Migraines are a recognised and debilitating neurological condition. Directly effecting 8% of all UK men and 18% of all UK women, over half of sufferers often have to endure two or more migraine attacks every month. In fact, although migraines are rarely (if ever) talked about, migraines actually effect more people in the UK than asthma, diabetes and epilepsy combined.
Crippling and often disabling in severity, a migraine is more than just a tension headache. Moreover, with research having identified a link between certain neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain and migraines, antidepressant drugs as well as pain killers are often prescribed in order to help offset and alleviate the condition. However, migraines are a chiefly western phenomenon. This being the case, our overall environment and way of life are believed to be significant contributors to the condition also.
Osteopathy – A More Common Sense Approach To Treating Migraines
Focusing on the optimum structure and function of the human body, osteopathic treatment techniques are therefore becoming increasingly popular among chronic migraine sufferers. Why? Because not only does osteopathy often grant migraine sufferers noninvasive and non drug dependent relief from symptoms, but also addresses common sense physiological causes of migraines in the first place.
An Osteopath for example, attempts to grant people relief from migraines by looking at sufferers posture, specifically any and all adverse effects of work, bad habits and old injuries on a person's overall muscle and skeletal structure. Moreover, it is osteopathic manipulations and releases of tension around migraine sufferers' skull bases, necks, shoulders, jaws and tail bones, which are often lauded as granting real lasting relief from the condition.
As for why osteopathy works to help treat migraines, both osteopaths and mainstream medical professionals are in agreement that migraines are at least in part caused by the constriction of blood vessels around the head and neck. This and complicated series of other neural and vascular events happening in and around the base of the skull.
However, many chronic migraine sufferers aren't actually that interested in the science. They're interested in the very real way that osteopathy helps them manage an often debilitating medical condition. Treatment which isn't dependent on a pot luck lottery of antidepressants and painkillers, which often come with adverse side affects.
CASE STUDY A young man of 16 presenting with migraine. He had been suffering with constant migraine for a month and had seen his GP who prescribed migraine tablets. After assessing the Cranial Chambers, it was found that the Spheniodbasilar joint (at the base of the neck) was dysfunctional (which is one of the prime chambers) and was causing a pressure imbalance in the Chamber.
One should experience an opening/closing motion of this joint. After applying treatment to mobilise this joint to maintain pressure balance and reduce tension in the crainial, by the second visit the migraine had disappeared.
If you are experiencing recurrent problems with migraines and would like an alternative treatment that doesn’t involve medication contact us for a consultation.