What is a migraine?
Migraine is the second most common type of headache, affecting both children and adults. Women are three times more likely to suffer from a migraine. Migraines also run in families.
They have a mild onset and then gradually get worse. Symptoms often associated with a migraine can include headache, nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and noise, and an aura.
An aura is the feeling right before the migraine starts and can last up to an hour, which 25% of patients will experience. Some common triggers for migraines are stress, hormonal changes, lack of sleep, lack of food, weather changes, bright lights, loud sounds, alcohol, and certain foods or drinks.
Migraines develop when there are changes in blood flow in the brain, which causes pain in or around the head. It occurs when the 5th cranial nerve is stimulated; which sends pain signals from the eyes, scalp, forehead, and jaw to the brain. This will lead to a release of substances that cause painful irritation in the blood vessels of the brain, brainstem, and the surrounding tissues. This irritation is responsible for the throbbing headache, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound.
Migraines over time become chronic. Chronic migraines occur 15 or more days per month for more than three months. Even though migraines are not life threatening, they can have a major impact on one’s productivity and quality of life.
Management can include medication and methods to eliminate triggers. Other recommended treatments include exercise, yoga, relaxation, stress relief, and nutritional counseling. Chiropractic helps by reducing structural spinal shifts that obstruct the nerves and affect blood flow.
Chiropractic Care Helps with Migraines
The patient reported on in the study was a 15-year-old male suffering from migraines since the age of six and he was having a migraine once every three weeks. As a result of a motor vehicle collision at the age of three, he began experiencing visual disturbances and eye pain. His medical team only advised that the triggers be identified and avoided. Over the counter medications were administered but did not resolve his problems. Any time he saw a halo or had distorted vision, he knew a migraine coming.
The chiropractor examined him and found structural shifts in his upper neck. He had postural changes, neck pain, upper back pain, and tight muscles in his neck limiting his range of motion. X-rays and other testing confirmed these findings. These structural shifts can lead to obstruction of the nerves and it is this obstruction, that chiropractors correct.
Following the first adjustment he experienced an immediate change in his mood, demeanor, and felt a decrease in pressure. He noted a decrease in the frequency and duration of pain. After four adjustments he was no longer experiencing any migraines.
The study’s author called for additional research to investigate the clinical implications of chiropractic in children with migraines.
Reference
Resolution of Migraines Following Reduction of Vertebral Subluxation in a 15 Year Old Male: A Case Report. Jarek Esarco DC & Joel Alcantara DC. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research ~ Volume, 2021.