Headaches: A common spinal health condition costing Australia $35.7 billion annually
During national Spinal Health Week 2023 (22-28 May 2023) Michael & David Black Chiropractic Group is tackling spine-related headaches head on by increasing awareness of the painful condition and promoting improved spinal health to limit the impact headaches have on the quality of life of more than 46% of the population.
For more than 25 years, Spinal Health Week has been the leading national community health initiative dedicated to promoting the importance of maintaining good spinal health and wellbeing.
In 2023, the campaign’s focus is on preventing spine-related headaches to reduce the negative impact headaches have on families, workers, businesses and the national economy.
Dr David Cahill, President of the Australian Chiropractors Association said, “More Australians suffer from migraine or tension headaches than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined; causing lost social activity, concentration and productivity at home and in the workplace having far-reaching effects on businesses, organisations and the national economy.”
Dr. Michael Black of Michael & David Black Chiropractic Group said, “With more than 7 million Australians suffering from debilitating tension headaches and more than 4.9 million suffering chronic migraine, spine-related headaches costs the Australian economy more than $35.7 billion annually.”
“While the cost to employers and the national economy is in the billions, the real cost to headache sufferers is immeasurable with the burden of headaches impacting their overall quality of life.
“Headaches can greatly limit productivity at work and study and rob sufferers of essential relaxation, social activities and precious time with children, family and friends,” (he/she said).
“By improving spinal health and tackling the causes of headaches we can improve the quality of life of sufferers to limit the impact headaches have on their lives and on the community as a whole,” Dr. Black said.
Headaches relating to spinal health conditions can be cervicogenic (neck related) while tension headaches and migraines can be triggered by neck and spinal problems. Migraine and tension headaches are the most common headache disorders, but there are many types of headaches, and many triggers that can cause them with some of the most common causes being stress (at home, work and school) and spinal health conditions caused by a wide range of activities.
By visiting spinalhealthweek.org.au headache sufferers can download a free Headache Factsheet and learn how most spine-related headaches can be treated and in many cases, prevented.
Through an effective holistic drug-free approach to managing spinal health which encompasses stress management, good posture, regular exercise, rest and a healthy diet, sufferers can stop headaches from holding them back and take back control of their health and wellbeing.
Spinal Health Week is the national community health initiative of the Australian Chiropractors Association dedicated to promoting the importance of maintaining good spinal health and wellbeing.
SPINAL HEALTH WEEK 2023 (22-28 MAY)
For more information about national Spinal Health Week 2023 and the impact of headaches on sufferers, please visit spinalhealthweek.org.au or contact the ACA on 1800 075 003.
REFERENCES
Deloitte, ‘Migraine in Australia Whitepaper’, accessed 3/3/23, https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/economics/articles/migraine-australia-whitepaper.html
Tuchin PJ, Pollard H, Bonello R 2000, A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. Feb;23(2):91-5. PMID: 10714533, accessed 9/3/23, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10714533/
Castien RF, van der Windt DA, Grooten A, Dekker J. Effectiveness of manual therapy for chronic tension-type headache: A pragmatic, randomised, clinical trial. Cephalalgia. 2011;31(2):133-143, accessed 9/3/23, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0333102410377362
Dunning J. et al, 2016, ‘Upper cervical and upper thoracic manipulation versus mobilization and exercise in patients with cervicogenic headache: a multi-center randomized clinical trial’, BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2016 Feb 6;17:64, accessed 9/3/23, Upper cervical and upper thoracic manipulation versus mobilization and exercise in patients with cervicogenic headache: a multi-center randomized clinical trial – PubMed (nih.gov), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26852024/
