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Chiropractic Care for Migraine Headaches

Migraines are one of the most common disabling illnesses in the world. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, almost one in four U.S. household includes someone who deals with migraines. Combine that frequency with the fact that more than 90% of those impacted are unable to work or function normally during their migraine, and the importance of treating migraines becomes clear. A small percentage of headaches are caused by physical issues. However, the majority of headaches stem from tension, are cluster headaches or are migraines. Below are personal practices to reduce the frequency and pain of headaches, as well as chiropractic options for migraine care.

What can I do to prevent general headaches?

There are a few things you can do on your own to prevent headaches and minimize pain:

• If you’re sitting for a long time, take a stretching break every 30 minutes. Concentrate on gently moving your shoulders and neck. You might look a little odd stretching at your desk, but your relaxed muscles will thank you.
• Low-impact exercise can alleviate headache pain. Consider adding swimming or walking to your weekly routine. Low-impact exercise helps build muscle, reduce tension and minimize pain without harming your joints.
• Don’t clench your teeth. Teeth clenching increases the pressure in your head, which can lead to tension headaches. If you’re clenching your teeth from stress, find a different option for stress relief. For example, a stress ball or punching bag can help absorb your stress.
• Stay hydrated throughout the day. Staying hydrated is key because dehydration can lead to headaches. In addition, staying hydrated improves your entire body’s functioning.

How does chiropractic care affect migraine headaches?

When you suffer from migraines, the above tips may help alleviate some pain. While it is important to keep up these healthy practices, it is also key to seek a chiropractor’s help. The research field about chiropractic care and migraine headaches is growing. The emerging information points to chiropractic care helping improve migraine sufferers’ lives. General alignment and practices can improve overall health and reduce the pain associated with migraines.

Chiropractic visits can lessen the stress on your spinal cord and system. When your spine is out of adjustment, your nerves can be affected. These nerves, in turn, affect your migraines. Chiropractic care can also include nutritional and lifestyle recommendations to treat overall health. A consultation with a chiropractor will shed light onto a personalized plan for chiropractic migraine care.

What are my options for migraine chiropractic care?

When working with migraine headaches, a few chiropractic choices stick out. Neuromuscular massages focus on points within your back, shoulders, neck and head. These massages may ease migraine symptoms. Focusing on targets in the stressed areas can reduce the pain a sufferer feels.

Multidisciplinary care combines physical therapy, relaxation techniques, stress management and nutrition advice. This is a holistic approach to help reduce migraine pain, length and frequency. When consulting a chiropractor for migraines, make sure to let your chiropractor know of any medications you’re taking, practices you’re employing and pain you’re experiencing. A chiropractor can create a personalized chiropractic plan with you. Each migraine sufferer is not the same, so specialized treatment and preventative care is necessary.  

Those dealing with migraines may find that a trip to Van Ness Chiropractic will simultaneously improve back pain while also minimizing issues related to migraines. Drs. Van Ness, Parkin and Sabri offer services that have been proven to improve one’s quality of life. For more information on Van Ness Chiropractic’s chiropractic care, click here. To schedule an appointment, click here or call (847) 842-8070 today.