From the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health comes a study published on May 25, 2015, documenting the case of a young boy with daily headaches being helped by chiropractic. The study begins by noting that between 10-20% of school age children suffer with headaches. This number increases to 27-32% at the age of 13-14 years for a headache within a given month.

The authors report that chronic daily headaches affect 2-4%  of adolescent females and 0.8-2% of adolescent males. A diagnosis of chronic daily headaches is made when headaches occur more than 4 hours per day, 15 headache days per month or more, over a period of 3 consecutive months, without an underlying (medical) pathology.

In this case, a 13-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his parents for a consultation and possible care.  It was reported that the boy was suffering from headaches every day for several years. There was no history of trauma or any physical injury prior to the onset of the boy’s headaches. The boy’s mother did report her son’s headaches to his MD, who said that they were probably sinus related.  However, he did not recommend any treatment or further tests.

A chiropractic examination of the boy was conducted which included a postural inspection, palpation, and range of motion. Based on the examination findings, it was determined that the boy had multiple vertebral subluxations and chiropractic care was initiated.

The boy was initially seen two times per week for the first two weeks. Care was reduced thereafter as improvement was seen. The study reports that the boy’s response was immediate as his headaches stopped as soon as chiropractic care was started. This improvement made an immediate and profound impact on the boy’s quality of life and ability to function.

In their conclusion, the authors wrote, “This case report provides supporting evidence on the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments characterized as high-velocity, low amplitude thrust to sites of vertebral subluxations. We encourage further research on the use of this type of care in children suffering from CH, (chronic headaches).”