Migraine is not just a headache, it can be relentless; an intense pounding and throbbing pain that can steal your energy and ability to function. It’s the most common neurological condition affecting people of all ages, social classes, races and culture.

Chiropractic care has been shown to help in both the prevention and treatment of migraine headache.  Most of the time people manage with medication, but some patients do not tolerate acute and/or prophylactic medicine, and other people may wish to avoid medication altogether. Chiropractic is an alternative that should be considered.

A clinical trial in Australia found that 75% of migraine sufferers experienced either ‘substantial’ or ‘noticeable’ improvement after a period of chiropractic treatment(1).  One of the authors of the research, Dr Peter Tuchin said;

“Around 22% (of patients) had substantial reduction which means that more than 60% of their symptoms reduced during the course of the treatment. What makes this a really strong result is that this was a chronic group – the average length of time they’d had migraines was 18 years.  To get a change of that sort of magnitude in a really chronic group was amazing.”

Chiropractic treatment appears to affect the changes in the function of the blood or nervous system in specific areas of the brain, and chemical balances within the body have been related to the cause of migraine attacks.  The neck was designed to have a C-shaped curve (known as a lordosis).  This design serves a specific purpose, as the neck is responsible for bearing the considerable weight of the head.  Any restriction or dysfunction in the neck joints can irritate the nerves that travel between the brain and the spine.  This can interfere with the normal workings of the central nervous system and leave the body vulnerable to chemical imbalances in the brain.

Migraine triggers vary but can include periods of stress, foods (such as chocolate, caffeine, processed meats, cheese, nuts, wine and many more), poor sleep, medication or even hormonal changes. (e.g. menstrual cycle).  For most people there is not just one trigger but a combination of factors which individually can be tolerated but when they all occur together a threshold is passed and a migraine is triggered.

Chiropractic treatment can help with many contributory factors and after effects including relieve of restriction in movement of the neck, muscle tension in the neck, upper back and shoulders and helping correct any postural issues that may influence the occurrence of both migraine and tension headaches.  Chiropractors can also offer advice on lifestyle issues, exercise, nutrition and managing stress.

To book an appointment with our chiropractor Dr Fiona, please give us a call on 01548 852542, contact us here, or pop in to one of our clinics to find out more!

(1) J Headache Pain. 2011(Apr); 12(2):127-133 – Manual Therapies for Migraine: A Systematic Review