Migraines can be a very debilitating condition. They are known as recurring headaches that cause hypersensitivity to certain stimuli. This triggers an episode. What’s tricky about them is that migraines vary depending on the patient. This makes understanding migraines and managing the condition a bit more tricky.
Researchers looked at multiple types of data including surveys, patient diaries, and clinical trials and concluded that stress, menstruation, weather changes, sleep disturbances, alcohol, and food sensitivities are all common migraine triggers. Other researchers asked 62 migraine patients to use a cellphone app to keep track of their migraines for three-months. Most patients experienced headaches on 1 in 4 days. The most common migraine triggers of these patients included travelling, hormonal changes, noise, alcohol, over-eating, stress, fatigue, sleep deprivation, and weather changes. Ultimately, they found that keeping a written record of migraines will help to identify your specific trigger.
Living an overall healthy lifestyle can also help to lessen the overall chance of having migraine triggers. Patients are encouraged to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night, exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, avoid smoking, and manage stress. The American Academy of Neurology did a study in 2021 which found that regular exercise could lessen migraine frequency by up to 50%. This was because of exercise’s effect on reducing stress, depression, and poor sleep; all possible migraine triggers.
Migraines can also be treated by chiropractic care. Most patients who suffer from migraines tend to have more sensitivity to pain in the neck muscles or abnormal function in the cervical spine. A 2021 study found that cervical flexor muscle endurance is lessened in migraine patients, which means that patients experience pain in the head when the surrounding muscles become fatigued.
Manual therapies, provided by doctors of chiropractic, have been proven to reduce trigger points and restore normal neck range. One last study from in 2021 found the same results in children who suffer from migraines, proving that no matter what your age is, patients who experience migraines can find relief from chiropractic treatment and manual therapies.
Migraines and headaches are treated here at Back and Body Medical in Manhattan. Come to us and we will help you and try and reduce both frequency and intensity of your migraines. Chiropractic care has been shown to help and our chiropractors are here for you too.
