Migraine Awareness
June is Migraine Awareness Month and it’s the perfect opportunity to explore this debilitating condition, which impacts many people in our community. Indeed, reports* indicate that 4.9 million Australians suffer from migraine and 23% of households contain at least one person who has migraine.
So, what is migraine (and if you are a known sufferer, then you already know the answer to this)? Migraine is not a ‘bad headache’. It’s a complex inherited neurological disorder of sensory processing. It’s a genetic condition, where variations in genetic code make the brain networks of migraine sufferers hyperexcitable.
What triggers migraines can vary from person to person, but some notable migraine triggers include hormonal changes, physical and emotional stress, food, change in sleeping habits and environmental factors (chemical stress).
Similarly, migraine symptoms can also vary, but there are some common presenting migraine symptoms. These include pulsating pain, usually isolated to one side of the head, light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting and neck pain. Migraine can be very debilitating. It can impact on work and social life.
While migraine cannot be cured, it can be managed, and chiropractic adjustment can play an important role in that management. **’For migraine, spinal manipulation and multimodal multidisciplinary interventions including massage are recommended for management of patients with episodic or chronic migraine.’
At Stratford Chiropractic, we support many migraine sufferers with gentle adjustments to address subluxation and restore appropriate nerve function. By restoring better balance to the nervous system, it raises the threshold. This might mean a migraine sufferer experiences migraines less often and maybe even decreased intensity of symptoms when a migraine does occur.
Dr Karen Hansor is passionate about helping her patients be their best. In addition to adjustments, she can also provide advice, guidance and support on ways to help manage your migraines. This includes helping to identify any dietary, stress and lifestyle triggers when present, and non-medical supports including ice packs, heat packs, essential oils and ergonomic pillows.
If you suffer from migraines, or know someone that does, please make an appointment to come and see us. Our treatment is drug-free and can help support your body, with its migraine journey. Book online or call (07) 4055 1667.
Reference
- *Migraine in Australia Whitepaper, Deloitte Access Economics Report, 2018.
- ** Journal Of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics. Original Article| Volume 34, Issue 5, P274-289, June 01, 2011