Chiropractic Treatment For Migraines – Migraines are a common type of headache which is characterized by intense, throbbing pain that is typically unilateral, lasting for only hours and resolving spontaneously. According to the World Health Organization, migraine is the third most disabling illness in the world.
Migraine is a neurological disease, which is a disorder of the brain or nerves. It results in severe pain in one side of the head along with other symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. If you are having repeated migraines then it can be a sign that something is wrong with your nervous system. Will chiropractic treatment help? Read on – Chiropractic Treatment For Migraines
Research has established the relationship between migraine and the nervous system and suggests that chiropractic treatment could be an effective treatment.
Chiropractic treatments for migraine include many different types of therapies. It can include spinal adjustments, massage therapy, spinal manipulation, and other natural methods like deep tissue massage.
Chiropractic treatment helps in not only reduce the severity of a migraine but also relieves the patient from headaches as well as other physical symptoms associated with migraine including neck and back pain as well as tightness in the shoulders and jaw muscles.
A chiropractor may use gentle hands-on techniques, such as joint mobilization or muscle energy techniques (e.g., muscle stripping), which can often relieve a migraine headache within a few minutes. It is also important that these treatments are done consistently to achieve lasting effects on the brain’s neurotransmitters.
According to the World Health Organization, the exact cause of migraine is still unclear. Some studies suggest that migraines can be inherited. Also, changes in hormones, such as estrogen, during a woman’s menstrual cycle can trigger migraine attacks. Other factors that may contribute to migraines include:
Studies suggest that up to 75% of migraineurs have family members with similar headaches. A genetic predisposition to migraine is not the same thing as making triggers that worsen or start a migraine. Genetics may explain why some people are more prone to developing migraines than others, but it does not directly cause headaches.
Several medications have been implicated in causing migraines including anti-depressants and over-the-counter pain killers such as aspirin or acetaminophen.
Changes in hormone levels during a woman’s menstrual cycle may trigger migraines. Estrogen makes the blood-brain barrier less permeable, allowing more chemicals (e.g., serotonin) to seep into the brain and trigger a migraine headache. Many women experience migraines in their period, known as “migraine premenstrually.” In men, changes in testosterone may trigger migraines.
Foods that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) can trigger a migraine headache in some people, but they are not thought to cause migraines; they are sometimes used as means of masking the taste of foods that trigger headaches such as MSG-containing foods.
Stress can trigger a migraine but it is not well understood how it triggers the headaches. Stress can change hormones and increase muscle tension.
A head injury does not directly cause a migraine but it may trigger one. For example, a study showed that people who had migraines before the injury were more likely to have migraines after the head injury.
Some people who have undergone surgery for conditions other than migraine headaches, such as an eye operation or even a sinus operation, have been found to have migraines later in life.
Migraines are usually triggered by a trigger that is related to stress. Stress can be from the environment, emotions, relationships, or even from one’s thoughts or expectations.
Migraine is believed to originate in the brain, not the head. The discomfort of migraine headaches may be a result of interference with signals between the brain and other body parts, causing over-activity or under-activity in certain nerve cells.
Migraines can vary in both frequency and severity, but they typically meet some of the following criteria:
The symptoms of a migraine are as follows:
Chiropractic treatment helps by restoring the normal alignment of the vertebrae, which can be displaced and cause skull bones to shift. This causes pressure on nerves in the head and creates pain.
It helps to remove spine and muscle tension. This helps to restore proper blood flow, which in turn helps to reduce inflammation and relax nerve endings in the head and neck. The pressure on the nerve endings helps to reduce pain and numbness.
It has been proven that chiropractic care is one of the best natural strategies to have as a migraine treatment.
It is important to choose a chiropractic clinic that has doctors who are trained in treating migraine patients. Ask what kind of training or special certification they have in migraine headaches and make sure they have experience in treating them.
Chiropractic treatment will help to reduce migraine symptoms, but it isn’t right for everyone. Be sure to choose a doctor who is experienced in treating migraines and can offer you the best guidelines for relieving your symptoms.
A chiropractor will likely want to identify where in the spine there is pain. Treatment may involve gentle adjustments or massage on the neck, shoulders, and back muscles, as well as exercises and stretches.
Chiropractic treatments have other health benefits that go beyond the treatment of your headache. Regular visits to a chiropractor can help you address numerous concerns, including but not limited to improving your posture, reducing stress levels, enhancing nutrient absorption, and improving digestive function. Many people find that chiropractic treatments also provide a sense of overall well-being.
Migraines are a very common health issue with millions of people suffering from this painful condition globally. There is a very wide variety of treatments and medications that are used to help ease the symptoms of migraines.
Choosing the right treatment plan for your specific condition depends on several factors such as your overall health, history of migraines, age, and other factors. Chiropractic care can be an effective treatment option for migraine treatment. You should consult a chiropractor who is trained in treating migraine disorders.