Migraines and Chiropractic Care

Effective Chiropractic PG County Provides Migraine Relief

Picture this: You’re sitting at your computer ready to begin the long work day ahead when all of a sudden, you notice a throbbing headache making it extremely difficult for you to concentrate. How do you tell if you’re suffering from a regular headache or a migraine? While the intensity of a migraine may vary from person to person and from attack to attack, they’re usually defined as being recurrent headaches accompanied by nausea or sensitivity to light and/or sound. The pain caused by a migraine can be so severe that it can make it virtually impossible for the sufferer to do anything other than lie perfectly still in an environment free of harsh noises and lights until the pain subsides.

Migraines are as excruciating and as awful as they sound, and they can last anywhere from four hours to three days. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason when it comes to migraine attacks and understanding their frequency or duration. While you could take an over-the-counter medication to help you alleviate the symptoms of a migraine, you could just as easily seek treatment at Effective Chiropractic PG County in Lanham, Maryland. Chiropractic care attempts to treat the underlying causes for your migraines rather than just the apparent symptoms for longer-lasting migraine relief. Chronic neck and head pain and recurring migraines and headaches are some of the most common reasons many individuals seek chiropractic care. Chiropractic treatment helps many of our patients feel proactive and empowered about taking charge of their health and well-being.

What Usually Causes Migraines, and How Can I Avoid Them?

Research about migraines is ongoing and inconclusive. It’s believed that many people who suffer from migraines are genetically predisposed, while others may find themselves at the mercy of a migraine due to hormonal changes, a lack of food or sleep, as the lingering effects of high levels of stress and muscle tension, or triggers from the environment itself. Consuming too much alcohol or caffeine may be linked to migraine attacks, as well as intense feelings of tension, stress, or anxiety. Frequently skipping meals and failing to stay adequately hydrated may also bring about migraines in some cases. Keeping a headache diary may be useful for you to identify patterns when it comes to the duration and frequency of your headaches and migraines and what likely triggered them so you can try to avoid them. It’s also pertinent information for your doctor or chiropractor to assess the type of pain you’re experiencing to determine what treatments may be the most appropriate to take.

Don’t Ignore These Warning Signs Before a Migraine

For many people, a migraine may begin with a sharp throbbing in their head. This pain could start on one side or in the back of the head, eventually working its way around to the front. This is also commonly referred to as a cervicogenic headache. The Mayo Clinic’s research about migraines indicates that women are about three times more likely than men to develop migraines. If you’re still not sure what the main differences between a headache and a migraine are, some warning signs and symptoms usually occur just before a migraine attack. Although these symptoms may vary greatly, you should be on the lookout for:

Throbbing pain in your head (usually on one side)
Disturbed or double vision
Vision loss or blind spots
Sensitivity to lights, smells, and sounds
Severe nausea and vomiting
Dizziness, fever, weakness, or shortness of breath
Numbness or tingling sensations in your face, arms, or legs
Diarrhea or constipation
Fatigue or uncontrollable yawning
Unexplained depression or euphoria (extreme mood swings)
Increased urination
Unusual food cravings
Irritability, restlessness, or difficulty concentrating
Speech problems or confusion
Muscle stiffness
Insomnia (headaches keeping you awake all night)
Nasal congestion
Neck pain and stiffness
Ringing in your ears

Are There Different Types of Migraines?

Technically, yes, there are different classifications of migraines as defined by the International Headache Society and adopted by the World Health Organization. The International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD), established by the International Headache Society in 1988 and since updated several times, classifies most migraines under one of two categories: migraines with aura and migraines without aura. The word aura means symptom, and it’s usually defined as being a perceptual disturbance when describing a migraine. A migraine with aura may cause the sufferer to experience an intense light, an unpleasant odor, or confusing thoughts and images similar to hallucinations. In extreme cases, a migraine with aura can lead to a migraine-triggered epileptic seizure, fainting, or loss of balance.

How Are Migraines Usually Diagnosed and Treated?

It’s a staggering statistic that more than half of migraine sufferers will never seek a proper diagnosis. Headaches that seem to be getting worse, more frequent, or that interfere with your daily routine shouldn’t be ignored – pain is typically your body’s way of telling you that something’s amiss. If you suspect that you’re suffering from migraines, you should consult a physician for a diagnosis. Analyzing your family medical history is a good starting point since many believe in the genetic predisposition of migraines. Your doctor may order blood tests to see if you have an infection in your spinal cord or brain that could be triggering your migraines. They may also request an MRI or CT scan (x-rays) to get a better picture of what’s happening with your brain and nervous system. Diagnosing migraines usually takes physical and neurological examination, but this is necessary to understand and treat your condition. While your doctor may prescribe pain-relieving medications, many individuals also seek chiropractic care, especially if their attacks last more than 12 hours at a time, occur every month, or become so excruciating that the medications don’t seem to alleviate their symptoms.

What Type of Chiropractic Treatment Provides Migraine Relief?

Our chiropractors take a holistic approach at Effective Chiropractic PG County, employing various techniques to treat the underlying causes of migraines instead of merely focusing on their symptoms. A chiropractic adjustment or spinal manipulation may help alleviate stress on your nervous system and improve spinal function. We may also recommend physical therapy and rehabilitation to help relieve recurring joint irritation or muscle tension that could be behind your migraines. Sometimes just taking a break from your routine of sitting in front of a computer or television all day and getting up and stretching can help you alleviate neck pain and headaches by improving your range of motion. We’d be happy to provide you with at-home stretches and exercises that may also relieve pain and discomfort.

Is There Anything I Should Be Doing at Home for My Migraines?

In addition to chiropractic care, it may be necessary for you to make healthy lifestyle changes to get the most from our treatments. You should talk to your doctor before taking any health-related advice, but getting the proper amount of sleep at night, exercising regularly, drinking plenty of water, eating nutritious foods, and avoiding excessive amounts of sugary foods, caffeine, and alcohol are all in your best interests. If you suffer from recurring feelings of tension, stress, or anxiety, we may suggest that you also explore various relaxation techniques, including yoga or massage, to keep them at bay. Additionally, we may recommend making adjustments to the way you sleep to correct your posture.

Is Chiropractic Care More Effective Than OTC Migraine Meds?

At Effective Chiropractic PG County, encourage our patients to discuss chiropractic care with their primary physician before seeking our treatment. While chiropractic care may not be a cure for everyone suffering from migraines, many of our patients see success after our treatments. Often, we find that taking a multidisciplinary approach works best. Combining physical therapy exercises and relaxation techniques with better stress management and nutritional counseling is generally effective to reduce migraine frequency and duration. If you’re looking for a minimally-invasive method of treatment that promotes your body’s natural healing process and doesn’t rely heavily on over-the-counter or prescribed pain medications, then chiropractic care is an alternative that you should strongly consider.

How to Get Migraine Relief in PG County, Maryland Today

A migraine is so much more than another headache. Migraines have a tremendous effect upon an individual’s quality of life, impacting everything from their ability to work to their ability to socialize with friends and family. If you suffer from migraines, you owe it to yourself to discover how chiropractic care can help alleviate the chronic discomfort and pain caused by your migraines. Please schedule an appointment at Effective Chiropractic PG County to speak with our staff about effective migraine relief in the Lanham, Maryland area. We’re here to help patients from all walks of life manage chronic or debilitating pain through our tried-and-true chiropractic techniques that are personalized to suit whatever ails you. Don’t just power through the pain. Visit us today for a free chiropractic consultation in Lanham, Millersville, or Crofton, MD to see what we can do for your migraines!