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Migraines 7/08
Migraines and Acupuncture
Would you like to know more about the treatment of migraine headaches with acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine?
Migraine can have many different manifestations, including digestive symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, as well as neurologic symptoms such as vertigo, lightheadedness, double vision, sensitivity to light and sound, weakness, loss of balance, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
Migraine can also occur without a headache, so diagnosis needs to be made primarily by having a good history and by an attentive physican who is knowlegable about the many facets of migraine.
Traditional Chinese acupuncture and moxabustion can be very helpful in addressing the causes of migraine, even though an exact Chinese diagnosis will likely not include the word "migraine"; the type of diagnosis which is made in Chinese practice speaks more to the imbalance which is underlying the symptoms.
Whether by Western or Chinese diagnosis, most patients actually have a mixed headache disorder, in which tension headache, sinus headache, and vascular headaches such as migraine may occur in different times and under different circumstances.
Over the past 50 years, increasing numbers of Western patients and physicians have been utilizing acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines to treat all sorts of acute and chronic pains in the head, face, neck and shoulder. It is not unusual to have back pain accompanying headache, or other painful symptoms in areas other than the head, so investigation beyond the headache should always be considered.
Patients who are inadequately treated by Western pharmaceuticals should consider trying Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Although Oriental medicine often requires more effort on the part of the patient, there are many fewer risks and side effects from acupuncture and herbal medicines than there are from pharmaceutical treatments. And, when the treatment corrects other symptoms not usually addressed by migraine medications, patients are generally satisfied that their health has been improved.
The increasing costs of drugs, ongoing revelations about the risks of drugs, and the subsequent costs of treating side effects and complications have created more interest in investigating the use of traditional Oriental medicines to treat migraine headache. Modern studies are confirming the value of acupuncture and moxabustion, as well as herbal medications for migraine as well as many other frustrating conditions.
Multi system disorders such as migraine headache may require individualized treatment protocols, and patients may find that their diet and emotional state may need to be addressed in addition to treatment with acupuncture and moxabustion. Unlike modern standardized medicine, the same approach is not always appropriate for those of different ages or sex, or who note that the triggers for their headaches are different.
Certain foods may be associated with headaches, and patients may find that headaches occur at particular times during the menstrual cycle, or in response to seasonal changes. Emotional issues too may be an important component in the evaluation of migraine, and Chinese medicine is uniquely applicable to complex problems of this sort.
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Migraines and Chiropractic
Chiropractic Care for Migraine Sufferers
A migraine headache is a throbbing or pulsating headache that is often one sided (unilateral) and associated with nausea; vomiting; sensitivity to light, sound, and smells; sleep disruption; and depression. Attacks are often recurrent and tend to become less severe as the migraine sufferer ages.
Migraine headaches are caused by excessive dilation of the cerebral blood vessels, though scientists do not fully understand what causes the dilation in the first place. Blood vessels don't just dilate spontaneously - they are presumably responding to chemical changes that are occurring in the body.
As a holistic doctor, we will want to take a complete medical, family, menstrual, and diet history before considering the cause of migraine. Some of the illnesses to be ruled out are bowel problems, mold allergies, vitamin deficiencies, hypertension, TMJ misalignment, food allergies or intolerances, dehydration, spinal subluxations, coffee/caffeine intoxication, and aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal) toxicity among others. All of these problems can cause migraine symptoms and usually can be treated very easily without the use of drugs.
We have had terrific success through chiropractic in the treatment of painful headaches. The cause of this painful condition is usually found in the cervical spine (neck area). There is often a loss of the normal curve in the cervical spine. Without this curve, there is nerve interference (pinched nerves) blocking the healthy flow of information from the brain through the nervous system to the body. Through corrective chiropractic adjustments and cervical traction, the normal cervical curve can be restored to the extent the body will allow. This helps to eliminate the misalignments in the spine which were causing the painful warning signal, the headache.
THE PROBLEM IS THE SPINAL MISALIGNMENT, THE WARNING SIGNAL IS THE HEADACHE
Important Facts You Should Know About Migraines:
Migraines are recurrent headaches that can be disabling
Migraine headaches also may cause nausea and sensitivity to light and sounds
Menstrual migraines are related to hormonal changes prior to menstruation
Migraine triggers include alcohol, caffeine, environment, medicines, and lack of sleep
"Interference to the nervous system results in permanent damage in a short period of time and therefore, Chiropractic Care should begin at birth on a preventative basis." Dr. Arpad De Nagy, Rockefeller
Institute
The Nelson Migraine Study
Nelson CF, et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. October 1999; Vol. 22, No. 8, pp. 517-522.
This study compared chiropractic spinal manipulation to amitriptyline which is a medication often prescribed for the treatment of headache. The researchers found that "spinal manipulation seemed to be as effective as a well-established and efficacious treatment (amitriptyline), and on the basis of a benign side effects profile, it should be considered a treatment option for patients with frequent migraine headaches."
In other words, the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic treatment or spinal manipulation in the treatment of headache should be considered by patients suffering these symptoms.
The researchers also found that in the weeks immediately following treatment, patients who had recieved spinal manipulation had a 42% reduction in headache frequency, compared to only 24% of those who took amtriptyline. The chiropractic group had fewer headaches even after treatment had ceased.
Helpful Tips
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Facts about Peppermint Oil:
Peppermint Essential Oil is "essential" for many different purposes. It is a wonderfully versatile oil that can be used for many different purposes, and smells magnificent in all of its applications, whether it be in lotions, soaps, creams, or burned on its own.
