Do you suffer from migraines? Do you want to relieve the pain naturally? Did your previous attempts to prevent and relieve migraines fail?
If you answered “YES” to all the above questions, read on. What most people who suffer from migraine don’t realise is that the pain you experience can indeed be relieved naturally. Although, visiting a chiropractor for your migraine probably hasn’t crossed your mind, it may be time for you to do just that. Chiropractic is extremely beneficial in combating migraine. Throughout this post, we’ll discuss migraines and how chiro can help you overcome them.
How is migraine defined?
Migraine is defined as a severe headache which causes a pulsing sensation in a specific area of the head, and is usually accompanied by sensitivity to light, vomiting, and nausea. Migraines are caused by an enlargement in the blood vessels in the head. This process is called vasodilatation. Studies however point out that the exact reason for this occurrence is still relatively unknown. What they do know is that migraines have a number of different triggers.
Migraine triggers
Migraines are triggered by any of the following; environmental stimulus (chemical stress), physical stresses or emotional stress. The most common migraine triggers include:
- Hormonal changes – fluctuations of estrogen can trigger migraines, which is why some women report having severe migraines before or during the menstruation
- Chocolate
- Red wine
- Aged cheese
- Salty or processed foods
- Food additives such as artificial sweeteners (aspartame) or MSG
- Caffeine
- Stress
- Medications
- Weather changes
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Bright lights
- Smells such as perfume, paint, smoke
- Computer screens
- Dehydration
- Vigorous exercise
Who is affected by migraines?
Unlike “regular” headaches, migraines can have a significant impact on a person’s life. For example, some migraine sufferers aren’t even able to go to work. However, the pain isn’t the only thing that accompanies migraines. Migraine sufferers also report experiencing flickering in the nerves or seeing black spots before the migraine attack. Similarly, one of the most severe after-effects of migraines includes fear of noises, sounds and other environmental triggers.
Although everyone can suffer migraines, including children, the following group of people is at a higher risk:
- People who have a family history of migraines – up to 90% of migraine sufferers have a history of migraine attacks in their family
- Age – migraine attacks can start at any age, but usually, by the age of 40 most people will have already experienced their first attack
- Gender – women are more prone to migraines than men
- Women with hormonal fluctuations (menstruation, pregnancy, menopause)
How to treat and prevent migraine?
Migraines are usually treated with medication. However, medication don’t treat the underlying causes, and most of them are associated with a number of side effects.
Ideally, the best way to prevent migraine pain or decrease its severity is through the identification of the trigger behind it. In order to identify the trigger, you can keep a ‘trigger diary’ that contains following info:
- What and when you eat
- Information about delayed or missed meals
- Medication
- Work and social activities
- Bowel movements
- Intake of any health products such as supplements or vitamins
- Exercise
- Amount of sleep
- Environmental factors like weather changes
- Menstrual cycle details
- The onset of pain
- The affected head area
- The severity and duration of the migraine attack
- Other symptoms that come with the attack like vomiting or nausea
You should review your trigger diary after experiencing at least three migraine attacks. Keeping a diary regularly will tell you what factors repeat in association with the migraine attack, and you can identify your trigger.
Chiropractic to the rescue
If you’re sick and tired of taking medications that don’t help and trying pain relief methods that fail to give the desired result, then it’s time for you to visit a chiropractor.
Recent clinical studies confirm that chiropractic can help prevent or alleviate migraine attacks by decreasing stress levels in the patient’s body. Stress is one of the major migraine triggers, and with the hectic lifestyle most people have today, it’s no wonder that migraine attacks occur more frequently than ever.
In some people, migraines can originate from the spine. Misalignment of the vertebrae (bones of spinal column) or subluxation (partial dislocation) irritates the nerves which travel the length of the spine all the way to the brain. These misalignments makes the individual prone to various chemical imbalances in the brain. Chiropractors can realign the vertebrae to relieve the pressure against inflamed nerves and relieve the pain.
If you want to avoid experiencing severe migraine pain you can visit a chiropractor. Schedule a session with Richmond Chiro, Clarence Ho. Feel free to contact us.
