As a doctor of chiropractic who provides one of the most preferred sources for Upland migraine relief, Dr. Kyle Murray D.C. often gets asked the question, "how can upper cervical care help with classic migraines?". Chances are, you are among the thousands who share the same sentiment. So we thought of tackling this question in our blog post.

As you might already know, migraines cause intense pain that can linger for days. It can also come in two distinct forms: classical and common migraines. If you're wondering what type of migraine you have, here's a quick lowdown on each one.

Migraine Facts

• Migraine headaches afflict about 39 million Americans.
• Studies estimate that migraine sufferers spend up to 10 percent of their life in pain.
• The cause of a migraine attack remains largely unknown. 
• A typical episode can include nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
• Migraines are beyond a typical headache because they can affect the entire body and set off varying symptoms depending on the overall condition of an individual.
• People sometimes confuse migraines with tension-type headaches because they share similar symptoms like tenderness in the neck area or an aching jaw muscle.

Classical Migraine

Classic migraines are a type of migraine with aura (MWA). Aura is a neurological symptom that occurs before or during a migraine and can be visual, sensory, or motor. These symptoms can last from five minutes to an hour. 

With this type, a person often experiences visual disturbances, usually visual scintillations or zigzag lines, before or during a migraine. These disturbances may be subtle at first and can progress over time to become more recognizable. In addition to visual disturbances, classical migraines can also cause numbness on one side of the body before or during a migraine attack.

Common Migraine

Migraines without aura (MWOA) set off severe pounding headaches that usually last between 4 and 72 hours in adults. It can also affect young children but usually causes shorter attacks due to the smaller head sizes. It is more common than migraine with aura and does not have a warning sign before the headache begins.

Migraine Symptoms

There are many symptoms of migraine, but everyone's migraine symptoms vary in terms of:

• The location of the painful sensation– Some people notice the pain in their temples while others only have it on the back of your neck
• The triggers of an episode – These can include things like stress, weather changes, certain foods, or excessive intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• The duration of the migraine episode – Every patient has a different experience. Hence, it may be worthwhile to track your episodes using a migraine diary. 

The common symptoms of a migraine episode may include nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, throbbing pain on one side of the head, and sensitivity to touch on the part of the head, neck, or scalp. 

It is also possible to experience cognitive impairment such as confusion or difficulty speaking or communicating clearly during an attack. Migraine attacks can last anywhere from 4-to 72 hours at varying levels of severity depending on the individual's tolerance level for pain.

Typical Options of People Looking for Upland Migraine Relief 

When it comes to effective migraine relief, there are many options that you can consider. For starters, you can take migraine medications like pain relievers, triptans, and anti-nausea drugs. It would help to speak with your physician or neurologist to determine which specific drugs might work for your symptoms. 

Alternatively, you can try natural sources of Upland migraine relief. Notably, these options can be beneficial for migraineurs when used correctly. Some examples include: 

• Acupuncture
• Acupressure 
• Aromatherapy
• Food supplementation
• Yoga and tai chi
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Massage therapy 
• Upper cervical chiropractic 

Many patients attest to the potential of such natural remedies. They also make an excellent choice, especially for patients who prefer to avoid drugs due to other health conditions or aversions.

Upper Cervical Care and Classical Migraine Relief

Migraine sufferers often look for a natural, holistic approach to migraine relief. Because this condition can be debilitating and interfere with one's work and personal life, patients have an intense desire to find an adequate remedy. While many remedies can alleviate migraines naturally, upper cervical chiropractic care stands out as one of the best.

Essentially, it's a non-invasive procedure that uses well-calculated chiropractic adjustments to realign misaligned vertebrae in the upper cervical spine. This care plan offers several benefits:

• Reducing the severity of symptoms associated with migraines, such as pain, vertigo, sensory sensitivity, and nausea
• Improving the flow of signals to and from the brain, brainstem, and the different sensory receptors
• Removing signal interferences that may be causing increased pain sensitivity
• Ensuring proper drainage of cerebrospinal fluid and circulation of oxygen and other nutrients carried by the blood
• Eliminating tension build-up in the neck muscles and joints that may be tugging on your nerves and brainstem tissue

Atlas Brain and Spine: Your Partner in Relieving Classic and Common Migraines

Atlas Brain and Spine is a premier Upland chiropractic practice with extensive experience in helping patients manage their migraine headaches. We help patients like achieve health goals and restore the body’s equilibrium through gentle neck bone adjustments. Our goal is to serve as your partner in achieving total wellness through holistic healing and chiropractic care.

To know if you should consider receiving upper cervical chiropractic adjustments for Upland migraine relief, we suggest consulting Dr. Kyle Murray D.C. Our practice is open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 7:30 am to 5 pm, and Friday from 7:30 am to 11:30 am. You can reach us via phone at 909-343-5896 or email at atlasbrainandspine@gmail.com.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Murray, call our Upland office at 909-343-5896.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.