Have you ever heard of abdominal migraine? Studies explain that it’s a common problem among young kids. Every chiropractor for migraines is no stranger to it. It causes significant discomfort triggered by several factors, including stress, dehydration, hunger, sensory overload, poor sleep quality, and consumption of food products that causes allergic reactions. 

Notably, these triggers are similar to migraine attacks, so some think these two conditions are the same. Unfortunately, affected kids and their parents have difficulty finding a suitable remedy because of common misconceptions. 

To help understand the best approach in caring for a child with abdominal migraine, we have outlined some of the critical topics about this condition below.

Abdominal Migraines are NOT the Same as Migraine Headaches

Contrary to what its name suggests, abdominal migraines rarely cause headaches in children. It does, however, cause persistent tummy aches, nausea, vomiting, appetite loss, cramping, and other gastrointestinal problems. To this day, there isn’t enough research on this abdominal condition, so only the known trends enumerated below help patients and their loved ones find ways to cope:

• Most of the cases of abdominal migraine episodes occur in young children aged 3 to 10. 
• Many children overcome their abdominal migraine episodes when they hit puberty, but others develop chronic migraine attacks. 
• Kids who have family members with chronic migraines tend to have a higher risk of suffering an abdominal migraine.
• The stomach pain can last anywhere from an hour to five days, causing significant pain and discomfort to a young kid.

Currently, doctors diagnose abdominal migraines in children by ruling out other causes of the symptoms. So, if you suspect that your child has this condition, the doctor might recommend laboratory tests and digital imaging scans.

Remedies that Can Help Kids with Abdominal Migraine

Unfortunately, because there is very little information on abdominal migraine attacks, patients don’t have a concrete approach to relieving their symptoms. To cope and manage the pain, most parents and their kids rely on medications and remedies, such as the following:

• NSAIDs - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the go-to solution for painful symptoms such as tummy aches. 
• Tricyclic antidepressants - Doctors mainly prescribe these drugs to suppress the effects of serotonin and lessen the impact of an attack. 
• A low dosage of aspirin or beta-blocking drugs - Sometimes, patients with chronic abdominal migraines need to take a low dosage of beta-blockers or aspirin to lessen the frequency or severity of an episode. 
• Intravenous fluid or hydrating solution - When an abdominal migraine episode triggers severe vomiting, doctors mostly recommend taking oral hydrating solution or using IV fluids to prevent dehydration.
• Upper cervical care - Mild cases of abdominal migraines in kids can benefit from a holistic healing approach like upper cervical chiropractic adjustments. This approach that can be done by a chiropractor for migraines focuses on fixing postural distortions along the cervical spine.

How Patients with Abdominal Migraines Benefit from Upper Cervical Care

Many parents aren’t keen on using pain medications to help their kids cope with an abdominal migraine episode. That’s why many of them opt for natural remedies like upper cervical chiropractic. But how exactly can atlas correction help fix a problem in the gut? The answer lies in the gut-brain connection. 

As you may already know, the brain controls several body functions, including digestion. Nerve roots innervate the digestive muscles to process the food you eat, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste materials. 

So imagine what would happen if the gut-brain connection gets disrupted because of cervical bone subluxation. Naturally, the gut and the rest of the digestive system will fail to function correctly. The bones pressing onto the nerves and your brainstem can trigger tummy aches, vomiting, nausea, and sudden loss of appetite – the usual symptoms of an abdominal migraine attack. 

Upper cervical care hopes to help patients restore balance in the nervous system by fixing the alignment of the C1 and C2 bones. It’s a unique healing approach that has relieved thousands of ailing patients from a broad spectrum of age groups. The adjustments are gentle, so you’re confident that your child won’t experience discomfort during the visits.  

More importantly, the adjustments provided are precise and well-calculated, ensuring that bones gradually shift back to their original places.

Let Your Child See a Chiropractor for Migraines

Tummy aches seem like a common problem, especially among kids. That’s why sometimes, parents immediately resort to quick remedies like taking pain relievers and triptans. However, there are instances when tummy aches stem from underlying health concerns such as abdominal migraine and cervical subluxation. 

If your child gets diagnosed with abdominal migraines, be sure to take note of the information and tips we shared above. We hope you find them helpful in finding a better way to address the symptoms and ensure that your child feels better. 

Besides the usual remedies we listed, we recommend considering upper cervical care to address your child’s ailment. If your child has suffered from neck trauma due to sports activities, a previous accident, or other events, you might find upper cervical care helpful. Your child may have cervical subluxation or neck bone shifting, which might explain the abdominal migraine symptoms. 

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with an upper cervical care doctor to learn more about the role of the neck in maintaining a child’s wellbeing. It’s a proven approach to managing migraine headaches, and it shows promising potential in preventing and coping with digestive problems.

Find a better and more sustainable way to manage your child’s abdominal migraines with the help of an upper cervical doctor. Find a nearby chiropractor for migraines today!

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