Chiropractic treatment for migraines an introduction

Does it help ease or reduce immediately

Yes

Chiropractic Care involves releasing and decompressing nerves by moving, stretching and releasing the spinal nerves and cranial nerves in and around the bone and tissue. Generally most patients have historically been medically examined and treated with medications that don’t stop the migraines, however they also rule out pathology. Chiropractic Care does not involve drugs or surgery, we use X-rays and other exams to analyze how the patient’s spine might impact the patient’s health. Chiropractors use devices such as shoe inserts, braces, straps and other tools. They also advise patients on lifestyle issues such as exercise, nutrition and managing stress. A big European study found people relocating to foreign countries with low or no incidence of migraine normalized too.

Chiropractic management of migraine

Headache Australia 2021: It is important to discuss treatment options with your healthcare professional. If the medication that you are currently on is ineffective, there may be other treatment options that will be effective.

There are two main groups of migraine medication. Acute medications can be taken when you start to experience a migraine attack. They will help reduce the symptoms associated with migraine, and they range from over-the-counter painkillers to migraine-specific prescriptions. Preventive medications aim to reduce the number of attacks overall, which is more suitable for people with chronic or very debilitating migraines. These are taken on a regular basis, whether that is daily or every few months.

However many medications did not comply with the new rules of high standard double blind control trials, or worse cannot be duplicated. How can painkillers be harmful to your health? Opioids affect the part of the brain responsible for breathing, and one of the big threats opioid painkillers pose is the risk of slowed or restricted breathing. When opioids are taken in high doses, a possible overdose can lead to the slowing or stopping of breathing—and even death.4 Nov 2019 Painkiller Effects | Short Term, Long Term & Side Effects – DrugAbuse.com

Non-medicated treatment options include lifestyle adjustments, complementary therapies such as massage, and nerve stimulation devices like Cefaly. Your doctor can help you decide which treatment options are best for your migraine and lifestyle.

The treatment of migraine patients within chiropractic: analysis of a nationally representative survey of 1869 chiropractors

Cranial Nerves and Their Function’s

Migraine pain pathways often follow Cranial Nerve referral of pain. These are separate from Spinal Nerve pathways.

Did you know that there are 12 pairs of cranial nerves that perform some highly sophisticated functions? Some of these direct the activities of our muscles, some relay information from the sensory organs to the brain, and some are linked to internal organs such as the heart and lungs. Injuries to the neck and head can affect these nerves, leading to many ailments besides just headaches and neck pain! Copied 13 March 2017 www.choosenatural.com

Each of the cranial nerves is referred to by Roman Numerals:

1. I  Olfactory – linked to the sense of smell
2. IIOptic – linked to vision
3. III  Oculomotor – connected to eye movement and dilating the pupils
4. IV  Trochlear – also connected to eye movement, particularly eyelids and eyeball
5. V  Trigeminal – linked to facial sensation and chewing
6. VI  Abducens – linked to side-to-side eye movement
7. VII  Facial – controls facial movements, taste and sensory information from the ear
8. VIII  Vestibulocochlear – relates to hearing and sense of balance
9. IX  Glossopharyngeal – controls muscles for swallowing and our sensation of taste
10. X  Vagus – motor function to the larynx, modulates heart rate and digestive organs
11. XI  Spinal Accessory – controls the muscles responsible for head movement
12. XII  Hypoglossal – controls the muscles of the tongue

Of course, any type of compression, concussion, bump, shock, trauma, injury or accident to a cranial nerve may affect the functioning of what that specific nerve controls. Just as chiropractors can test the functioning of nerves that exit along your spine, there are tests which can reveal whether each cranial nerve is functioning properly. Many cranial nerves come out of the brain near the brain step, the top back of the neck.