Pediatric Headaches and Neck Pain Resolved with Chiropractic Care

Published on January 7, 2016, in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, is a documented case of an 8-year-old girl suffering from chronic headaches being helped by chiropractic. The study reports that between one-third and one-half of school age children from 8 through 15 reported experiencing headaches.

Recurring headaches in children can have a profound effect on their school, their activity, and their interactions with family and friends. Most of the drugs used to treat children's headaches were never approved for usage in children. Several studies show that between 29% to 41% of children with headaches used alternative, non-medical forms of care including chiropractic.

This study documented the case of an 8-year-old girl who was suffering with neck pains and headaches. The problems seemed to have started 8 months earlier with the neck pain getting progressively worse while the headaches remained constant. The medical recommendation for this child was to take Tylenol, which provided only minor temporary relief. Her history included an incident where, as an infant, she had fallen off of a counter onto the floor.

A chiropractic examination showed that the girl carried her head in a forward position rather than a normal upright posture. The girl's range of motion in her neck was decreased, and there were several areas of trigger points noticed in her upper back and neck. The conclusion of the examination was that subluxations were present.

Chiropractic care was given to address the subluxations. The results of the care were positive for the young girl. After four visits, the study showed that the girl no longer suffered from her neck pain or her headaches.

In the conclusion of this study, the authors wrote, "This case report described the successful care of a child with cervicogenic headaches. This case report provides supporting evidence on the effectiveness of chiropractic care in children suffering from neck pain and cervicogenic headaches."