Chiropracitc care for kids with headaches

Recurrent headaches have become more prevalent in kids with an annual prevalence of about 5% among 3-year-old children (11). Headaches can affect quality of life in children and perhaps affect their performance in daily activities and school. Children with recurrent headaches have been reported to be more stressful and have higher levels of depression compared to those with none (12).

The cause of headaches in children can be multifactorial. Such causes can be psychological factors, nutrition, socioeconomic factors, and co-morbidities (1, 3, 5, 7, 9). Trauma to the head or neck, as well as prolonged static postures, have also been related to children with headaches (2, 4, 10).

There is some evidence that suggest spinal manipulation can be used to help adults with chronic headaches (10). It is not uncommon for children to receive manipulation for headache since it is common presenting symptom for 11-20% of school aged children and adolescents in chiropractic practice (6).

A recent research study was carried out to investigate more on the effects of chiropractic care and children with headaches. This study was separated into two groups where children in one group received spinal manipulation compared the control group where the children received sham manipulations (8). This study was only carried out for 4 months. The results from this study found that the children who received chiropractic care experienced fewer headaches, but it did not reduce the intensity of the headache. (8)

There still needs to be more research for this result to be conclusive but since manipulation is easily applicable with no or mild side effects, chiropractic spinal manipulation might be considered as a valuable treatment option for your child with a headache.
 
 
References

1. Anttila P, Metsahonkala L, Aromaa M, Sourander A, Salminen J, Helenius H, Alanen P, Sillanpaa M. Determinants of tension-type headache in children. Cephalalgia. 2002;22(5):401–8.
2. Clar C, Tsertsvadze A, Court R, Hundt GL, Clarke A, Sutcliffe P. Clinical effectiveness of manual therapy for the management of musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal conditions: systematic review and update of UK evidence report. Chiropr Man Ther. 2014;22(1):12.
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5. Hetlevik O, Bjorna CH, Lundring IT, Gjesdal S. Adolescents consulting general practitioners for psychological problems-a nationwide, register-based study in Norway. Fam Pract. 2019;36(1):77–83.
6. Hestbaek L, Jorgensen A, Hartvigsen J. A description of children and adolescents in Danish chiropractic practice: results from a nationwide survey. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009;32(8):607–15.
7. Lateef TM, Merikangas KR, He J, Kalaydjian A, Khoromi S, Knight E, Nelson KB. Headache in a national sample of American children: prevalence and comorbidity. J Child Neurol. 2009;24(5):536–43.
8. Lynge, S., Dissing, K.B., Vach, W. et al. Effectiveness of chiropractic manipulation versus sham manipulation for recurrent headaches in children aged 7–14 years - a randomised clinical trial. Chiropr Man Therap 29, 1 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-020-00360-3
9. Nelson S, Coakley R. The pivotal role of pediatric psychology in chronic pain: opportunities for informing and promoting new research and intervention in a shifting healthcare landscape. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2018;22(11):76.
10. Posadzki P, Ernst E. Spinal manipulations for tension-type headaches: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 2012;20(4):232–9.
11. Singhi S, Jacobs H, Gladstein J. Pediatric headache: where have we been and where do we need to be. Headache. 2014;54(5):817–29.
12. Termine C, Ozge A, Antonaci F, Natriashvili S, Guidetti V, Wober-Bingol C. Overview of diagnosis and management of paediatric headache. Part II: therapeutic management. J Headache Pain. 2011;12(1):25–34.

13.    Weber Hellstenius SA. Recurrent neck pain and headaches in preadolescents associated with mechanical dysfunction of the cervical spine: a cross-sectional observational study with 131 students. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009;32(8):625–34.

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