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Migraines Specialist

BodyWorks Medical Center

Integrative Medical Clinic located in Carol Stream, IL

Migraines are crippling headaches that can have a serious effect on your daily life, but the highly skilled team members of BodyWorks Medical Center, in Carol Stream, Illinois, can offer relief from the misery of migraines. If you’re looking for help with a migraine problem and want to try a non-pharmaceutical method of relieving your pain, call BodyWorks Medical Center today or book an appointment online.

Migraines Q & A

What is a migraine?

A migraine is a specific type of headache that can cause severe, debilitating pain. Symptoms include:

  • Stomach pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Light sensitivity
  • Noise sensitivity
  • Feeling too hot or cold
  • Pale, clammy skin
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Dizziness
  • Blurred vision or seeing flashing lights

A headache can become so intense that people who are experiencing a migraine frequently have to lie down in a darkened, quiet room. Most migraines last for around four hours, although they can go on for several days. Some people experience regular migraine attacks every week or month, while others have them only infrequently.

Migraines usually start occurring when you’re between the ages of 10 and 40, with women being affected three times as often as men. According to the American Migraine Foundation, around 37 million Americans experience migraines to some degree.

There are two types of migraines: classic and common. A classic migraine starts with what’s known as an aura, whereas a common migraine starts without an aura. An aura causes visual disturbances such as:

  • Blind spots
  • Blurred vision
  • Seeing flashing lights or bright dots
  • Visual distortions such as seeing lines
  • Temporary loss of vision

Non-visual aura symptoms may also be present, causing changes to the other senses. You might hear a ringing in your ears or experience strange tastes and smells.

 

What causes a migraine?

Migraine symptoms are caused by overactive nerve cells sending signals to the trigeminal nerve. This nerve is responsible for feelings in your head and face, and when it receives signals from overactive nerve cells, it releases serotonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). CGRP makes the blood vessels lining the brain swell, causing pain and inflammation.

Migraines usually start as a result of a trigger. Common triggers include:

  • Caffeine (too much or sudden withdrawal)
  • Foods such as mature cheese
  • Food additives including nitrates and monosodium glutamate
  • Exhaustion
  • Stress
  • Weather changes
  • Menstrual periods
  • Not eating regularly

There are several possible triggers for a migraine, but it can be hard to pinpoint the precise cause in every case. It’s known that you can be born with a genetic predisposition to migraines, but it’s not thought to be exclusively genetic, so you may be the only person in your family who experiences the condition.

 

What treatments are available for a migraine?

BodyWorks Medical Center provides effective alternatives to medication for treating and preventing migraine, like physical medicine.

BodyWorks Medical Center team members also spend time looking at what could be triggering your migraine attacks and design a program for you to follow that helps reduce the likelihood of experiencing a migraine.

If you struggle with a migraine problem, the BodyWorks Medical Center team can help, so call the clinic today, or book an appointment online.

 

  • "I feel like I've given ample time to post an honest review.

    My #1 fear in life = Chiropractors. No joke, you know the "one wrong move of the neck" fear. Absolutely terrified. What forced me to face my #1 fear was migraines/headaches. I've gone my whole life with them but in the last few years they had been getting worse and worse with the last year having them on a daily basis. I was ruining my stomach and whole body with harsh drugs ie: Excedrin Migraine in which I now have to seek additional help for.

    Enough was Enough. Deep in me I knew a chiropractor was probably going to be my savior as it started in my neck. Sure enough I was right. I trust no one and researched endlessly. Came across BodyWorks and was skeptical of the 5 star rating as I was asked by companies prior to take down my bad review in return for my money back. Let me tell you I was wrong. I'm on month two and from day one I have been impressed.

    The staff and doctors are amazing and make you feel like family. The consultation was quick and painless including the x-rays. They where honest by telling me to bring someone with me to hear the results and I'm glad I did. Boy did they have A LOT to tell me. (I'm pretty messed up) they review all my x-rays with me, devised a plan, called & worked with my insurance so I didn't have too (huge plus)

    Here we are today. MIGRAINE/HEADACHE FREE!!! TWO WEEKS & COUNTING! I can't remember the last time I have had two days in a row without some sort of a headache let alone TWO WEEKS!! Not to say I haven't had a couple in the last two months and had to take something but I go right in ASAP & she snaps me where I need to be and it helps tremendously. I'll take a couple here and there then one every day!

    I'm grateful to have my life back and glad I'm here today to write this review to say I survived going to a chiropractor LOL. My only complaint is that I didn't go into Body Works sooner!!"

    - Natalie F.

  • "I'm so grateful to Dr. Kara and everyone in the practice. I have suffered from migraines for the majority of my life and thanks to my time at BodyWorks, I am able to get through my days feeling great and on minimal pain medications. I appreciate how every employee greets each person by name and is so invested in how they are doing. I am a working mom of three busy kids and they are so flexible and accommodating when I need to juggle my schedule around. Dr. Kara takes the time to explain everything to me. I have learned more about my migraines here than I have from all of my years at neurologists. Also, Lana is amazing and so patient with me with all of my trigger point injections and all of my questions to her."

    - Tricia A.

  • "This place is awesome! They have helped me so much with all my migraines during my pregnancy. I can honestly can say that I am a new and improved woman, THANK YOU BodyWorks Team for all your help!"

    - Alexis A.