Do Migraines hold you back from fully experiencing life? When I was a teenager my migraines would severely affect everything in my life. I was looking for a solution. The only solution at the time was constant medications. These medications only numbed the pain and did not get to the cause of why they were killing me. My parents decided to try Chiropractic. I was skeptical at first but I was willing to do anything to help. After a few months of care my years of Migraines were 65% better. I was off almost all medications and able to express the health and life of a teenager. There are many others who are going through the same pain. Dahlof et al. conducted a study of 138 migraine sufferers in order to examine their overall well-being compared to a control group. It was found that the following areas were affected (even when not in a migraine episode)
- Decreased sleep
- Greater emotional suffering
- Increased symptom sensitivity
- Lessened vitality
While it may feel that migraines have taken over your life, it is important not to give up hope. Here at Yarmouth Spinal Care, we offer a natural solution that looks at a potential root cause of your migraines.
Your Spine and Migraines
Your spine is responsible for protecting your spinal cord. Your spinal cord is responsible for sending messages to and from your brain. When the top bone in your spine (atlas) misaligns, this creates tension within your spinal cord. This pressure causes distortions with the brain to body communication. This may lead to migraine symptoms, such as head or facial pain and muscle spasm.
We are trained in upper cervical chiropractic – a gentle, specific approach aimed at correcting the atlas. Upper cervical chiropractic is incredibly precise, and every correction is tailored to each individual patient. Through realignment of the atlas, there is reduced pressure on the spinal cord. This allows for proper signals to be sent to and from the brain. This may lead to a reduction in migraine symptoms.
Palmer et al. studied 47 patients with non-migraine headaches. After two weeks of upper cervical chiropractic care (and only one correction), the subjects had a significant reduction in headache pain. They found that after 3-4 months of care, their headache symptoms decreased by 75% on average.
References
- Dahlof C, Dimenas E. Migraine patients experience poorer subjective well-being/quality of life even between attacks. Cephalalgia [Internet]. 1995 [cited 29 February 2016];15(1):31-36. Available from: https://cep.sagepub.com/content/15/1/31.short
- Palmer J, Dickholtz M. Improvement in Radiographic Measurements, Posture, Pain & Quality of Life in Non-migraine Headache Patients Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care: A Retrospective Practice Based Study. Annals Vert Sub Res [Internet]. 2009 [cited 29 February 2016];2009(June):1-11. Available from: https://www.mccoypress.net/annals/docs/2009-1287_nucca.pdf
