DEALING WITH HEADACHES AND MIGRAINES

Migraines in Fountain Valley CA are intensely painful headaches that present themselves with an array of characteristic symptoms: nausea, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, flashes of light, diminished visual field, other visual disturbances or lightning bolts collectively known as an “aura”. All of these Migraine symptoms can occur in one or both sides of the head. The pain is often described as a “band” squeezing the head like a vise.

Some migraine patients report that they can start in the upper back, moving up the spine to the skull and then eyes. These symptoms can precede the onset of the actual headache by 10 to 30 minutes or longer.

In a normal human body the heart beats at between 65 and 75 times per minute while we take 9 to 12 breaths in the same time frame. This is the way our body is supposed to operate, this is Parasympathetic regulation and it is calm and normal. When a Migraine occurs the Sympathetic regulation takes over, the eyes dialate, the heart rate quickens our flight or fight response has been invoked and this is not sustainable. What is needed is a return to a normal, balanced state known as homeostasis.

In order to accomplish this the aggravating circumstances must be discovered so that they can be addressed. As such we look for the following:

Food Allergies: we do extensive testing to determine whether wheat, corn, gluten or soy allergies play a role in migraines. They co-occur in many cases.

Test Elimination System: the elimination system provides a more reliable, comprehensive and sensitive system for testing whether something is a true migraine or just a really severe headache or “cluster” headache. This is what’s known as a differential diagnosis.

Hormones: hormones are a known causative factor for mainly women but occasionally men as well. Sometimes a patients migraines occur around the time of ovulation or menses. If so, these imbalances can then be addressed. There may also be the potential for osteoporosis present or osteopenia, the condition that precedes osteoporosis.

Familial Tendency: many people come to us believing that because someone in their family also has migraines that they have been genetically predisposed to a sentence of suffering. This is NOT the case, there is hope.

Triggers of Migraines

Old previous accidents, ie. auto, sports, slip & falls. Stress also seems to trigger the onset of migraines putting someone over the edge where the body is no longer able to restore the autonomic nervous system.

Brain-based Therapy for Migraines

You should never try to force your body to be under control. What we do is to help restore the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic systems and return your body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Your brain needs two things to operate properly: glucose and oxygen. Of the air that we breathe only 20% of it is oxygen. Our brain alone needs 25-30% of the oxygen that we intake. Over time we all lose the ability to assimilate oxygen at the rate of approximately 1% a year. You can see how a small imbalance in the body could magnify the ill effects to the brain.

We begin with our standard examinations/consultations that include the test listed above as well as neurological exams, chiropractic and orthopedic. Many people say that these are the most comprehensive exams they have ever experienced, from any doctor. What we seek to avoid is usual approach: Symptom A + Symptom B = This Prescription Drug. Emitrex, Vicodin, Hydrocodone, Neurontin and Topamax only deal with the symptoms. They try to treat a chemical imbalance with drugs, to fill a void with a replacement chemical.

We know that your body is the healer, it is the greatest pharmacy that exists, when it is working properly!

Relief from migraines depends upon the length of suffering and whatever damage has been done to the systems of your body. We can reduce the amount of drugs taken by 50-75% in most cases while returning you quality of life to you so that you can spend time with your family. While the potential for cure does exist it is dependent upon your body’s condition, its ability to recover, at the time. A 15 year old body is obviously more capable of this than that a 50 year old’s. Our goal is always 100% relief, of course, but realistic expectations are in order here. We are your partner in returning your body’s ability to heal completely.

Preventing Migraines

Our first recommendation to reduce stress and the possible precipitating factors (food or hormone triggers). These will be identified for you as part of your treatment protocol. What we’re aiming for is to improve your feedback system, to make it instantaneous, so that you are no longer feeling bad all the time.

If your symptoms indicate that you might be suffering from migraines and you’d like to try Brain-Based Therapy to treat it please call Valentine Chiropractic to schedule an appointment.