You've Got Migraines. We've Got Solutions.

Ugh! The pain of a migraine is the worst. If you are a migraine sufferer, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You sense those migraine warning signs (aka migraine aura) like flashing lights, smell sensitivity, nausea, loss of vision, dizziness, and light sensitivity and you know you're about to get slammed with a full blow migraine headache. We really get it--it's debilitating. While every person is different and every person's migraines are different, a lot of people and their migraines respond really well holistic treatments like chiropractic, stress management, and changes in diet. The severity of migraine symptoms don't dictate the "severity" of the treatment. In other words, even the most severe and chronic migraine headaches can be managed without treatments like drugs or injections. If you're looking for ways to manage your migraines without medicine or with less medicine, you've come to the right place. Less medicine can mean more life. Okay, let's discuss how the Lehigh Valley Chiropractic Migraine Relief Solutions can be the answer you are looking for.
We don’t just treat your migraine, we treat you.

What is a Migraine Headache?

Migraine headache is a condition that’s characterized by a disabling head pain attack. A lot of people describe migraine pain as pounding or pulsating, and it's generally located on one side of the head. Sometimes people will tell us that the pain feels like it's behind and in their eyes too. The discomfort generally lasts between 4-72 hours and is often preceded by an aura (usually a visual disturbance like zigzagging lights or temporary blindness) and accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound--Awful. Approximately 30 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with migraine. In adulthood, women (15-17% of US population) are more commonly affected than men (6% of US population); however, the reverse is true in children. Migraine is generally seen in patients between the ages of 25-55. The cause of migraine is not yet fully understood; however, there are several well established theories. Although the condition was once believed to be purely vascular, we often find that migraines are linked to overly tight muscles in the head, neck, shoulders and jaw that can be constricting nerve and blood flow. That’s why chiropractic helps a lot of people who suffer with migraines.  Every day, the Chiropractors of Lehigh Valley Chiropractic successfully treat people with migraines using a holistic approach that works.

What are Migraine Triggers? 

There are a lot of recognized migraine triggers. A recent study indicates that migraine are often preceded by stress, hormonal imbalance, not eating often enough, changes in weather, difficulty sleeping, olfactory stimulants, neck pain, lights, alcohol, smoke, sleeping-in, heat, intense exercise, and sexual activity. With migraines, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure, right? At Lehigh Valley Chiropractic, helping you to prevent headaches is as important to us as getting rid of the one you’ve got.  Want to learn more about migraine triggers? Check this out.

How is Migraine Diagnosed?

The International Headache Society set a series of criteria for the diagnosis of headache in 1988. There is specific information Lehigh Valley Chiropractic chiropractors will gather to confirm the diagnosis of migraine. Migraine diagnosis is based on a detailed history and physical exam. A physical exam for migraine diagnosis will focus mostly on the head and neck. Sometimes tests such as MRI or CT will be ordered to determine if there is a serious underlying cause for the headaches. Want to learn more about migraine diagnosis? Check this out.

What Are The Options For Treating Migraine?

At Lehigh Valley Chiropractic, we don’t just treat your migraine, we treat you. You see, if your diet isn’t what it should be, you’re pretty stressed out (and don’t manage your stress well) and you’re not exercising, you aren’t giving your body what it needs to function at its best. That’s why in addition to chiropractic to treat your migraine symptoms, we offer our YouAnew Lifestyle Nutrition Program, chiropractic maintenance care and work closely with an excellent yoga therapist to help you manage your migraines for the long term. Want to learn more about the options for treating migraine? Check this out.
Effectively treating migraine requires a well-rounded approach. Experience lasting migraine relief and eliminate debilitating setbacks with our migraine solutions like chiropractic care, youanew lifestyle nutrition & stress management techniques.

-Dr Bentson

What Does the Research Say about Chiropractic and Migraines?

There are many high quality studies that point to the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic for the treatment of migraines/chronic migraines. Chiropractic is often shown to be as good if not better than standard medication treatments without all the nasty side effects.  Want to learn more about chiropractic migraine research? Check this out.

Chiropractic Care for the Pregnant Migraine Sufferer

It’s so important for pregnant women to avoid medications that could be harmful to their baby. Chiropractic is a great alternative for moms-to-be who suffer from migraines! Want to learn more about chiropractic and pregnancy?

Migraine Headaches and Stress

Stress is known to cause migraines and make them worse. Managing your stress and treating the tightness, tension and pain that stress causes is so important for the management of stress related migraines. Chiropractic and manual therapy are excellent ways to manage your stress and manage your migraines. Want to learn more about chiropractic, stress and migraines?

What Are the Options for Treating Chronic Migraines?

The worst kind of migraine is the one that keeps coming back. If you've got chronic migraines, you need a solution that will work for you in the long term. The chiropractors at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic have found that chronic migraines tend to respond well to chiropractic maintenance care. In other words, as you're actively dealing with migraines, we'll treat you and get you out of that initial pain phase and then give you the option to continue with treatments in order to maintain your pain-free/reduced pain state.

