Migraines have a very simple yet damaging cause, decreased oxygen to the brain. Migraines are really an indication of a person who is predisposed to suffering from a stroke, unless treated appropriately. A decrease in oxygen results in the following:

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• The brain can no longer get the same amount of oxygen per volume of blood so it must constrict its arteries to push blood up to the brain at a faster rate to maintain the same amount of oxygen.
• The arteries and veins of our body have a special reflex that is important in our survival. If the blood vessels constrict (like stepping on a hose creates a build up of water on either side) then there must be dilation in response to the constriction.
• The pain fibers wrap around the outside of the blood vessels and are activated when stretched. This is a protective mechanism. When we constrict our blood vessels, we get a responsive dilation shortly afterwards. This activates the pain fibers and gives us our headache. This is the reason it is throbbing, because when you constrict blood vessels you are not activating pain fibers, but when it dilates you stretch the pain fibers.

Cervicogenic headaches have a simple cause as well, a subluxation, or abnormal joint motion in the vertebrae of the upper neck.

• The joints become misaligned and cause inflammation and tightness of the muscles at the base of the skull, applying pressure and chemical interference to the nerves and blood vessels of the skull.

How do we treat Migraines and Cervicogenic headaches?

• By improving oxygenation to the brain we can prevent the need for arteries to constrict and cause pain upon dilation. We do this with supplemental oxygen, rib adjustments to increase oxygen content of blood, postural alterations, spinal adjustments and neurological rehabilitation.
• There is an important neurological component to Migraines that is based in the brain. When you have decreased input to an area called your Pontomedullary Reticular Formation (PMRF) from an unhealthy brain, cerebellum or vestibular system you will get abnormal control of blood vessel size. An area called your IML (Inter-medial lateral system) is allowed to function out of control, which is detrimental for our body over long periods of time. The IML is responsible for increasing blood pressure, increasing heart rate, activating flexor muscles and activating adrenal cortex output. The IML is the Stress part of our brain. Therefore, we need to treat the areas of the brain that are control the IML so it won`t get out of control, constricting blood vessels and causing migraine symptoms.
• Nutrition is vitally important for the treatment of people with migraines and other headaches, restricting serotonin intake along with additional supplementation.

Migraines and other headaches are often treated successfully at our office with Chiropractic, neurological and nutritional rehabilitation.