About 36 million Americans suffer from the debilitating headaches known as migraines, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. Women between the ages of 25 and 55 are the likeliest victims. Migraine headaches can last anywhere from a few hours to three days, drastically compromising individuals’ work, social and family lives and often landing them in emergency rooms. Other issues may accompany the migraine, such as nausea, visual disturbances, dizziness, tingling and sensitivity to light, sound, smell and touch.

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Symptoms

Migraines often start on one side of the head, but may spread to both sides. Typically, the worst pain is around the sides of the forehead. Many sufferers experience what’s called an aura. This visual disturbance may manifest itself as a temporary blind spot, blurred vision, zigzag lines or flashing lights. When a migraine occurs, sufferers likely feel irritable, depressed and simply want to lie down in a dark and quiet room.

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Causes

Why do some people get migraines and others don’t? Researchers aren't sure. Genetics seem to play a part. When the migraine starts, blood vessels constrict, which can cause the changes in vision. Then the vessels dilate, flooding the brain with blood and ramping up the headache.

Triggers vary between individuals. Alcohol and certain foods, such as chocolate, aged cheeses or meals containing nitrates or MSG, launch many a headache. For other people, crying, stress, odors, hormonal fluctuation or loud noises can trigger migraines.

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Treatment

Unfortunately, researchers haven’t yet figured out how to cure migraines. Treatment focuses on two fronts: preventing migraines and decreasing pain once a headache is underway.

If you suffer from migraines, keep a headache journal. Recording the events in the 24 hours preceding your migraine can help you identify triggers. If your headaches coincide with eating certain foods, prevention may require a change in diet. If stress triggers migraines, learning relaxation techniques could be helpful.

Many doctors prescribe medications for preventing migraines, including beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and even Botox. Sufferers can also take drugs that constrict blood vessels in the brain as soon as they feel a headache coming on. These approaches work for some people, but most medications have side effects.

Alternative therapies for preventing migraine headaches include massage, herbs, nutritional supplements and acupuncture. Sufferers and researchers have experimented with many vitamins, herbs and minerals. 

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Chiropractic Care and Migraines

Chiropractic care has a long history of successfully treating headaches and migraines. Our Delray Beach/Palm Beach chiropractor have extensive understanding of subtle issues occurring in the spine which, due to its connection with the nervous system, is very often the source of pain. A chiropractic treatment starts with a thorough evaluation that will rule out other possible causes of your headache and examine your spine for issues of misalignment.

The assessment will determine the exact type of treatment that is necessary for the specific issue at the root of the pain. Using gentle and non-invasive techniques a chiropractor is able to achieve adjustments to the spine that, although they may seem subtle, can provide almost instant relief and restore your long term health. Unlike medications which treat the problem on the surface level and provide only short term relief, a chiropractic adjustment will address the cause of your headache or migraine and provide lasting results that will improve your quality of life.

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If you are struggling with migraines or headaches call our team at Delray Spinal Care Center or Palm Beach Spinal Care today for help.

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