Migraine headaches can be debilitating. Living with migraines can make it difficult to cope with work, family responsibilities, and make it impossible for you to live your life to the fullest. If you struggle with migraines, this is not just you giving into a headache—migraines stem from a neurological condition.
If you suffer from migraines, you’re not alone. Some 37 million people in the US alone have migraines. Migraines are the leading cause of disability. They can strike people of any age, gender, or race.
Migraine or Headache?
Some people may wonder if they have a bad headache, or if they’re suffering from a migraine. This is especially a common concern early on when people having their first migraine attacks.
Headaches are usually a symptom of tension, eye strain, noise, lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, poor diet, dehydration, and other reasons. While they can range from mild to severe, they usually only last a few hours at most. Rest or over-the-counter pain medication will usually bring relief for normal headaches.
Alternatively, migraines can last for days. Many sufferers will go through several stages. The early stages indicate a migraine attack is coming and usually manifests as yawning, a stiff neck, numbness in the extremities, constipation, retaining fluids, and mood swings.
Some migraine sufferers will progress in the days leading up to the attack to having visual disturbances, such as flashes of light or auras around people and objects. They may become weak, have trouble speaking, or feel numbness and tingling in parts of their bodies.
The attack is severe pain in the head and neck area, which can be blinding or throbbing. Patients may experience sensitivity to light, sounds, or smells. They may get nauseous or vomit. This stage can last for a few hours or up to several days.
As the migraine episode winds down, the pain subsides and the patient is left feeling drained, fatigue, and confused. Before the event ends, the patient may experience a few more headaches that come and go.
How We Treat Migraine Patients
As mentioned, migraines are a neurological disorder. While not fully understood yet, researchers believe that they are caused by abnormal brain activity that may be caused when nerves near the upper cervical spine are pinched or compressed.
At Upper Cervical Chiropractic of Boulder, Dr. Christina Coblish and Dr. Ryan Moeskau try to get at the root of the problem for migraine sufferers. By correcting misalignments of the upper cervical spine, we relieve pinched or compressed nerves so that nerve signals can flow unimpeded and the body’s natural healing processes will commence.
Dr. Coblish and Dr. Moeskau are upper cervical specialists and trained practitioners of the Blair Chiropractic Technique. Blair practitioners use advanced 3D imaging diagnostic tools to better examine your unique anatomy and calculate any misalignments. They then use special, low-pressure techniques applied in precise places to help make corrections. This method is much more gentle than traditional chiropractic methods, tends to hold longer, and requires fewer visits.
Upper cervical care is a safe, non-invasive, drug-free treatment that helps many migraine patients experience fewer and less severe migraine events. This welcome relief allows you to live your life to the fullest.
If you want to know if upper cervical care can help your migraines, contact us for a consultation. We cover patients in Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Erie, Lafayette, Broomfield, and Denver in Colorado.