Anyone who has ever suffered a migraine knows that it is not your run of the mill headache. From acute pain in the head, neck and face to nausea and vomiting, dizziness, blurry vision, extreme sensitivity to light or sound or even irritability and scalp tenderness, the symptoms of migraine headaches are debilitating. For those who have never had a migraine, it may be hard to comprehend why a loved one is a big deal.
“A migraine is subject to the same prejudices that all pain patients experience,” says Meredith Barad, Clinical Associate Professor of Anesthesia and Neurology at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. “It is hard for people to understand why you are unable to fulfill your regular activities of daily living when they can’t see anything physically wrong with you.
While a migraine headache is not easily noticeable to anyone other than the migraine sufferer, they are longer and far more severe that other types of headaches. “The first time I had one, I was in college and I had no idea what I was experiencing,” says Meredith. “I was in so much pain that my mom came to visit and drove me to the doctor.” Ask anyone who experiencing migraines what their first migraine as like and you are likely to get a similar answer.
While migraines are most common in women in their childbearing years and men from late childhood to their 50’s, both men and women are susceptible. The cause of migraines can range from genetics to lifestyle-related triggers. Lack of sleep, certain foods, changes in weather, dehydration, stress and more are known to bring about the dreaded headaches.
While there are many avenues of treatment for migraines, most have relied on medications from over-the-counter pills to prescription meds and injections, anti-nausea medications and even opioids. Considering that over 38 million people in the U.S. experience regular migraines, it is easy to see how there would be a call for better, and non-pharmaceutical driven, care plans. Changes to lifestyle, or learning – and avoiding – known triggers is a step in the right direction but for some people, more than that is necessary. Enter, Chiropractic Neurology.
Known for the ability to correct imbalances in the body, including pain, through work with the brain’s power of plasticity, Chiropractic Neurology has shown great effectiveness in the treatment of chronic pain, including migraines. With techniques that are non-invasive and drug-free, Chiropractic Neurologists customize a care plan based on the individual needs of the patient, uncovering the root cause of the condition and addressing that to return a patient to the optimal state of well-being. With ongoing research and the introduction of new methods of treatments all the time, the future for migraine sufferers to get effective treatment through Chiropractic Neurology is extremely promising.
Want to learn more about how Chiropractic Neurology can help you or a loved one? Check out our blog to learn more about treatment using PEMF technology. Then contact the team at Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center for a consultation.