Transformed migraines cause great discomfort to those who experience them. These throbbing headaches occur on a daily basis and combine a migraine with a tension headache. Some patients choose over-the-counter medications to treat the pain, but this could have negative side effects and often don't provide necessary relief. Others find that natural remedies offer pain relief more effectively. One of these remedies is chiropractic care. This holistic approach relieves tension that causes pain in patients through spinal manipulation, massage and periodic adjustment of soft tissue and joints.
Find a Chiropractor
A patient looking for a good chiropractor to help relieve transformed migraines should ask others, including a personal physician, for their opinions. Since chiropractic care is an approach to pain relief rather than a cure, it's important to find a chiropractor who relates well to patients. Look for one who listens to patients and discusses and explains treatment options. Some chiropractors believe in taking x-rays to ascertain bone alignment. Find a chiropractor who is willing to work in your comfort zone.
Working With Your Chiropractor
It's important to treat transformed migraines through a team approach. Consult with your personal physician about chiropractic treatments and follow up with this physician after treatments. According to Dr. Greg C Molis, chiropractic treatment shouldn't be used on its own since this might leave out other issues that need treatment. A patient should also keep a journal before going to the chiropractor. This journal should document headache occurrences, food eaten and environmental factors surrounding the onset of headaches. Continue journaling after getting chiropractic treatment so the chiropractor and personal physician can analyze which treatments are most effective.
What to Expect From Chiropractors
When a chiropractor works to alleviate transformed migraine pain, they adjust the body to remove tension. A common treatment is upper cervical adjustment. In this procedure the chiropractor corrects the alignment of the top spine vertebrae. The patient generally feels a light tap, a soft massage or a brisk thrust at the top of their neck. In studies such as the one Dr. Peter Tuchin completed for his doctoral thesis at Macquarie University, patients showed migraine relief after two months of chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractic Care and Strokes
Some patients avoid chiropractors because they are concerned that spine manipulation might cause a stroke. However, chiropractic treatment for transformed migraines might actually prevent strokes. According to research (see resource one), patients with migraine headaches are 2.3 times more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke. Chiropractic care opens blood flow to the brain and decreases severity and incidences of transformed migraines, which might lead to a decrease in ischemic stroke incidences.
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