A resounding “YES” ! If migraines have you feeling unproductive and looking for a dark room to hibernate in, you are not alone. It is estimated that in the United States, migraines affect an estimated 38 million people, including children. Migraines rank #3 among prevalent illnesses in the world and #6 among disabling illnesses! Furthermore, over 90% of people who suffer from migraines cannot function normally or even work during an attack.
Migraines can be extremely painful and difficult to stop once they begin. The best treatment for migraines is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. The common medical approach is through medication, but they all have their side effects and who wants to be on drugs for the rest of their life? One of the best and most popular preventative measure to help you become migraine free is through regular Chiropractic care.
Migraine Symptoms
A severe headache is the first thing people think of, but there are other symptoms to a migraine which include:
- Pain on one or both sides of your head
- Visual disturbances/Blurry vision
- Lightheadedness/Fainting
- Loss of motor function (arms, legs, etc.)
- Hypersensitivity to touch, taste, smell
Migraines are known to last anywhere from 20-minutes to most of the day. Doctors don’t know the exact cause of migraines but know there are certain triggers that can initiate an attack like:
- Sleep problems
- Weather changes
- Skipping meals
- Food additives
- Stress
- Hormonal changes
Chiropractic for Migraines
There are certain treatments such as massage therapy, chiropractic, acupressure and lifestyle changes that may help migraines. Chiropractic for migraines is a popular choice. We at Beacon Chiropractic use a variety of techniques when treating your migraine. Spinal manipulation is the main technique we use since it helps balance your body and can relieve your pain and prevent future migraines! Your skull is made of up several bones so that your head can expand and grow as your body develops. The bones can slip out of place and that causes cerebral spinal fluid to get trapped, so make sure your chiropractor checks your skull for subluxations.
Besides getting regular chiropractic care there are a few other things you can do
- Drink plenty of water (half your body weight in ounces, i.e if you weight 200 lbs the goal is to drink 100 oz of water/day)
- Notice for any foods that trigger or relieve your headaches
- Minimize your stress – popular ways are :
- Exercising
- Meditating
- Taking a 5-20 minute “me” time to get away and re-prioitize
One research study found that 72% of migraine sufferers benefitted from Chiropractic Treatment with significant or substantial improvement. This is proof that Chiropractic can be an effective treatment option for relieving pain and preventing migraines. Call us today at (503) 397-4000 and get on the road to health!