Migraines

Headaches and migraines can be incredibly debilitating. Only those who have suffered from these conditions know how bad they can be. Often the only thing you can do when a migraine strike is to lock yourself in a dark, quiet room and try to sleep until it passes. It is for this reason, migraines significantly affect many daily activities. Migraines are also a big reason for days off work.
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How do migraines present:

Pain on one side or both sides of the head, throbbing or pulsating sensation, visual disturbances, sensitivity to light (photophobia), sensitivity to sound (phonophobia), nausea and vomiting, lightheadedness and fatigue.

Migraines are to be taken seriously. There are potential underlying diseases or pathologies that must first be ruled out. At Mind Body Spine, this is our number 1 priority with migraines, which is why we conduct a thorough clinical history and examination.

Common causes of Migraines:

• Poor posture (head forward of shoulders)

• Dysfunction in the cervical spine

• Dehydration

• Allergies

• Stress

• Sinus Issues

• Underlying disease or pathology (rare)

• TMJ

What is the most common cause of migraines?

Once we have ruled out any underlying disease or problem, the most common cause of migraines are mechanical in nature. This means the joints of the spine are not moving as freely as they are designed to, in particular the joints in the neck (cervical spine). This causes pain locally, can contribute to spinal degeneration, muscle spasms, building discs, and irritation of the nerves surrounding the neck. The added pressure around the neck due to these postural changes, can cause tension and pressure on nerves of the head, resulting in debilitating pain.

How chiropractic can help manage migraines:

At Mind Body Spine we take a holistic approach with dealing with migraines, we treat your entire body, not just where it hurts. There can be many factors into what is causing your migraines, some more serious than others, so it is essential we provide an accurate diagnosis.

Our process involves a complimentary consultation which allows us to determine if we are in fact the right office to help you. If we are not, we will be sure to refer you to the right office. If we deem that we can help you, you will move on to a paid examination.

During this examination process, we will perform a range of orthopedic, neurological, postural, and musculoskeletal tests in order to find out what is the problem. Once we have all of this information, we will report back to you with our findings.
At this stage, you may be referred for X-rays to aid our diagnosis.

From here we will create a personalized treatment plan, designed to help you recover naturally. Our treatment approach will include spinal adjustments, adjustments to the joints of the body, muscle work, plus the prescription of rehab exercises and stretches designed to improve your posture.

With migraines, we will also look at the lifestyle factors and stress that may have contributed to your condition. Schedule an appointment or your free consultation today!