Have you ever experienced a migraine headache? It can come on slowly or it can hit you like a bullet train. The onset of migraine symptoms are the worst, because it is so predictable.
Your head begins to feel tight and full of intense pressure as if someone were squeezing it. Your peripheral vision starts to blur as your eyes tighten. You may even fee
Millions of Americans visit their medical doctors each year complaining of headaches and migraines. Here are some shocking statistics:
Unfortunately, today’s standard medical approach for migraines consists of a brief exam, some prescription medication and a “best of luck to you”, without much thought going towards what is actually causing this pain.
What Causes A Migraine Headache?
The truth is, the root of most migraine headaches can be traced back to two major components: dehydration or spinal misalignment. Neither of which can be fixed with a prescription medication. When your spine is misaligned to the point that it causes tension on the nerves that control blood flow, the blood vessels in the head will expand resulting in swelling in the surrounding tissues of the brain. This is what causes the range of painful and uncomfortable symptoms that are experienced during a migraine.
With a root cause approach the goal is not to simply escape a current migraine or lighten the severity but to go to the actual cause and prevent future migraines from happening. The root cause can often be difficult to discover which is why it is so easily overlooked. While dehydration and spinal misalignment sound like very straightforward and solvable issues there is usually more to be unraveled for chronic migraine sufferers.
For example, while spinal misalignment is common it is not often a simple fix. The human musculoskeletal system is a complex unit of joints and muscles that act as levers and pulleys to maintain optimal alignment. You can imagine how over time postural patterns and muscle imbalances can pull your body out of it’s desired alignment leading to muscle tension and further misalignment. It’s a vicious cycle.
Migraine Headaches And Dehydration
When it comes to dehydration, that’s an easy fix… drink more water right? Unfortunately for most people with chronic migraines it isn’t always that simple. Again, take into consideration your body’s complex organ systems that work to maintain proper fluid balance and hydration status. This includes your digestive system, endocrine system, adrenal glands, circulatory system, lymphatics, muscles, kidneys, liver and every single cell that makes up your body, just to name a few.
A Systems Approach To Migraine Headaches
By taking a whole body, root cause approach, our chiropractic physicians are able to use a variety of treatment methods to correct these problems and decrease the frequency and/or duration of migraines. Spinal manipulation or adjustments can correct spinal alignment, allowing nerves and blood vessels the space they need to communicate properly, and relieve pressure put on muscles and ligaments. Massage, stretches, and functional rehabilitation exercises can also help relieve muscle tension and strengthen the spine’s supporting tissues, reducing the risk of tension-related nerve irritation and migraines precipitated by postural biomechanical stress. Functional medicine blood labs are able to give a detailed look at the internal organ systems that may be compromised or in need of a boost to support the body’s detoxification and improve hydration status.
Can Chiropractors Help Migraine Headaches?
They can help, although they do not always help. Much like any other professional, competency varies from professional to professional. Thrive Health Systems has produced many case studies of patients dealing with migraine headaches who have overcome them and experienced breakthrough results. This is not guaranteed as every patient is different, but by taking a systems approach, we can often get to the root cause of the migraine and address it effectively.
