Migraines are very different to headaches and affect a large proportion of society. They can be debilitating and accompanied by other symptoms such as visual disturbances, dizziness and tingling. At Northwood Chiropractic Oxford, we have a strong focus on getting to the root cause of migraines through taking the time to providing a detailed hands on assessment. This enables us to provide a precise and targeted approach to address the problem at its root.
Migraines produce what is what is called a 'cortical spreading depression'. This is where unstable neurons in the brain fires very easily. As one is fired it causes a dominos effect travelling across parts of the brain. Often this starts in the occipital lobe of the brain (back of the head) where your vision centres are which is why migraines will often cause visual disturbances before any other symptom. Although the symptoms and their order in which they come on will be different for every individual. On top of this, the blood vessels within the brain become dilated causing irritation to the surrounding nerves (trigeminal nerve to be precise) which is believed to be the main headache producer.
Migraines often present with a distinct pattern of symptoms that can vary between individuals. Common signs include intense throbbing pain (usually on one side of the head but can be both), sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and visual disturbances known as 'aura'. Some people also experience numbness or tingling in their face or extremities. These symptoms can last anywhere from a few hours to several days, and the severity can significantly impact daily activities.
Migraines are essentially caused by an imbalance in the nervous system. At Northwood Chiropractic, we specialize in the identification and correction of misalignments in the spine that have a major contribution to migraines. Migraines is something we see often and get very good results with. To get these results, we have to take the time to really find out what is at the root cause of your migraines.
