The story of migraines: Imagining waking up and knowing you have a busy day ahead of you. Your time is packed tightly, but you are confident you can get everything done if you keep on schedule. All of a sudden, you begin to get a flash of light in your eyes. Panic sets in. It is the dreaded migraine. This is not something you have time for today. You make a few phone calls, cancel your plans, and head back to bed, hoping nothing happens to disturb the rest of the day. You know you will be in bed resting until the pain subsides. The pain may last for a few hours or may linger all day. Either way, you are going to be left exhausted for at least a day or two afterward. You try to think back on what causes your migraines to occur. What are some common triggers for migraines?
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A migraine is known for pulsating or throbbing head pain that is usually moderate to severe in intensity. It can be on only one side or both sides of the head. It is made worse by strenuous physical activity, bright lights, loud noises, and certain smells. Nausea and vomiting often accompany it, along with dizziness and visual disturbances.
Migraines can begin at any age. However, they commonly start during puberty or young adulthood. Most people who suffer from migraines have them fewer than 15 days during the month. However, those with chronic migraines experience them more than 15 days during a month’s time. Women get migraines 3 times more often than men. After the age of 50, in most cases, migraines seem to improve or go away. In the USA, 39 million people experience migraines. Worldwide, this number is 1 billion. Migraines have been seen to run in families. More than half of those with migraines have a close family member who has migraines too.
In women, estrogen can be to blame for migraines. This may be the reason for women to get more migraines than men. The problem seems to happen when estrogen levels fluctuate. During puberty, migraines are much more prevalent among girls than boys. Some women have what is referred to as a menstrual migraine -- a migraine that happens before, during or just after menstruation. When a woman is pregnant, the third trimester seems to cause fewer migraines, possibly due to the fact that estrogen levels are fairly stable at this point. Migraines seem to increase after birth when estrogen levels decrease rapidly. As menopause begins, migraines often become worse as estrogen levels fluctuate greatly. Oral contraceptives containing estrogen and estrogen therapy can make migraines much worse and increase the threat of stroke in women who experience an aura before their migraines.
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When visiting your family physician for migraines, he or she will more than likely recommend a prescription drug to help either prevent the onset of a migraine or ease it up once it occurs. Some of these drugs may include:
Remember, these drugs may give you temporary relief, but unless the root cause of migraines is addressed, they will continue to occur.
There are some things you can do at home to try to help your migraine pain. For one thing, keeping a migraine diary may help. By doing this you can keep track of what you were doing before a migraine attack. Such things as foods eaten, stress levels, weather conditions, and physical activity are good things to jot down. Once you see a pattern develop, you can often find what your personal triggers are and work at avoiding these things leading to fewer migraines. Behavioral intervention is also recommended. This means using such things as relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and managing your stress levels.
One of the triggers mentioned above was improper posture. Another reason for migraines can be a head or neck injury. This has seen to be true in many cases. A misalignment in the bones of the upper cervical spine, particularly the C1 or C2 vertebra, can cause a series of events and eventually lead to migraines.
The C1 and C2 were designed to act as protectors to the brainstem. However, they are also susceptible to misaligning due to their location and mobility. If they move out of place, a few things can occur. For one, communication from the body coming through the brainstem to the brain can become distorted. A misalignment puts the brainstem under stress and causes it to malfunction. Another problem that can occur is that a misalignment can act as a hindrance to the flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid to and from the brain. A buildup of this fluid can cause intracranial pressure and lead to a migraine. Lack of blood to bring oxygen to the brain can also be a reason for migraines to happen. A misalignment can also irritate nerves and muscles, leading to migraines.
We, as NUCCA chiropractors, have been trained to find the tiny misalignments located in the neck and work to correct them using a gentle and unique method instead of popping or cracking the spine. A 16-year-old girl had been having migraines since she was a young child. After seeking the care of an upper cervical chiropractor, involving a series of 5 adjustments to her neck, she was able to discontinue the use of her migraine medication. Instead of 1 to 2 migraines weekly, she now has mild headaches only a few times a month.
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