There is no other neurological condition that even comes close to the prevalence of migraines. This is more than just a bad headache. Migraines have a wide array of symptoms that include nausea and vomiting, sensory sensitivities, vestibular symptoms, neck pain, and more. 

What you learn about migraines in this article may surprise you. But we are not going to tell you some shocking statistics and leave it at that. We will conclude our article by discussing why neck pain is one of the most common migraine symptoms and how that knowledge may just lead you to find some natural relief. 

You’re Certainly Not Alone 

If none of your friends get migraines (or worse, one of your friends calls every bad headache a migraine even if it isn’t), then you may feel alone. However, that is far from true, as these statistics from the Migraine Research Foundation reveal.

• Nearly a billion people around the world will get migraines, at least on an occasional basis
• About 39 million Americans get migraines
• One in four households will have at least one migraineur 
• 18% of women get migraines
• 6% of men have this condition
• 10% of kids have migraines (with boys outnumbering girls pre-puberty and then swapping to match the adult statistics)

So even if you feel like no one in your life understands precisely what you are going through, know that there are millions of people facing a similar situation. You’re not alone, and (as we will discuss in a moment) help may be closer than you think.

Migraines Can Have a Major Impact on a Person’s Life 

If you are a migraineur yourself, then you know that it can affect your home life, work life, social life – really, everything that you do. Here are some stats that show you are not alone in this regard either.

• Over 90% of people who get migraines acknowledge having to take at least one sick day due to an attack.
• About 70% of people with migraines say a relationship was affected by their health condition.
• Family or social events have been missed by 59% of migraineurs according to one report. 
• Up to 50% of people who get migraines must limit their activities when an attack occurs – sometimes for a day or more.

Whether it is missed work, damaged relationships, or unproductive days, everyone who gets migraines suffers in some way. Another big way that people are affected is financially.

The Financial Burden of Migraines 

Are there statistics revealing that migraines create a financial burden as well? Here are some notable ones that present a shocking impact. 

• Americans miss 157 million workdays per year for migraines. That represents an astounding amount of lost income for individuals or paid sick days for companies. 
• Brain scans cost migraineurs about $1 billion per year. While insurance covers some of that cost, some of it isn’t covered. And remember that these scans don’t help migraines or diagnose them. The scans simply help to rule out other things that might be causing the symptoms before a doctor makes an official diagnosis. 
• If your family has even one member with migraines, your household will statistically spend 70% more for healthcare than a household with no migraineurs.
• Migraines cost the US economy about $36 billion per year in medical bills, lost wages, disability, and other direct or indirect losses.  

Again, we promised that we wouldn’t focus on the negative for our entire article, but you no doubt have the idea at this point. You are not the only one in need of affordable and reliable help. Where can you turn? The answer may be in one of the most common symptoms of migraine – neck pain.

The Link Between Neck Pain and Migraines 

A man with a history of chronic migraines (more than 15 days per month) went to a chiropractor, not for the headaches but for neck pain. This 35-year-old was having difficulty sleeping and a pins and needles feeling in his left shoulder. Throughout all phases of care provided by the chiropractor, 24 of the visits resulted in adjustments. The intervention restored a proper cervical (neck) curvature, and the pain went away – both the neck pain and head pain! 

The symptoms that the patient was feeling indicated a nerve source of pain and other issues. However, you don’t see a lot of people with migraines running to have their neck x-rayed. Why not? Perhaps it is because the neck pain associated with migraines was viewed as a trigger up until just a couple of years ago when researchers finally started calling neck pain a symptom of migraines. 

That symptom may actually be the underlying cause. When the top bones in the neck misalign, the results can be inhibited brainstem function, reduced blood flow to the head, increased intracranial pressure, and so on. It is no wonder that neck pain and migraines go hand in hand. 

If you are living with migraines, especially if you have a history of neck pain, upper cervical specific chiropractic may be the type of chiropractic care you need. This particular focus involves precise and gentle adjustments of the C1 and C2 vertebrae, the two bones located at the base of the skull. This puts the bones in a prime location to affect the central nervous system and lead to the conditions that cause migraines. 

To learn more, contact an upper cervical practitioner in your area. The search feature on this site can help you to find a preferred practitioner.

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