Chiropractic care For Migraines
Updated: Jul 27, 2022
Migraine is not “just another headache”. It can cause severe pain and throbbing usually on one side of your head. And this often comes with vomiting, nausea, and increased sensitivity to sound and light. The individuals dealing with this may experience warning symptoms or “auras” before an episode. It could be tingling sensations on your body or some visual disturbances.
There are two kinds of migraines based on the symptoms one might experience-
- Migraine with aura symptoms: For example– Ocular or stroke migraine. One may experience headaches along with aura symptoms.
- Migraine without aura symptoms: This includes pulsating aches on one side of your head. This does not come with warning symptoms.
- Ocular or Retinal migraines bring on visual disturbances like tunnel vision or flashing light spots.
- Those with stroke migraines may experience headaches with muscle weakness. It could also cause temporary paralysis on one side of your body.
In the medical field, it is considered to be an “incurable” headache. Even though migraine medications do exist, some of these medications come with many side effects. It is one of the reasons why people are looking for natural alternatives.
Migraines have a variety of symptoms. But in my experience, a vast majority of patients associate their condition with muscle pain, muscle spasms, neck stiffness, and neck pain. This is why at Lotus Chiropractic care, I consider spinal alignment to be key in healing a migraine.
The major symptoms
Migraines are often left undiagnosed by some. This can lead to serious medical problems and an extremely stressful life. If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, I advise you to get proper care and get yourself diagnosed.
- Prodrome: A warning stage
A couple of days before your headache, you may experience some changes or discomfort in your body. This includes-
Neck stiffness
Increased urination
Mood changes
Constipation
Constant yawning
- Aura symptoms
Some may experience visual or other disturbances just before or during a migraine episode. This could last several minutes or even an hour.
Vision loss
Flashing lights, bright spots, or tunnel vision
Numbness or weakness on one side of your body or face
Difficulty in speaking
- The attack
I would describe migraine headaches as “throbbing”, “pulsating” pain on one or both sides of your head. If it isn’t treated, this may last up to 2-3 days.
What could be causing your migraine?
For the most part, the “true cause” of migraine is unknown. Yet, certain factors are known to trigger migraine episodes. These are the most common causes–
- Trauma to head and neck from falls or auto-accidents
- Constant anxiety or stress
- Irregular sleeping patterns
- Significant hormonal changes
- Sensitivity to certain chemicals or preservatives in food
- Frequent exposure to flashing lights or fluorescent lights
- Weather changes
- Postural distortion
How I can help
1. Analyzing your spinal alignment
A misaligned spine may cause headaches and migraines. This is because spine misalignment can irritate the nerves that go through the spine to your head and face area. But this may not always be the case. An evaluation can be done to determine this.
2. Correcting your posture
Poor posture can cause tension in your neck, upper back, and shoulders. This will only add to your migraine. Your head alignment can be corrected so that your muscles are relaxed.
3. Check if you need NUCCA
Your body’s inability to deal with physical stress in the upper neck can be a big factor behind migraine. NUCCA could help fix this. It focuses on correcting the misalignment of your upper cervical spine.
You may or may not need this. A thorough examination can be conducted to find out what’s best for you. In most cases, patients show major imbalances in their bodies. It could be a shoulder being lower than the other, head tilting to one side, or other misalignments.
My experience with Jeannine
Jeannine is a Pilates instructor who had a terrible case of stroke migraine. Her headaches would often come with aura symptoms.
At the onset of her headache, she experienced blurry vision, tunnel vision, and prism vision, along with partial paralysis. She was unable to move her left arm. Her hands and legs would turn blueish and would feel cold–even in the summer. The visual symptoms would linger even without migraine.
Things had gotten serious. Her migraine episodes made it difficult for her to teach effectively or even drive.
After close examination, Jeannine got NUCCA care at my clinic. Her head and neck were tilting to create a kink. We worked to align her C1 bone to reduce pressure on the brain stem and vertebral arteries. We also reduced the tension in the sub occipital muscles.
After her first adjustment, Jeannine had no prism vision and experienced absolute clarity in her vision for the first time. She no longer had cold hands and feet, and her skin color returned to normal.
The frequency of her episodes had reduced. Whenever she experienced a headache, she would come back for a realignment. That was about once every three months. Jeannine’s life had changed since she knew the best way to resolve her migraine upon onset.
Migraine treatment at Lotus Chiropractic Care
Dr. Tanvi is one of the top chiropractors in Georgia, and she’s here to help you. At Lotus Chiropractic Care, Dunwoody–spinal health is considered key to a healthy life.
Migraine is a neurological condition. Ensuring a healthy and well-functioning spine can help reduce your headaches. We’ll also prescribe lifestyle recommendations that could help you avoid some headache triggers.
Know that there are natural ways to get you relief from your condition. That’s what we’re here to provide.