Discover the different types of headaches:
http://www.achenet.org/education/patients/typesofheadaches.asp
Because migraine headaches are the most debilitating, and are the most dangerous, we feel they are worth explaining.
Migraine Headaches
Migraines are grossly misunderstood and misdiagnosed. It is important to arm yourself with the real facts and mechanics of the dysfunction in order to to improve your quality of life. A Migraine is a repeated or recurrent headache, usually due to temporary dilation (swelling) of the brain's blood vessels. Migraines are different from other headaches because they occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light.
Migraine headaches are commonly preceded by sensory symptoms such as seeing flashes of light, zigzag lines, blind spots, or stars. This is called the “aura”. Approximately 20% of migraine sufferers experience auras. The aura lasts less than 60 minutes and usually leads to a pounding painful headache. Some people experience sensory disturbances involving one side of the body, such as numbness or tingling on the face and in the hand.
Common Signs & Symptoms of a migraine:
- Severe, throbbing pain
- Confusion
- Depression
- Difficulty swallowing
- Drowsiness
- Headache that can last for hours or days on one or both sides of the head
- Irritability
- Loss of coordination
- Nausea, vomiting, and weakness
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
- Paralysis anywhere in the body
- Sensitivity to sound, light, or smell
- Sensory loss, such as loss of smell or taste
- Trouble remembering things
- Ringing in the ears
Why are there so many signs and symptoms? Because migraines affect the brain!
For the most part, orthodox medicine has no cure for the cause of migraines, only temporary and artificial treatment for the symptoms. Medically, the treatment usually consists of very powerful and sometimes addictive drugs like Codeine, Imitrex injections, Fioricet, Inderol, and Oxycotin.
The actual cause of the headache is due to a condition of swollen blood vessels. Blood vessels have small nerve ending that sense pain. They are usually dormant (non-painful) until they are stimulated. They are primarily stimulated by stretch. For this reason, when the blood vessels swell, pain becomes evident. In fact, the vessels stretch further with each beat of the heart, which is what causes the pounding sensation of the headache. Current research indicates the true “cause” of the migraine is somewhere within the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). PET scans of the brain and brainstem have revealed abnormal blood-flow patterns in patients who were experiencing migraine headaches. After taking medication, the pain of the migraine was reduced, but the abnormal blood-flow patterns persisted.
The Mechanism behind the Migraine
The sympathetic nervous system, or 'fight and flight' system, control certain functions in your body that you cannot control. For example: blood pressure, pupil size, heart rate, liver and kidney functions, etc. One of the main functions of the sympathetic nervous system is to constrict blood vessels to your brain.
If your nervous system has difficulty regulating the blood flow, you have the probability of experiencing constriction of the blood vessels in your brain along with increased heart rate and cold, sweaty hands and feet. It is during this time that you are most apt to experience an “aura” as your brain is getting less blood. When the nerves that cause constriction get fatigued, the blood vessels now vasodilate (swell) and of course…Migraine!
Today's migraine medication acts to constrict blood vessels, which reduces the pain but does not address the problem. The common blood vessel-constricting medications on the market today are called Triptans: Sumatriptan (IMITREX®), Naratriptan (AMERGE®), Zolmitriptan (ZOMIG®). Medications have been shown to increase the frequency of headaches. This is called rebound migraine headache.
Chiropractic Neurologists do not prescribe medication. Specific stimulation of nerve sensors (called receptors) increase and strengthen the activity of specific nerve pathways within the brain. As the brain increases in function, so do the nerves that decrease the blood flow to the brain. This reduces and, in many cases, abolishes the root of the migraine.
The DCIM offers a comprehensive evaluation to uncover the cause of your migraine headaches. Don't suffer! Call today for more information.
Resources:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-migraines-strike