In April, Cambridge played host to some of the leading experts in migraines at an event held by the charity Migraine Action. One of five such events to be held across the country throughout the year, the exhibition brought healthcare professionals and migraineurs together to discuss this most common and debilitating problem.

Our own Clinic Director, Jasper Hulscher, was in attendance as a representative of the chiropractic community, meeting with sufferers to discuss the alternatives to traditional drug-based treatments .

Attendees included sufferers who have battled with the condition for many years as well as those who had only recently begun to suffer from attacks.

As sufferer Nichola O’Dell explained at the event, “No one can understand the pain of a migraine or how useless and weak it makes you feel as a person. It’s frightening and all-encompassing when it comes.”

The role of chiropractic in alleviating migraines

Thanks to charities such as Migraine Action, significant work is being done to further our understanding of migraines and increase awareness of their severity. But while we are familiar some of the condition’s symptoms, our understanding of the triggers and root causes of migraines is still very limited.

What we do know is that factors such as stress, hormonal changes, neck tension, sleep, exposure to light and even food can play a role in the onset of migraine attacks. The underlying issues, however, are still something of a mystery.

There are two main theories surrounding migraines – vascular theory and the nervous system. The former suggests that changes in oxygen flow to the brain caused by the constriction and dilation of blood vessels lies at the heart of attacks; the latter infers that disturbances in the nerve membrane and abnormal brain electrical activity are at fault.

As an alternative medicine focused on dealing with these dysfunctions in the body, chiropractic has proven itself to be an effective migraine treatment. Through manual adjustments to correct alignment and alleviate pressure in problem areas of the spine, migraine sufferers can combat attacks by ensuring a healthy functioning nervous and circulatory system.

Clinic Director, Jasper Hulscher says, “Chiropractic is a non-invasive, natural form of treatment, which requires no drugs or invasive surgery. It therefore avoids the kind of side effects associated with migraine medications – such as drowsiness, lethargy or even gastro-intestinal problems like stomach pains.”

This is particularly good news for sufferers who prefer not to rely on prescription medications designed to mask the pain of headaches rather than correct the problem.

 Is it effective?

There have been a number of studies into the effectiveness of chiropractic treatments on migraine sufferers. In clinical trials at the Macquarie University it was found that an impressive 72% of the 132 test cases experienced a ‘substantial’ or ‘noticeable’ improvement after treatment by a chiropractor.

From our own combined experience of more than 30 years, we can also tell you that we have seen hundreds of migraine and headache sufferers who have seen dramatic improvements in their health as a result of our care.

As an effective treatment for misalignments, blockages, pain points and stress, chiropractic adjustments are able to decrease the frequency and severity of headaches and migraines.

If you suffer from migraine attacks or headaches, why not book an initial consultation. We will perform a thorough examination of your head and neck to find out where the problem lies and recommend a course of treatments accordingly.

“Milton Chiropractic team at Migraine Action event”