References

  1. Detsky ME, McDonald DR, Baerlocher MO, Tomlinson GA, McCrory DC, Booth CM. Does this patient with headache have a migraine or need neuroimaging? JAMA. 2006 Sep 13;296(10):1274-83. Review.
  2. Mueller LL. Diagnosing and managing migraine headache. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2007 Nov;107(10 Suppl 6):ES10-6.
  3. Lipton RB, Stewart WF. The epidemiology of migraine. Eur Neurol. 1994;34 Suppl 2:6-11Available at: Kelman L.The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack. Cephalalgia. 2007 May;27(5):394-402. Epub 2007 Mar 30 Available at: Hamel E. Serotonin and migraine: biology and clinical implications. Cephalalgia. 2007 Nov;27(11):1293-300.
  4. [No authors listed]. Classification and diagnostic criteria for headache disorders, cranial neuralgias and facial pain. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society. Cephalalgia. 1988;8 Suppl 7:1-96.
  5. Narin SO, Pinar L, Erbas D, Oztürk V, Idiman F. The effects of exercise and exercise-related changes in blood nitric oxide level on migraine headache. Clin Rehabil. 2003 Sep;17(6):624-30.
  6. Tuchin PJ, Pollard H, Bonello R. A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000 Feb;23(2):91-5.
  7. Bronfort G, Assendelft WJ, Evans R, Haas M, Bouter L. Efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic headache: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2001 Sep;24(7):457-66.

Options for Migraine Treatment

Written by Dr Scott Bentson on . Posted in Headache, Migraine

Chances are good you’re here because you are searching for the right treatment for your migraine. If you’re looking for ways to manage your migraines without medicine or with less medicine, you’ve come to the right place. Less medicine can mean more life. Okay, let’s talk about how the Lehigh Valley Chiropractic’s migraine treatments might just be the answer you are looking for.

Migraine Triggers

Written by Dr Scott Bentson on . Posted in Headache, Migraine

Migraine sufferers are always looking for their migraine triggers. Figuring out migraine triggers can often be tricky. Studies show that migraine triggers can be as variable as stress, hormonal imbalance, not eating often enough, changes in weather, difficulty sleeping, olfactory (smell) stimulants, sitting in front of a TV/computer, neck pain, lights (especially flashing lights), alcohol, certain foods, smoke, sleeping-in, heat, intense exercise, and sexual activity.

Migraine Headaches and Stress

Written by Dr Scott Bentson on . Posted in Headache, Migraine

Many people ask if stress and migraines are linked. The answer is absolutely. Stress and migraine can go hand in hand. At Lehigh Valley Chiropractic, our chiropractors understand this stress and migraine connection and can give you simple yet effective strategies for managing the physiologic effects of stress.

Migraine Headache and Stress Hormones

When you feel stressed (work, home, kids, house, family, friends, the list goes on and on…), your body pumps catecholamines (stress hormones like epinephrine, norepinephrine). These are your fight or flight hormones. In other words, when if you needed to run from or fight a bear, these are the hormones that will give you a boost of power to make that happen. Now, in our every day lives, it’s rare that we are actually up against a bear. Instead, we are up against stresses like a bear-like boss, traffic or a toddler tantrum. Our body will pump those catecholamines regardless and our body will physiologically respond.

Migraine and Pregnancy

Written by Dr Scott Bentson on . Posted in Headache, Migraine

Migraine Headaches and Pregnancy presents an uncomfortable scenario for many women. Suffering though migraine headaches while pregnant can be a real challenge. Most of the commonly prescribed medical treatments for migraine aren’t safe during pregnancy. NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen, aspirin, ergotamines, and triptans are linked to pregnancy complications like miscarriage, bleeding, blood pressure complications, complications during delivery, premature birth and birth defects. So what are the migraine relief options available during pregnancy? Let’s talk about a few.

How Are Migraines Diagnosed

Written by Dr Scott Bentson on . Posted in Headache, Migraine

Migraine Diagnosis is generally based off your history and exam. Often, migraine headaches are precipitated by an aura. For many people, an aura is the first sign that a migraine is brewing. What’s it like when you have an aura? Well a lot of people describe a focal area of blindness, increased sensitivity to light, sensitivity to smells and noise, seeing zigzagging bright light waves, nausea and occasionally numbness. When these symptoms precede a migraine, the migraine diagnosis is–migraine with aura. However, not all people with migraines suffer from auras. They are diagnosed with migraine without aura.

Chiropractic and Migraines: What the Research Shows

Written by Dr Scott Bentson on . Posted in Headache, Migraine

Many research studies support the use of chiropractic for the management of migraine headaches. Let’s take a look at the conclusions from few of these research articles.

In an Evidence Report published by Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Research Center for Clinical Health Policy Research, the effects of drug-free options for headache are discussed. The authors concluded the following: “Cervical spine manipulation was associated with improvement in headache outcomes in two trials involving patients with neck pain and or/neck dysfunction and headache. Manipulation appeared to result in immediate improvement in headache severity when used to treat episodes of cervicogenic headache when compared with an attention-placebo control. Furthermore, when compared to soft tissue therapies, a course of manipulation treatments resulted in sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity.”

Affiliations

Lehigh Valley Chiropractic Affiliations