Chiropractic and Migraines: How Regular Treatment Can Help With Pain Relief

It is thought that migraine headaches afflict over 35 million Americans. That's 43% of women and 18% of men. Women tend to suffer from migraines more than men due to the constant hormonal fluctuations in their systems.

Migraines are the third most prevalent illness globally. That's a lot of people suffering from this pain. The extra stress caused by the pandemic has caused an even higher rate of people now suffering from migraines.

You may not have considered the link between the use of chiropractic and migraines. This article will delve into why chiropractic treatment can be a lifesaver for those suffering from regular migraines.

What Are Migraines?

Migraines are more than just a headache. Migraines are typically a sharp pain in one part of the head. Some migraines will include aura, where the sufferer sees flashing lights before the migraine develops. There are many other symptoms that sufferers endure. These include: 

• Dizzyness
• Severe pain 
• Pulsing in part of the head 
• Blurred vision
• Extreme sensitivity to light and sound 
• Numbness in the limbs
• Nausea

What Is The Cause of Migraines?

The route cause of migraines is still pretty much unknown by the medical community. It is thought that tension in the head and neck could be a contributor to the migraine. For many, this is triggered by stress.

Chemical changes in the brain can cause the brain's tissues to become swollen, affecting its nerve signals. This will, in turn, cause the pain that is typically felt in the head as part of a migraine. 

These changes in the brain's chemistry can be brought on by a multitude of factors, which include: 

• Poor diet - this can include regular consumption of food items that contain caffeine, chocolate, cheese, citrus fruits, and foods containing the additive tyramine.
• Stress - if you are under pressure, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol.
• Lack of sleep - little or low quality sleep can enhance stress levels and disrupt the body’s hormonal balance. 
• Hormonal - changes in the hormones can cause people to suffer migraines. 
• Depression/anxiety
• Poor posture - bad posture leads to tightness in the muscles around the neck, shoulders, and spine.
• Jet lag
• Low blood sugar
• Alcohol 
• Dehydration
  

Which Treatments Are Best for Migraines?

The severity of migraines can be reduced with various long-term lifestyle changes. This includes gentle stretching, trying to reduce stress in your life, eating well, a better sleep regime, and taking part in relaxing exercises such as yoga and meditation. 



If you work in front of a screen, make sure you have a working setup where you do not always look down at the screen and place tension on your neck, spine, and shoulders. Ensure you have a comfortable chair that supports your back and allows your feet to remain on the floor. Good posture is a great start to having a work set up, which causes the least amount of strain on the body. 

Short term fixes such as an ice pack or taking prescribed medication can be simple solutions to healing a migraine, depending on the severity of the pain.

Have you ever thought about headache and migraine chiropractic treatment? Did you know, one of the most common reasons people visit their chiropractor is to receive treatment for migraines.

What Is Chiropractic Treatment?

Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, non-addictive way to adjust the alignment of your spine. The chiropractic adjustment is when your chiropractor makes hands-on adjustments to the vertebra’s position in your spine. This can help release tension and inflammation from the body and improve the nervous system's overall function. 



Recent chiropractic and migraines research shows evidence that suggests chiropractic care can be an effective way to not only combat migraines but reduce the frequency at which they occur. Spinal adjustments by a trained chiropractor can even help to reduce the stress hormone.

The Link Between Chiropractic and Migraines

Many people visit their chiropractor to treat back pain, sciatica, arthritis, sports injuries, and neck pain. The connection between migraine and chiropractic treatment is often not considered. But if migraines are known to be caused by tension in the back and neck, it makes sense that having a spinal adjustment will reduce your susceptibility to migraines. 



When a chiropractor adjusts somebody, it creates a mechanical change in the body. The way your chiropractor is moving you is done according to your joints' range of motion. A chiropractic visit can move your joints in a way that massage or stretching cannot. The spinal adjustment stimulates the brain and tells the muscles to relax. For this reason, you will leave the chiropractor’s office feeling much more relaxed than when you went in. 

If you visit a headache and migraine chiropractor, you are likely to notice the following benefits: 

• Increased mobility
• Improvement in your physical function
• Reduced inflammation 
• Increased muscle strength 
• Reduced pain 
• Less tension and tightness in the body 

Discuss Your Health Goals With Us

Migraine headaches and chiropractic care are intrinsically linked. Many studies now show that there is a positive correlation between regular chiropractor visits and reduced migraine frequency. Remember, everything in the body is connected. If you suffer from neck and back pain or tension, it may stimulate the onset of migraines. 



Regular visits to the chiropractor can help reduce pain from migraines, both in the short and long term. If you aren't sure about how chiropractic care and spinal adjustment will help your health, speak to a qualified expert about your health concerns and goals.

If you are in St. Petersburg, Fl, and want to know more about how chiropractic care could improve your life, contact us for a consultation.