Everything You Need to Know About Migraines and How to Treat Them
Migraine Relief in Lanham, Maryland
Everything You Need to Know About Migraines
If you suffer from migraines, you know just how debilitating they can be. More than just headaches, migraines also bring with them a range of additional symptoms, from nausea to mood swings, that make them even more difficult to manage.
Fortunately, migraine relief is available, and it doesn’t have to include medications that carry long lists of side effects. Chiropractic care is a powerful weapon against migraines, and offers long-lasting results by treating the root of the problem instead of just the symptoms. Here is what you need to know about migraines and how a chiropractor can help you treat them.
Migraines 101
Most people think of migraines as severe headaches, but they are more than that. Most migraines are characterized by intensely painful headaches on one side of the head, but that is just one symptom of many. That is because migraines are actually a neurological condition that tends to run in families and that most often impacts women.
In addition to head pain, migraines also cause nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, tingling, and difficulty speaking. Migraine mood swings are also common. Some people experience migraines without head pain as a symptom. This is most common in people who have dealt with chronic migraines for an extended period of time.
Stages of Migraines
Migraines have four stages. The first stage, called the prodrome stage, occurs a few days before a migraine. This stage is different for everyone, but generally indicates a migraine will occur soon. Some common symptoms include excessive yawning, increased urination, food cravings, and mood swings. Aura is the second stage, and it is not experienced by everyone. Aura includes visual and auditory disturbances, weakness in one side of the body, and difficulty speaking.
The migraine itself is the third stage, called the attack. This is when the symptoms are most severe, including the debilitating head pain. When the attack passes—typically between four and 72 hours later—the post-drome stage begins. During this recovery stage, it is common to feel severe fatigue. Some people also have ongoing mood swings during this stage.
Causes of Migraines
One of the difficulties of having migraines is that there is no singular cause. However, most people have triggers that can set off migraines. It can help to keep a journal about your migraines to see if you can recognize any patterns to identify your triggers. Some common triggers include:
- Hormone changes
- Barometric pressure changes
- Certain medications
- Skipping meals
- Dehydration
- Bright lights
- Stress
- Sleep deprivation
Migraine Relief With Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic treatment offers a non-invasive, natural option for migraine relief. Spinal manipulation and muscle therapy both mitigate headache and migraine pain and reduce the risk of future headaches. Your chiropractor will also work with you to identify other treatments that should be part of your migraine relief plan, including physical therapy, strengthening exercises, acupressure, and more.
Choose Effective Chiropractic PG County for Migraine Relief
Take the first step towards putting migraine pain behind you by scheduling an appointment with Effective Chiropractic in PG County. Our chiropractors in Lanham, MD, will create a treatment plan that is customized for your needs, to help you get control over chronic migraine pain. Contact us to set up a consultation for migraine relief.