Of the roughly 7 billion people alive today, nearly 1 billion of them report suffering from migraines. This staggering number becomes even more overwhelming when you realize what a migraine is: a debilitating, blinding headache combined with other symptoms. In fact, migraines are so intense (in some cases) that the sufferer can do nothing but lay down and wait for the symptoms to pass.
Despite the incredible number of people who suffer from migraines, frustratingly little is known about the condition. In this article, we will review what happens during a migraine, what causes them, and how chiropractic care is a safe and effective option for the treatment of the condition.
What Happens During a Migraine?
While every person’s experience with migraines is unique, there are some commonalities.
Migraines are a neurological condition, meaning that they involve the nervous system. For some reason, certain triggers lead to the characteristic cascade of symptoms in migraines such as:
- Intense headaches;
- Light sensitivity;
- Nausea.
In other cases, migraine sufferers may experience auras, which are strange visual phenomena such as flashing lights or dots in the field of vision.
Furthermore, some patients may not experience a headache at all, but rather some of the other common symptoms of the disorder.
Some other fast facts about migraines include:
- Symptoms can last for a few minutes, or many hours. Additionally, attacks can occur daily, weekly, monthly, or at random intervals.
- Migraines can occur in children, adolescents, adults, and elderly populations. However, symptoms often begin in childhood or early adulthood for most patients.
- Women tend to be at higher risk for migraines, but the disease often occurs in men as well.
What Causes Migraines?
Again, migraines are not very well understood, despite the huge number of patients who experience them.
The causes of migraines are often referred to as “triggers”.
Migraine triggers include a wide variety of causes such as:
- Hormone fluctuations;
- Alcohol or caffeine;
- Certain fragrances;
- Some foods;
- Physical exertion.
There are tons of reported migraine triggers available in the literature today. The above list provides a brief list of some of the major ones.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help a Migraine Sufferer?
Chiropractic care can address many different types of headaches. For example, those headaches that are caused by tension in neck muscles often resolve with treatments that loosen up said neck muscles such as massage.
However, as was indicated earlier in this article, migraines are much different than a typical headache. Migraine is a neurological condition that requires a comprehensive treatment plan.
While migraine treatments will vary for every individual, your chiropractor may choose any or all of the following options to address your migraines:
- Spinal manipulation;
- Dietary counseling;
- Trigger avoidance techniques;
- Exercise prescription;
- Massage;
- Electrical stimulation.
The traditional, western treatment methods for migraines include medications and some other treatments that only address the symptoms of the disease. These treatments also often come with devastating side effects.
True relief from any condition comes from addressing the underlying cause of the disorder. Chiropractors are experts at identifying and treating these underlying causes.
Book Your Appointment Today!
There’s no doubt that migraines are a difficult condition to live with and a difficult condition to treat. With so many potential causes and so little understanding of exactly how the disease process works, migraines are extremely frustrating for both patients and clinicians.
Luckily, there is good evidence to show that chiropractic treatment is safe and effective for migraine sufferers. If you are looking for relief from your migraines, contact Awaken Chiropractic today.
The preferred Parker chiropractors at Awaken Chiropractic will perform an in-depth assessment of your individual symptoms, design a treatment plan that works for you, and guide you every step of the way through your recovery. You don’t have to suffer through your migraines alone. Book your appointment today!
