If you have frequent migraine headaches, you've probably tried many types of treatments to get relief and to prevent attacks. However, you may not know that chiropractic treatments can sometimes help with migraines, so it's another treatment option you can consider. Here's a look at how seeing a chiropractor and making lifestyle changes might reduce the frequency and severity of your attacks.

Spinal Manipulation As A Migraine Treatment

Migraines can be triggered by several different things. If part of your problem lies with your spine or neck, then chiropractic treatments could bring relief. When your spine moves out of alignment it puts pressure on the nerves that travel up your spine and neck. This nerve compression sends pain signals that cause headaches. A misaligned spine might even cause muscle tension in your neck that makes the problem worse and increases your risk of pain.

One thing a chiropractor does is move your spine back into its proper position through a series of gentle movements or quick thrusts. This can eliminate pressure on nerves and tension on muscles. It usually takes several treatments for lasting effects since your nerves and body need time to heal from the irritation. You might also need additional treatments such as massage therapy to break up any scar tissue that might be pressing against a nerve or tissues.

Chiropractic treatments may not cure your migraines as a standalone treatment, but it could make your attacks less frequent and less severe. Your chiropractor will treat you holistically and suggest lifestyle changes and other treatments that complement the spinal adjustments so you get the best results.

Lifestyle Changes

A migraine headache can be triggered by food, lack of sleep, too much sleep, stress, weather conditions, bright lights, and a number of other factors. The key to managing your headaches through lifestyle changes is to keep a journal of your episodes so you can find a pattern of what triggers them. You might need to change your diet and avoid certain foods. Finding the right number of hours for your sleep at night could also be important. Finding your triggers so you can avoid them could result in fewer attacks.

Learning relaxation techniques might help an attack from being as severe. Migraines can be very painful, and the fear of the oncoming attack can cause stress and tension. By learning to keep your muscles relaxed, you might be able to shorten the episode and experience less pain. Migraine headaches can be complex medical problems since they have so many triggers and affect people differently. You may need to try a variety of treatments to find something that keeps your attacks at bay. Chiropractic treatments are a good option since the chiropractor doesn't just focus on your spine. Your overall body, lifestyle, and health are evaluated and treated for optimal prevention and treatment of pain.