A migraine is much more than a garden variety headache. It’s a sensory event that can even be accompanied by harbingers that indicate serious pain and discomfort in your near future. Migraine pain can be so severe and disorienting that it makes you take to your bed and draw the blinds — for a period of days.
Everyone at BodyWorks Medical Center is dedicated to treating migraines expediently and safely. And we do so without the use of invasive techniques and painkillers that are often habit-forming.
What does a migraine feel like?
Migraine symptoms vary, but are myriad. They include:
- Throbbing head pain that’s frequently severe and can shift from one side of your head to the other
- Visual symptoms like light flashes
- Abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting
- Extreme light sensitivity
- Blurry vision or blind spots
- Ringing in the ears
- Dizziness
- Feeling very cold or hot
- Auras, such as seeing lines that aren’t there
Even taste and smell can be affected by a migraine. The broad range of symptoms reflects the fact that a migraine is a different type of headache; your brain influences some of a migraine’s symptoms, and symptoms can last from a few hours to several days.
Why are some people prone to migraines?
All of the answers aren’t known yet, but your migraine symptoms are fueled by nerve cells that go into overdrive and affect your trigeminal nerve. An MRI study done on migraine sufferers suggested that they possess brain characteristics that are different from those who don’t suffer from migraines. Some people have a predisposition to migraine or are triggered by varied factors, such as:
- Menstrual cycle irregularities
- Excessive caffeine or the shock that comes from sudden withdrawal
- Irregular meals
- Stress and fatigue
- Certain foods and food additives like cheeses and MSG
- Shifts in the weather
A particularly unpleasant effect of migraines is that some sufferers experience symptoms that are warning signs of an impending migraine. If you’ve had these, your day-to-day anxiety level is understandably affected.
How can chiropractic care help me with my migraines?
At BodyWorks Medical Center, we learn about your individual migraine history and create a treatment plan customized to you. Chiropractic care is a successful noninvasive, drug-free approach to managing and preventing migraines. Our whole-patient approach includes:
- Physical medicine sessions in which your doctor manipulates your body through chiropractic adjustments; they’re largely pain-free, although you might feel an occasional pang during the adjustment and a bit tired or achy afterward
- Nutritional counseling
- Analyzing what may be triggering your migraines and looking at your migraines within the framework of your overall lifestyle and health habits
You’ve no doubt tried many approaches to tame your migraines and read countless articles on the topic. Our team is ready to work with you to reduce the number or severity of your migraine occurrences.
Take the first step in putting the pieces of your migraine puzzle together by scheduling an appointment with our specialists. We even offer convenient evening hours to work with your schedule. Call our Carol Stream, Illinois, office or book online right here on our website.