Staff Writer
Anyone who suffers from migraines knows how debilitating and miserable they can be. The severe pain, nausea, and extreme sensitivity to light, smell, temperature, and sound sometimes affect sufferers for hours or days at a time. While mainstream medicine provides some relief with over the counter and prescription medications, chiropractic care has been shown to be an effective treatment for those suffering from chronic migraines.
Although migraines are not completely understood, they do seem to follow intense, acute tightening and releasing of the blood vessels at the base of the head and neck.
Those who get migraine headaches report various triggers, such as bright lights, noise, scents, or certain foods. Why do migraines happen? There appear to be are a number of factors, including genetics, environmental factors, changes in the brainstem (the transition between the brain and the spinal cord), and levels of serotonin, which helps regulate pain signals within the nervous system.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Due to everyday stresses like anxiety, physical work, and chemical pollutants in the body, the spine often becomes subluxated, which means the spine’s lost its proper alignment. These subluxations not only lead to muscle tensions and twitching but also hinder the functionality of the nervous system and affect the balance and wellness of the entire body.
Subluxations located in the neck (or cervical spine) are believed to contribute to migraine headaches. With chiropractic care, patients report less severe, less frequent, and sometimes complete elimination of migraine headaches. Patients also enjoy freedom from prescription and over the counter medications and any related side effects.
Causes of Migraine Headaches
The cause of migraine headaches is not completely understood; however, there are a number of factors that appear to play a role, including genetics, environmental factors, changes in the brainstem (the transition between the brain and the spinal cord), and the level of serotonin, which helps regulate pain signals within the nervous system. Certain triggers may exacerbate migraine attacks, including:
Chiropractic Treatment for Migraine Headaches
Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to decrease the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches significantly. In fact, studies have shown chiropractic to be as effective as taking certain types of medication to prevent the onset of migraines. Additionally, one study showed that 22% of those who received chiropractic adjustments reported more than a 90% reduction of attacks, and 49% reported a significant reduction in the intensity of each migraine.
When your chiropractor delivers an adjustment to relieve pressure from the nervous system, it allows the nervous system to function the way it was designed. Your nervous system controls and coordinates every function of the body, so when interference exists, pressure occurs. The result can be pain and dysfunctions like migraines.
In addition, chiropractic care may also include lifestyle recommendations. Improving your diet and exercise habits can help with migraine attacks and result in an overall improvement of your health over the long term.
CUKC Chiropractic Health Center
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), founded in 1922, is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic and health science-focused university in Overland Park, Kansas. The CUKC on-campus Chiropractic Health Center is open to the public and treats patients from Kansas City’s 15-county metro area. Our goal is to provide care and solutions for a better, more productive life for our patients.
