A Headache You Can Do Without

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Migraine sufferers know all too well the throb, throb, throb deep within their heads as a migraine begins to take shape like a thundercloud on a hot summer day.  These first seismic tremors are just a warning sign of things to come.  Kind of like an orchestra warming up before a concert.  For many, a full blown migraine can be debilitating, forcing them to cancel appointments and prepare for a long, rough ride to recovery. What some migraine sufferers do not know is that there are a number of triggers to the malady, as well as some treatments that they may not have considered.

The Onset to Upset

In the first place, there are actually two types of migraine headache, known as the classic and the common migraine.  The classic, which is experienced by 15% of sufferers is often preceded by what is known as an aura, that exhibits a number of symptoms, including the sensation of flashing lights, or even a temporary blind spot.  This precursor can last as long as a half hour, only to be followed by the full blown migraine headache, nausea and extreme sensitivity to light.  Lasting between three hours and three days, this type of migraine is almost completely debilitating once it has begun, requiring those afflicted to lie in a cool dark room until it has passed.

The common migraine, experienced by 85% of sufferers (the majority of whom are women, commonly manifests itself as a throbbing headache localized to one side of the head. Unlike the classic migraine, those afflicted with the common variety can usually carry on with the tasks at hand.

Regardless of the kind of migraine, there are a number of common triggers that can bring one on.

1.      Food containing caffeine or nitrates, such as chocolate, coffee or wine

2.      Stressful situations

3.      Some medications, especially vasodilators

4.      Menstruation

5.      Excessive tension in the back and neck

While the causative mechanisms are not entirely understood, migraines are thought to be related to such things as changes in blood flow and/or chemical changes in the nervous system that interfere with nerve signals.  Research has shown that the majority of migraines start not in the brain, but in the spine.  It isn’t unusual for even a subtle misalignment in the spine to irritate or even obstruct the nerves that carry signals to the brain.

This is one of the reasons that chiropractic treatment can be a godsend to migraine sufferers.  Studies have shown that adjusting the vertebrae can relieve the pressure that can cause either type of migraine headache.  Spinal manipulation can also relax tension in the neck, upper back and shoulders, which if left unchecked can be trigger a migraine. These same studies have also shown that periodic chiropractic adjustments can help to reduce the occurrence of migraines.

In one clinical trial conducted at Macquarie University, by Dr. Peter Tuchin, "Around 22 per cent of patients had substantial reduction after chiropractic treatment - which means that more than 60 percent of their symptoms reduced during the course of the treatment," Tuchin says. "What makes this a really strong result is that this was a really chronic group - the average length of time they'd had migraine was 18 years. To get a change of that sort of magnitude in a really chronic group was quite amazing.

"Another 50 per cent had quite noticeable improvement. They either found that the frequency of the migraines was less, the length of time they had them was less or that they didn't need to use their medications as much. This last result is very significant because some of the migraine medications are very strong drugs which have lots of side effects. Some of the migraine medications also have the problem of giving instant relief to the migraine, but creating another 'rebound migraine' the next day."  http://www.news-medical.net/news/2005/05/22/10268.aspx

If you or someone you know suffers from migraines, urge them to consult a chiropractor.  Sometimes even a single treatment is enough to ward off the onset of migraine and the symptoms that are associated with an attack.  That’s one headache we can all do without.

Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments for back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat auto accident victims with state-of-the-art technologies.  For more information visit http://endyourpain.org or http://lakewoodchiropracticjax.com