The scent of Peppermint Oil is said to be useful for both luck and for healing. Most people would consider healing to be pretty lucky :-)
Other magical correspondences for Peppermint Essential Oils include abundance and opportunity.
When peppermint is used in a tea, or in aromatherapy, it is a wonderful and gentle way of easing indigestion or other stomach upsets. Burning and inhaling it can be good for migraines. You can also put a drop of it on your temples to ease your headaches or migraines.
Peppermint Oil in lotions can help with acne, as it is an anti-inflammatory, an anti septic and an anti viral. And its scent alone makes for a nicely clean scented lotion or cream.
High concentrations of Peppermint Oil might be an irritant to sensitive skin due to its high menthol content, so be careful how much you use. Only a few drops will do.
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Migraines and Massage Therapy
Holding Headaches at Bay Bodywork Eases Chronic Migraines and Tension Headaches
By: Cathy Ulrich
"Do you get headaches?" I asked Cindy. She had come to see me for massage to address her neck and shoulder pain but hadn't mentioned headaches.
"Well, yes," she said. "I've always had headaches and, now that you mention it, they seem to be worse when my neck hurts." Cindy went on to say she suffered from them as often as 2-3 times a week and typically treated them with ibuprofen.
Like many Americans, Cindy suffers from chronic, frequent headaches. Her neck pain finally prompted her to seek help, but she was so used to the headaches, she thought they were something she simply had to live with. What Cindy didn't understand was that frequent headaches are not normal and, with a little proactive planning, there is something that can be done to manage and even prevent them.
Types of Headaches
Headaches come in many varieties. Following is a short list of the most common types.
Migraines
Migraine headaches occur when the blood vessels in the brain become dilated, usually due to a chemical reaction, such as food allergies or a stress response. They often start with visual disturbances and quickly develop into severe head pain accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sensitivity to light. They're usually felt on one side of the head, but can be on both sides. Migraines are often managed with medications and avoidance of foods known to trigger them, such as red wine, chocolate, aged cheese, and nuts. However, some bodywork techniques can also be effective in easing migraines or decreasing the frequency of these painful headaches.
Tension Headaches
Exaggerated by stress, tension headaches are related to poor posture, jaw problems (such as temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ), and neck pain. Many people describe a headache that starts at the base of the skull and then moves in an arc over the ears and behind the eyes. Tension headaches are most often caused or exacerbated by poor posture, work station positions, and body mechanics, creating undue stress on the upper neck muscles.
Mixed Headaches
The term mixed headache is used to describe a tension headache that leads to a migraine. Typically, the tension headache starts first and the chemicals produced from the pain of it create conditions for a migraine to develop. In people with patterns of mixed headaches, the best way to avoid the onset of a migraine is to treat the tension headache.
Bodywork Options
A treatment regimen that includes bodywork, attention to body position, and stress management can help prevent or greatly reduce the frequency of headaches, in turn reducing your reliance on medication and the need to avoid food triggers. There are many different bodywork techniques, each with specific approaches for treating headaches. Following is a short list of techniques often effective in treating recurring headaches.
Swedish Massage
A tension headache, by its very name, implies the presence of stress and tension. Swedish massage, on the other hand, promotes relaxation and relieves muscle tension. When muscles become tight due to stress or poor posture, they eventually adapt a chronically shortened state. Swedish massage teaches the body how to let go of muscle tension and resets muscle tone.
Integrative Bodywork
Rolfing, Hellerwork, Structural Integration, and CORE are examples of the types of bodywork designed to improve posture and structural alignment. A primary cause of chronic headaches is poor posture, which produces tension in the neck and shoulders because the weight of the head is not properly balanced on top of the spine. Integrative bodywork can produce lasting postural change for greater ease of movement. By selectively freeing the soft tissues, integrative bodywork literally can change postural alignment and remove the stresses and strains on the muscles that cause headaches.
Deep Tissue Therapies
The integrative therapies mentioned above, as well as neuromuscular therapy and myofascial release, use similar techniques to free connective tissue. A chronically tensed muscle tends to maintain that tension, even after the stressful event has passed. Deep tissue techniques free the connective tissue glue, creating a new way for the muscle to function.
Reflexology
Like acupuncture, reflexology works to move energy blockages in the body. By stimulating points on the feet that correspond to organs in the body, reflexologists can promote relaxation, reduce pain, and restore energy flow. Several scientific studies have shown that reflexology is a viable treatment for migraines, in some cases working as well as, or better than, medication--and without the side effects.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral therapy addresses the inherent, gentle, rhythmic movement of the bones in the skull and their effect on the fluid that surrounds, bathes, and cushions the brain and spinal cord and runs throughout the body. Cranial bones move in miniscule amounts as a response to the production and absorption of cranial fluid. With head trauma, whiplash injury, or even severe stress, cranial bone movement can be compromised, resulting in headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, or vision disturbances. This therapy restores the normal movement of the cranial bones and fluid.
By addressing the root of the problem, regularly scheduled bodywork sessions can greatly reduce headaches as well as your need for medication. Remember, headaches are not normal, and you don't have to live with them.
Cathy Ulrich, P.T., is a Colorado author and bodyworker with more than 20 years of experience in physical therapy (sports medicine and orthopedics), craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, Rolfing, Rolfing Movement Integration, and visceral manipulation.
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Are Artificial Food Dyes Linked to Behavior Problems?
I found some interesting articles on some popular foods we buy and all the unnecessary dyes put in them. Thought I would share them with you. Click on the links below.
Dr. Sandee
http://www.cspinet.org/new/200806022.html
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