Treatment for Migraine Headaches at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center

Have you ever had a migraine headache? The word “headache” doesn’t do a migraine justice. Migraines are a debilitating occurrence that puts your plans on hold, while being secluded in a dark, quiet room. This translates into missing out on daily activities and special events due to excruciating pain.

Lasting relief from migraine headaches is achievable. By understanding how migraines reveal themselves to you personally, we can address the root causes through holistic treatment. This is the key to reclaiming your life and long-lasting treatment of migraine care.

What are Migraine Headaches? 

Migraines are a multifaceted neurological disorder, and trying to achieve relief can be more than frustrating.  Patients often feel like they have tried every treatment, only to have the pain return.

Lasting reprieve from migraines is possible. When you understand how migraines demonstrate themselves and how the environment might play a role in your pain, we can explore more than a temporary fix. Addressing the root cause of your migraines through holistic care is the key to migraine treatment and reclaiming your life.

What are Some Common Migraine Symptoms?

For non-sufferers migraines are sometimes dismissed as “just a bad headache,” but for those who deal with them on a regular basis know the reality is far more severe than that. An occurrence usually involves a collection of associated symptoms that can be just as incapacitating as the head pain itself. Recognizing these identifiable symptoms early is critical for successful management that can help you alleviate an attack before it becomes a full-blown migraine.

Auras

A migraine “aura” is a forewarning sign that happens to 25-30 percent of sufferers before the headache essentially begins. This aura is triggered by electrical waves in the brain that can be manifest as visual disturbances such as flashing lights or physical feelings such as numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, or face.

Sensory Sensitivity

Photophobia (light sensitivity) and phonophobia (sound sensitivity) are common symptoms migraine sufferers deal with that cause extreme distress even in mild environments. This sensory overload often forces sufferers into isolation, interrupting social interactions and day to day life.

Gastroparesis – Gastric Distress

Migraines frequently cause gastric distress due to a condition called gastroparesis. This condition occurs when the digestive system slows down which leads to nausea, vomiting, and difficulty holding down food, water, or medication. This condition complicates treatment of the migraine.

Cognitive Fog After a Migraine Subsides

The effects of migraine can linger even after the pain ends. A stage known as the migraine hangover or post-drome where many sufferers encounter confusion, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating which might last for several hours or days, making it difficult to take care of daily obligations.

Migraine Treatment at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center

Migraines are unpredictable, with triggers fluctuating with every individual. There are environmental challenges that can make managing these triggers more

Dietary Factors Influence Migraines

What you eat and precisely when you eat it plays a substantial role in your brain health. Specific foods contain chemicals that may affect nerves and blood vessels, tipping the scale toward the onset of a migraine.

• Cured Meats and Aged Cheeses – These foods are trendy items on charcuterie boards, but they often contain nitrates and tyramine. These compounds are known as vascular dilators that widen blood vessels, which can trigger migraine headaches in some people.
• Alcohol – Red wine is a frequent offender due to its content of sulfites and tannins. Alcohol also triggers dehydration, which is a major risk factor.
• Caffeine – This substance is a double-edged sword. Small amounts of caffeine can help stop a migraine by constricting blood vessels, which is why there is caffeine in some Over the counter migraine medications. Using too much caffeine, or suffering withdrawal from it, is a major trigger for migraine headaches.
• Additives and Artificial Sweeteners – Ingredients such as MSG and aspartame are frequently cited as triggers that overstimulate the nervous system.
• The Environment Affects Migraine Sufferers – Your surroundings present unique challenges if you suffer from migraines. If you travel a lot and go from one state to another, or travel abroad the change in altitude and climate can trigger a migraine.
• Barometric Pressure – Sudden drops in the barometric pressure before a storm, can disturb ear and sinus pressure, often causing migraines for many individuals.
• Sun Glare and Bright Lights – The sun can be intense, and being outside on a sunny day with protective sunglasses could lead to migraine pain. Glare from the sun can overstimulate the optic nerve and cause a migraine.
• Strong Smells – The trigeminal nerve is a principal pathway for migraine pain. Strong odors, whether it’s paint thinner or strong perfumes, or even strong-smelling cooking odors can trigger this nerve and initiate an attack.
• Lifestyle Choices and Stress Can Trigger Migraine Pain – Your body thrives on routine, and the migraine brain is especially susceptible to change. High levels of tension or disruptions to your internal clock can create the perfect storm for a migraine.
• Sleep Patterns – If you are not getting enough sleep, it is a known trigger for migraines. On the other hand, oversleeping on the weekends can disrupt circadian rhythms and provoke an attack.

• Intense Physical Exertion – Exercise is good for you, but intense physical exertion, especially if you are dehydrated can sometimes trigger a migraine.

How are Migraines Typically Treated Compared to Holistic Treatment?

When migraines attack, the urgency is for immediate pain relief, but traditional medications often come with disadvantages. Over-the-counter choices like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help mild cases but risk creating a rebound headache effect with overuse. For more severe migraines, triptans are commonly recommended but may not be appropriate for those with heart conditions. Some preventive options such as antidepressants or beta-blockers can lead to side effects like weight gain or fatigue.

What Are Some of the Alternative Treatments Available?

Finding relief often requires looking at the body as a whole system rather than just treating the head pain. The team at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center uses several modalities to help patients find long-term relief.

Chiropractic Care Can Help Relieve Migraine Pain

The root of migraine headaches can often be found in the neck and spine. The top vertebrae are located right next to the brainstem. When these vertebrae are misaligned, they can compress the nerves and restrict blood flow to the brain, creating the environment that can lead to a migraine.

Chiropractic adjustments to realign the spine, reduce stress on the nervous system. By adjusting spinal function, chiropractic care can decrease the incidence and severity of migraines. It also lessens tension in the shoulders and neck, common factors in tension- headaches that can develop into full-blown migraines.

Massage Therapy Provides Relief’

Therapeutic massage at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center, targets trigger points of the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull, using methods like deep tissue massage. This technique reduces muscle spasms, improves circulation, and breaks the succession of tension-induced headaches.

 Hydration is A Critical Factor

Dehydration reduces oxygen flow to the brain, along with blood volume, which can trigger migraine pain. Drinking plenty of water is often the easiest preventative action you can take. 

Stress Management Techniques

Stress is a primary trigger for migraine headaches. It’s likely not possible to eliminate stress, but using techniques such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, and muscle relaxation can calm the sympathetic nervous system and lessen the probability of a stress-induced attack.

Navigating Migraine Treatments

The process of dealing with migraines may seem to be overwhelming. What works for one person may not work for another. That is why our team takes a patient-centered, individualized approach to care for each patient in a personalized way.

Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent Future Attacks

Treatment inside the clinic is necessary, but to manage migraines, you need to promote a lifestyle at home that reinforces neurological health.

Healing is a Process, not a One-Time Event

The team at Texas Spine & Sports Therapy Center provides continual support to ensure your long-term success. Migraines are challenging, but they don’t have to dictate your life. By exploring treatments and comprehending what your triggers are, and addressing the root cause of your migraines, you can decrease the severity and frequency of your attacks in a holistic way.

If you are struggling with migraines, please call our office at (512) 806-0015, or contact us online. We will help you overcome this malady that robs you of normalcy and participating in everyday life.