Can alternative therapies bring drug-free relief to headache sufferers?
For anyone who suffers from migraine headaches, it’s easy to understand why they are considered the sixth most debilitating disease in the world. It’s estimated that more than 37 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraines. 90 percent of them say they are unable to work or function normally during an attack, leading to healthcare and lost productivity costs as high as $36 billion annually in the U.S. alone.
Sufferers are often willing to try anything to ease their symptoms, from special migraine diets to a seemingly endless array of medications, each with a laundry list of negative side effects. However, few people consider physical treatments like yoga, massage or chiropractic care. At In8Love Chiropractic, we’ve had much success helping patients find relief through regular adjustments, strategic exercise and stress reduction techniques.
Why Chiropractic For Migraines?
It makes sense that adjusting the bones and body tissues and stretching the muscles can impact the way blood flows, and throbbing blood vessels are thought to be one of the physiological roots of migraine headaches.
While there aren’t many large-scale studies on the value of chiropractic treatment in managing migraines, one small study found that 22 percent of people who had chiropractic treatment saw their number of attacks drop 90 percent. In that same study, 49 percent said they had a significant reduction in pain intensity (1).
Another trial of 123 migraine sufferers in Australia found that those who received chiropractic treatment not only had fewer attacks, but also needed to take less medication (2). And because more than 80 percent of the patients blamed stress for leading to their migraine attacks, researchers believe chiropractic care might physically help reduce the body’s reaction to stress.
Yet another research project combined the results of 21 previous studies, which suggested in no uncertain terms “chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, improves migraine and cervicogenic (related to problems in the neck) headaches (3).”
What If It Isn’t a Migraine?
Migraines are commonly misdiagnosed as tension-type headaches or sinus headaches, although they are physiologically very different. Headache pain can originate in the network of nerves that are spread over the scalp, face, mouth and throat. Headaches can also come from pain in the head muscles, or from restricted blood flow, as in the case of migraines.
Because spinal adjustments relieve pressure on the nerves, chiropractic care can provide relief for nearly every category of headache-related discomfort. Not only that, the exercise, nutrition and stress management techniques I give my patients can not only ease muscle pain, but can also provide preventative maintenance to help stave off future headaches. Call the In8Love offices at 310-477-3335and schedule an adjustment today.
Want to Know More?
Let us know what topics you’re most interested in seeing us cover on our blog. From chiropractic-related queries to articles on superfoods or the best supplements on the market, we’re dedicated to helping you become a wellness warrior. Reply in the comments and tell us what you’d like to know more about in the upcoming weeks!