If you experience migraines, you already know they are about much more than just a severe headache. A migraine is a neurological condition that can affect your ability to work, exercise, spend time with your family, and enjoy everyday life. Understanding your migraine symptoms, the different types of migraines, and what may be contributing to them is an important first step toward feeling better and finding the cause of your migraines.
What Is a Migraine?
Let’s start by making sure we know what a migraine is. Migraines can look different from person to person. Some experience intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head, while others experience symptoms like vision changes and brain fog without significant head pain.
Common migraine symptoms include:
- Throbbing or pulsing head pain
- Sensitivity to light, sound, or smells
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Neck stiffness or discomfort
- Visual disturbances
- Numbness or tingling
- Difficulty concentrating or “brain fog”
Some migraines occur with aura, while others occur without aura. Aura can include temporary visual changes, tingling or numbness, and difficulty concentrating. There are also chronic migraines, defined as headaches occurring on 15 or more days per month for more than three months, with at least eight days involving migraine symptoms.
Understanding your specific migraine symptoms and pattern can help determine what type of care may be appropriate.
What Causes Migraines?
There isn’t one single cause of migraine. Genetics, hormones, stress, sleep changes, certain foods, sensory stimulation, weather changes, and other environmental factors can all play a role. Research also points to interactions between the brainstem, trigeminal nerve, blood flow, vascular disturbances, and other parts of the nervous system during migraine attacks.
Neck pain and stiffness are also common during migraine attacks. The relationship between the neck and migraines is complex, and neck symptoms can be part of the migraine itself rather than necessarily being the original cause.
This is where looking beyond the location of the pain can be valuable.
How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care May Help with Migraines
At Top Chiropractic, we take a different approach to evaluating someone who is struggling with migraines. Our focus is the brainstem and nervous system, both of which are closely tied to the upper cervical area just beneath your skull.
Our upper cervical chiropractic approach focuses specifically on the relationship between the upper neck and the nervous system. Your first visit includes a detailed history and examination of your upper cervical area designed to help us understand your migraines and other symptoms, how you function day to day, and what may be influencing your condition.
When your upper neck is affected by trauma, a car accident, whiplash, or injury, it can impact nervous system function and contribute to symptoms such as migraines, changes in blood flow, increased neck muscle tension, and pounding head pain. Research has found that chiropractic care can be considered as part of the management of episodic or chronic migraines.
At Top Chiropractic, our goal is not only to chase the pain. We want to understand your individual presentation and determine whether upper cervical chiropractic care may be appropriate for you and your migraines.
If migraines are affecting your work, relationships, or ability to enjoy your life, it may be time to take a closer look at what’s going on.
Book a FREE Discovery Call with Top Chiropractic, your upper cervical chiropractor in Greenville, SC, and take the first step toward feeling and functioning better today.
