Migraines

MIGRAINE PAIN RELIEF, LANGHORNE PA

Migraines are extremely painful, recurring headaches that are sometimes accompanied by other symptoms such as visual disturbances — seeing an aura — or nausea. There are two types of migraine — migraine with aura, formerly called common migraines, and migraine without aura, formerly called classic migraines.

If you have a migraine with aura, you may see things such as stars or zigzag lines or have a temporary blind spot about 30 minutes before the headache starts. Even if you don’t experience an aura, you may have other warning signs in the period before the headaches starts, such as a craving for sweets, thirst, sleepiness, or depression.

Signs and Symptoms

The headache from a migraine, with or without aura, has the following characteristics:

• Throbbing, pounding, or pulsating pain
• Often begins on one side of your head and may spread to both or stay on one side
• Most intense pain is often concentrated around the sides of the forehead
• Can last from 4 – 72 hours

These symptoms may happen at the same time or before the headache:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness, lightheadedness, or even vertigo (feeling like the room is spinning)
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue
• Visual disturbances, like seeing flashing lights or zigzag lines, temporary blind spots, or blurred vision
• Parts of your body may feel numb, weak, or tingly
• Light, noise, and movement — especially bending over — make your head hurt worse; you want to lie down in a dark, quiet room
• Irritability

Symptoms that may linger even after the headache is gone:

• Feeling mentally dull, like your thinking is not clear or sharp
• Sleepiness
• Neck pain

Triggers

Migraine triggers can include the following:

• Emotional stress (Mental strain that can lead to hormone imbalances)
• Chemical stress (Various triggers such as sweets, alcohol, caffeine, smoking)
• Physical stress (History of old injuries that were never corrected and left undetected nerve damage, tissue damage, etc)

Treatment at Our Office

Chiropractic care or spinal manipulation therapy has been a proven method for individuals seeking an alternative for migraine treatment. Research has shown that in the case of tension and migraine headaches, Chiropractic Care can be as effective, if not more effective, as preventative medications in helping to keep off the onset of migraines. Once a migraine has begun, chiropractic therapy, a natural treatment method, can also greatly reduce the painful symptoms if care is given in a timely manner.

Chiropractic treatment deals with many of the causative factors in regards to migraines such as relieving the restriction in movement in the neck, muscle tension in the neck, as well as muscle tension in the upper back and shoulders which when it is not corrected can lead to posture problems that may influence migraine occurrences and severity. Many Migraine sufferers have neck dysfunction. At our clinic, the doctors will examine your neck to determine if there is any dysfunction that may be the root cause of the migraines. In that case, x-rays may be warranted allowing for very specific treatment.

Treatment we use may include:

• Active Release Therapy
• Spinal and Extremity Adjustments
• Massage Therapy
• Traction Devices
• Shockwave Therapy
• Exercises
• Electric muscle stimulation
• Heat/Cold Therapy
• Nutritional Supplements

To determine the cause of your pain and fix it naturally, call us at 215-750-8006!