Migraines
Migraine headaches are some of the most intense and debilitating types of headaches there are. If you have ever felt a little funny and then slowly pain started creeping in to your head that put you in bed for a day or more, with the blinds pulled, all noise blocked out and nausea sweeping over you constantly, you may have suffered from a migraine. Migraines tend to be on one side of the head, usually the same side of the head each time and they run the gamut from throbbing to sharp and piercing pain often described as if a hot poker was behind the eye.
More often women suffer from migraines than men. Often the migraine is triggered by chocolate, caffeine or hormonal changes during different times during the menstrual cycle. Blood flow to the brain is a key element of a migraine. Theory has it that if a biomechanical, physical or emotional stress or another trigger occurs, the body will create spasms in the arteries in the base of the skull and brain. The arteries that are effected are the specific ones that supply the brain, scalp and neck. Once constricted, the blood flow to the brain in reduced and due to the oxygen deficit in the area, the body will dilate the same arteries thus causing severe pain with the increased blood flow.
There are different types of migraines the one described above is considered a classic migraine. The main difference between the two is the appearance of an "aura". An aura is a set of neurological occurrences that precede the migraine by 10-30 minutes. It can include visual or auditory disturbances.
Some of the foods that are common triggers are:
Aged Cheese, bananas, figs and raisins, beer, wine and hard liquor, caffeine in coffee, tea and cola, and some over-the-counter medicines, as well as caffeine withdrawal (if you try to give up caffeinated sodas, for example); Chocolate Dairy products such as ice cream, milk, yogurt, cheese, whipped cream and sour cream. Fermented and pickled foods such as pickled herring, monosodium glutamate (MSG), which is found in Chinese food, Accent seasoning, Lawry's Seasoned Salt, canned soups, TV dinners, processes meats, and some processed nuts and snack chips. Most citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit and lemons. Nuts and peanuts. Onions, pea pods, or pods of lima beans. Processed meats, deli sandwich meats, hotdogs and other nitrite-containing meats. Saccharin or aspartame in diet foods or diet sodas and drinks. Sulfites in shrimp and processed potatoes, like boxed mashed potato mix. Yeast-containing products, such as fresh breads and donuts.
Some common medications that are common triggers are:
Cimetidine (brand name: Tagamet), Estrogens (including birth control pills), Fenfluramine (brand name: Pondimin), Indomethacin (brand name: Indocin), Nifedipine (brand name: Adalat, Procardia), Nitroglycerin (brand name: Nitrostat). Pain medicines in general (either overuse or withdrawal from them). Reserpine-containing medicines (brand names: Ser-ap-Es, Hydropres, Regroton), Theophylline (brand name: TheoDur, Theo-24)
Since many migraines are physical and biomechanical stress related, chiropractic can help with these types of problems. Chiropractic treatments will release the nerve pressure on the arteries allowing the blood flow to normalize. Often it is best if you can get in right when you begin to feel your "aura" coming on. It is sometimes difficult to do that but the sooner you can get in, the faster we can help. Dr. Allen has worked with migraines and specialized in them while in chiropractic school and has has extensive experience working with migraine sufferers over the past ten years.
When you come in, Dr. Allen will do a thorough examination to find out the specific cause of your specific type of headache. She will find the specific bones, nerves and muscles that are the most problematic for you. She may want to take x-rays, so please let us know whether or not you are pregnant. Once she figures out the problem, you will be given a care plan that she suggest you follow. For the best, fastest and most lasting results keeping your care plan is highly recommended. We understand that sometimes the suggested care plan is hard to follow, let us know your circumstances and we will do our best to accommodate you!
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Alta Vista Chiropractic 1781W 9000S, West Jordan, UT 84088 Ph: 801-562-5600 Fax: 801-255-7104 |