Having a headache can be very uncomfortable and disruptive to your day.

Having a migraine can be a traumatic experience, causing pain so severe that you are literally unable to function.

There are many over-the-counter and prescription medications for headaches and migraines. However, one of the keys to solving your painful predicaments is knowing what is causing the pain. Narrowing down the culprit can help you prevent headache and migraine “triggers” and stop the pain before it ever starts.

Many medical professionals have determined that a large portion of headaches and migraines begin in the area of the upper neck. Specifically, a misalignment of the base of the skull and the upper part of the spine cause pain by inflaming the blood vessels in the surrounding area. The Atlas vertebra, the first bone of the neck upon which the entire weight of the head is supported, is beginning to be considered a leading cause of headaches and migraines.

New procedures have been developed that will help relieve any misalignment in the Atlas vertebra area. Using painless adjustments and chiropractic techniques, chiropractors are able to adjust the misaligned area, providing relief to the strained muscles, nerves and arteries in the area. The compression of the area is released by the adjustments and the pain is diminished – in some cases, it completely disappears.

Choosing this natural treatment may be the right choice for you. If you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, you may be having trouble finding enough relief. Pain relievers block the pain signals from reaching the brain, but the root of the problem still exists. If your headaches or migraines are due to a misalignment of the Atlas vertebra, having the area treated could be the answer you have been waiting for. Discuss possible treatment with your physician or seek a second opinion, if necessary. When it comes to headaches and migraines, you need pain relief in order to live a normal life.

Millions of people suffer every day from migraine headaches. These painful headaches are much more intense than normal headaches. Migraines can last a few hours or, in extreme cases, a few days. Most people that suffer from migraines need darkness, quiet and medication just to deal with the pain. Most people cannot afford to take time away from their jobs and families to treat a migraine, so they are forced to suffer. Some people are genetically inclined to developing migraines while others suffer migraines due to various triggers.

Some of the causes of migraine headaches include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Chemical imbalances in the brain
• Changes in estrogen levels.  Some women suffer more migraines when they are pregnant, before or after a period, and during menopause.
• Various food and drinks may cause migraines, including alcohol, chocolate, peanut butter, avocados, onions, caffeine, aspartame (artificial sweetener), and salty foods.
• Skipping meals
• Stress
• Changes in sleeping habits, such as not getting enough sleep
• Bright lights, loud noises and smells, both good and bad, can trigger a migraine.
• Changes in the weather
• Extreme physical activity
• Various medications
• Allergy attacks
• Jet lag from traveling
• Smoking and second-hand smoke
• Low blood sugar
• Constipation
• Tension headaches can often turn into a migraine.

These are not the only triggers that can cause a migraine headache. If you suffer from migraines, the best thing to do is keep track of what is going on around you before a migraine. Once you are able to identify your personal triggers, you will be able to avoid the triggers in the future. Migraine headaches do not have to control your life. You can control the migraines.

One of the best ways to start is to visit your chiropractor. Check out our case studies (one and two) then give us a call. Chiropractic care can help you get back into life.

At age 35 she decided to initiate chiropractic care.  The study notes that the initial examination showed evidence of subluxation in the upper neck (cervical spine) . The results were monitored by the doctor’s observation, patient’s subjective description of symptoms, and thermographic scans.  Following three months of care all headaches were gone. After a one year follow up the patient still remained headache free. 

The study’s conclusion noted, “The onset of the symptoms following the patient’s fall on her head; the immediate reduction in symptoms correlating with the initiation of care; and the complete absence of all symptoms within three months of care; suggest a link between the patient’s concussion, the upper cervical subluxation, and her headaches.”

Don’t you owe it to yourself to try a new approach to solving your migraines? If traditional western medicine isn’t helping, give chiropractic care a try. What do you have to lose?

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In addition to her headaches, she also revealed a history of an irregular menstrual cycle, she would normally menstruate no more than twice per year.  This problem resulted in infertility.  After years of not becoming pregnant, she sought help from a reproductive endocrinologist. She was placed on medication which created additional side effects but did allow her to become pregnant.  Unfortunately, after 9 weeks she suffered a miscarriage.

After years of these problems the woman started chiropractic care.  She was initially given an examination and it was determined that she did have spinal problems.  A series of specific chiropractic adjustments were then initiated.  A re-examination was performed one month after care began. The patient reported a reduction in her headaches.  After the second month of care another examination was performed and the patient reported that she had no incidence of migraine headache for the entire previous month. Additionally, the patient noticed that she had started a regular menstrual cycle.  Within six months of the initiation of chiropractic care, she became pregnant.

Don’t you owe it to yourself to try a new approach to solving your medical issues? If traditional western medicine isn’t helping, give chiropractic care a try. What do you have to lose?

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The results showed that chiropractic was highly effective for patients with tension headaches. When compared with the drug amitriptyline, chiropractic and the drug had similar short term effects during the episode.  However, the drug carried with it an adverse reaction rate in 82% of the patients.  ? The only reactions to chiropractic care are health and wellness!

The most profound effects were seen after the care was discontinued in the study.  In these instances the patients who were on drug therapy essentially returned to the same state as before. (Drugs only treat the symptoms.)  However, the patients who were under chiropractic care continued to show sustained reduction in headache frequency and severity even after the chiropractic care was discontinued. (Chiropractic treats the cause.) The implications are that chiropractic is not actually a therapy or treatment, but rather gets to the cause, allowing the body to effect a correction that lasts beyond actual care.