Migraine is a relatively common word that people use to describe a splitting, intense headache. Yet not many really know the origin of this painful condition. Let’s unlock all the medical terminology and simplify the information. This time, let’s understand how to get migraine relief by knowing its root causes.
People who experience migraine and neck pain visit the doctor, hoping to find a way to lessen the pain. Often, the health care provider tells them that migraine is a neurological and vascular condition. For the average person, these words and phrases seem too technical and or hard to understand. So, let’s delve deeper into what they mean and, more importantly, jump to information on how we can find neck pain and migraine relief.
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The term “neurological” simply means that it is related to the nerves in our body. A nerve is a bundle of fibers that functions as a “highway” to send signals to and from the brain to different body parts.
For example, whenever we move our fingers to type a message on a smartphone, our brain sends signals through the nerves down to fingers’ tips. In short, the nerve carries an electric and chemical signal that allows different parts of the body to move and function. The brain can control the other parts of the body because of nerve bundles that connect to the spinal cord, which, in turn, is connected to the brain.
Together, the brain plus the spinal cord and all the nerves make up the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is at the center of all we do in our daily lives, such as moving, thinking, feeling, and even having memories of things that we experience.
The vascular system is a network of blood vessels in our body. It consists of two kinds of blood vessels: the arteries and veins, which carry blood and oxygen to different parts of the body. The difference is that the veins carry blood to the heart that needs oxygen, while veins carry blood with oxygen from the heart to various parts of the body.
Now that we know what the central nervous and vascular systems are all about, let’s see how they relate to migraines.
Any disturbance in the central nervous system or the vascular system affects the brain. A blockage weakens the blood or oxygen distribution to the head, leading to dizziness and possibly even loss of consciousness. This is what happens when a person is choked or strangled: oxygenated blood is prevented from feeding fuel to the head area, so the brain shuts down to avoid long-term damage, making a person unconscious.
Problems in the CNS and vascular system may also lead to the following migraine symptoms:
As mentioned earlier, any blockage in the central nervous system or vascular system may lead to migraines. To be more specific, if there is a misalignment or injury in the upper cervical spine, a person’s brainstem cannot function properly. The brainstem connects the brain itself to the spinal cord. Imagine a multiple car collision in the middle of a superhighway. The cars can scatter all over the road and become a blockage that prevents other vehicles from passing by. Soon, a monstrous traffic jam can occur.
It is the same with the upper cervical spine. Any damage or disturbance in the atlas bone or C1 vertebra’s proper alignment creates a problem similar to a traffic jam in the central nervous system and vascular system. The “traffic jam” disrupts the brain-to-spine connection. The flow of brain signals, as well as blood flow, is hampered. This situation leads to migraine and neck pain, plus a host of other health problems.
Aside from taking prescription pain relievers, people that experience pain in their head and neck can also use the natural, safe pain relief method called upper cervical spine chiropractic. Upper cervical adjustments are very gentle and aim to return the atlas bone to its original position, relieving tension and stress in that part of the neck and head.
The upper cervical spine adjustments help relieve pain caused by migraine and neck pain because the compression or stress placed on the bones, muscles, nerves, and ligaments around a person’s brain stem is relaxed. This relaxation enables the body to resume good blood and oxygen flow to and from the brain and the rest of the vascular system. The signals that are sent all over the central nervous system are unhindered.
If you want to know more about natural migraine relief, visit an upper cervical spine chiropractor near you.
to schedule a consultation today.
TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
