot;
heart disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure;
a history of stomach ulcers or bleeding;
asthma;
polyps in your nose;
liver or kidney disease;
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE);
a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; or
if you smoke.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether ibuprofen is harmful to an unborn baby. However, taking ibuprofen during the last 3 months of pregnancy may result in birth defects. Do not take ibuprofen during pregnancy unless your doctor has told you to. It is not known whether ibuprofen passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medicine to a child without the advice of a doctor.
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The tension headache that responds to this NSAID, mild analgesic,must have some inflammatory cause. The CERVICOGENIC headache is telling you that it is coming from your neck- therefore probably a cervical vertebral subluxation complex. This MECHANICAL and NEUROLOGICAL cause of your headache needs a mechanical and neurological treatment of the CAUSE of the problem- perhaps a cervical spinal adjustment.
My Staten Island Headache patients get the following information handouts, perhaps this will be of help to you:
PAIN
Pain is a 憆ed light on the dashboard?
Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong.
Think you should listen??
That RED LIGHT on the dashboard of your car-
-- do you ignore it until the car breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
pain in your body-
-- do you ignore it until your body breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
do you cover up the pain by taking a painkiller?
Take a painkiller,
mask the pain,
and allow a problem to progress in your body?
Pain Killing medication??? = 16,000 deaths ( probably under-reported )
DEATH ! ? ! ? better watch out on those medications!!!
Notice on Pain Relievers:
Label changes ORDERED by FDA; the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news 206- 207; 12-9-06) ;
SIXTEEN THOUSAND DEATHS: "Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective medications for the treatment of many chronically painful medical conditions. However, it is estimated that 25% of all serious adverse drug reactions involve NSAIDs, with more than 100,000 hospitalizations and 16,000 deaths occurring annually due to NSAID-induced gastrointestinal (GI) events."----- http://hhc.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/6/468 Home Health Care Management & Practice, Vol. 13, No. 6, 468-475 (2001) Motrin, Advil = NSAIDS
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement 2-26-07).
NSAID Acceleration of ARTHRITIS; an important side effect of Aspirin and other NSAIDS is that it will inhibit cartilage repair and accelerate cartilage destruction ( Journal of Rheumatology, 1982; 9: 3- 5 ). Many times people take NSAIDS for the pain of Arthritis, not realizing these drugs may make the underlying condition worse. These medications cover up the pain, and cause the problem to worsen.
Pain can often be the result of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation ( 慥SC?, 憇ubluxation? )
Vertebral Subluxation is actually a quite common condition. Doctors of Chiropractic look for pathological conditions which may require referral to other specialties, and also look for 慡ubluxation? Other disciplines look for pathology, but overlook the importance of alignment and movement in the spine which affects our nervous system (the master control system- ALL health disciplines learn this). VSC- 慡ubluxation??can be the cause of many symptoms and conditions.
Only a Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate and treat for VSC, as well as other pathology.
The course of VSC is highly variable. Some patients with VSC literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar test findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights. Some patients immediately develop symptoms related to the VSC, some patients take years to develop symptoms. Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Some people recover in days, some take months or years, depending upon severity of the condition.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position. When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition. Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, or aggravate such conditions.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomate, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomate, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine ; Invited to Colorado Springs (Olympic Training Center) to Care for USA Olympic Athletes 2010
I hope that information is useful to you, Here is some further:
揌eadache? ( Also Known As- Cephalgia ) Sometimes we experience Headache. Head pain, headache, can come from many causes; perhaps we overindulged in food or alcohol, headache can result; perhaps an allergy, our eyes, fatigue, tension, or a multitude of causes can cause our headache. Sometimes we take pill after pill with little good result.... Sometimes the cause of headache pain can be in our head/ neck/ spinal alignment, our posture, our movement patterns. Perhaps your neck is giving you a headache!! Often- the true c a u s e of the headache and pain; is a misalignment, a 慿ink?in the neck- more properly termed a Vertebral Subluxation.
Vertebral Subluxation Complex (a.k.a. 憇ubluxation?
The vertebral subluxation complex is the underlying cause of many healthcare problems.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
This is a serious condition identified by its five parts:
Spinal Kinesiopathology:
This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
Neuropathophysiology:
Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Myopathology:
Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
Histopathology:
A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
Pathophysiology:
The VSC contributes to OsteoArthritic degeneration. Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position.
Automobile accidents, improper lifting, improper posture, alcohol, emotional stress, chemical imbalances, and long periods of sitting can cause the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment. For good health- Treat the Cause, not just the symptoms.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine
You ask: "......Whenever I've had a tension headache, it would always go away soon after taking something like Ibuprofen. I recently have had a headache due to neck pain and learned that it is called a
"cervicogenic headache." I also read that this kind of headache, unlike most others, doesn't respond well to medication, which seems to be the case--when I take ibuprofen, it does nothing for it. Can you tell me why this particular kind of headache doesn't respond to meds?......"
It seems headache is a major concern for you. I would definitely visit your local Doctor for a Chiropractic checkup.
Your local chiropractic doctor (DC) could easily evaluate you and perhaps treat the CAUSE of your complaints, rather than covering up the problem by killing the pain, rather than seeking the cause of the pain. If you feel more comfortable with a specific specialist, see: http://www.acatoday.org/pdf/ApprovedChiropracticSpecialtyPrograms.pdf
Perhaps you would feel best seeing the chiropractic neurologist ?
I hope this GENERAL information helps. Your MEDICAL questions, I would recommend seeing the MEDICAL section of this board for.
Wishing you Good Health Naturally!
Your Staten Island Chiropractic Friend,
Dr. Victor Dolan, DC, DACBSP
Email Newsletter . . . . . . . . http//:drvictordolan.chiroweb.com
