Migraine Symptoms
Migraine Symptoms
Everybody knows how it feels to have a whole day derailed by a migraine. One painful episode is enough to push anyone to hole up in their room for the whole day.
Migraines cause Americans to lose countless hours of productivity, This is because migraines force individuals to cope with a state of painful tension throughout their head that impairs focus. At their worst, migraines can lead to more than just a few bad days at work. The symptoms of migraines have derailed careers, strained relationships and made day-to-day life miserable for many people.
To treat the awful pain of a migraine, most Americans first turn to drugs in an attempt to find relief. However, this is not without risk. While OTC medicine may be able to provide temporary relief for the occasional headache, it is solely a band-aid solution. That is, these medicines fail to prevent migraines at the source. Luckily, there is a way to treat migraines permanently in safe, natural and effective manner.
Symptoms of a Migraine
Migraines come in all shapes and sizes and can even vary from episode to episode for individuals. These episodes can even happen in irregular periods such as daily, every couple of weeks, or at specific times through the year. Also, migraines are statistically more prevalent in males than females. This can probably be attributed to the difference in hormones present in the two genders. For pregnant women, the likelihood of experiencing a migraine is increased, again likely due to hormonal changes. Additionally, women who are using certain types of oral contraceptives may be at an increased risk of having more regular migraines.
Broadly, there are four stages during a migraine episode with each having specific features.
Stage 1: The Warning Stage
This stage happens in advance of migraines. Anywhere from a significant proportion to most individuals who have a migraine go through this stage. This warning stage can be beneficial since it allows individuals to anticipate a migraine and attempt to mitigate the severity of the symptoms.
Some of these warning symptoms include:
- A change in mood
- Irritability
- Digestive issues
Stage 2: Aura Stage
This is quite a peculiar stage that has not been researched in an extensive fashion. There is a debate as to whether it exists or not and only a minority of those who experience migraines have symptoms that match the description of the aura stage. The “aura” is described to occur about half an hour before a migraine episode begins. Occasionally the feeling of this aura carries over into the next stage.
The features of this stage are diverse and include unusual and immediate changes in:
- Speech
- Sight
- Range of Motion
Stage 3: Headache Stage
Even though this stage is called a headache, at times a migraine would be more aptly named a body ache. This is because a migraine can be either a mild inconvenience or an excruciating bodily experience. This stage of a migraine, the worst, can last anywhere from an hour to three days!
The stage is best characterized by:
- A tightening sensation around the head
- Irritability
- Digestive issues
- Fever
- Motion sickness
During this stage of a migraine, it is best to avoid any exercise since it could exacerbate these issues.
Stage 4: Postdrome
This stage occurs after the most severe portion of a headache has faded. During this stage, an individual often experiences substantial fatigue. This is likely due to the body having to expend extra energy to accomplish normal activities during the draining headache stage of a migraine. This stage can last around a day and is characterized by:
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Poor Focus
While these stages provide a comprehensive view many migraines, it by no means every individual who suffers from migraines will experience all of these stages.
The fact that migraines can be so different and painful can lead to difficult decisions to make when attempting to treat one.
What Causes a Headache to Begin
Research has shown that individuals often show signs of reacting to certain stimuli that cause their migraines.
These are a few of the common triggers:
- Poor diet
- Motion sickness
- Noise
- Weather patterns
It is wise to keep a journal documenting your migraines to attempt to figure out and avoid any migraine “triggers” you may have.
Migraine Treatment
People usually attempt to treat migraines with OTC medication. The problem with this is that while drugs can be effective in dampening the symptoms an individual feels, they never attack the cause of problems at the source. Moreover, taking these medications regularly can lead to your body becoming better at metabolizing them until they no longer work. This results in a vicious cycle of being prescribed increasingly stronger pain medications that can take a toll on your body.
Fortunately, there is a natural, effective and lasting way to treat migraines. It takes advantage of your your body’s ability to heal itself without ingesting any sort of substance or invasive surgery. While this treatment sounds mythical, it is very real - it’s chiropractic treatment!
Migraine Relief with Chiropractic Care
Migraines have always been one of the most common reasons why people go see a chiropractor. This is because chiropractic has proven itself to be effective in solving the problem at the source. Chiropractors are not interested in a temporary solution, they are interested in healing you. The science is clear - regular chiropractic care prevents and treats every kind of migraine.
Chiropractors will never give you a pill to stop your migraines. Instead, they will rely on their expertise to adjust your spinal column. When your spine is aligned, your body is able to better facilitate healing. This occurs due to roadblocks being removed from your nervous system.
A misalignment of any degree is enough to throw your body out of balance, this leads to a breakdown in communication between your nervous system and your brain. The migraines are simply your body letting you know it is under pressure and needs help. Luckily, chiropractors are able to solve the problem through safe, natural adjustments to your spine.
If you think that chiropractic care is a good treatment option for your migraines, contact one of our Top Rated Chiropractors today. Relief from your pain is possible, so start your journey to relief today!