Migraine TreatmentAlbany, OR

Migraine Causes and Triggers

What causes migraines is not completely understood, but the current understanding is chemicals, such as serotonin and estrogen, play a role. When serotonin and estrogen levels change, the result for some individuals is a migraine. One theory is that migraine pain results from excitable brain cells that trigger serotonin to narrow the blood vessels. Also, some research suggests that the rise and fall of estrogen levels in women cause the narrowing of blood vessels.

Migraine triggers vary by person and can be behavioral, environmental, and dietary. For example, many people report that strong smells trigger their migraines, while others find that bright lights and sounds are the main triggers. Others say weather changes bring about migraines. Behavioral factors include the overuse of pain medication and excess exercise. Dietary triggers are numerous and include cheese, salami, fermented, cured, and pickled foods along with alcohol and caffeine. Stress and lack of sleep are frequently reported triggers, along with hunger and dehydration.

Possible Migraine Treatments

Our team uses some different approaches to treat migraines. The approach is tailored to the individual patient and may include:

Dietary advice: The practitioner may advise the patient to make dietary changes. This could involve a diet that avoids foods known to trigger migraines and advice on how to supplement their diet with helpful vitamins such as B complex vitamins.

Neuromuscular massage: This is also known as trigger point therapy and involves massage that targets the trigger points in the back, shoulder, neck, and head. This technique aims to ease symptoms by releasing compressed nerves that send pain signals to the brain.

Relaxation and posture advice: Advice on posture is likely to include ergonomics (work posture), relaxation techniques to reduce stress, and exercises aimed at relieving tension in the neck and upper back.

Spinal manipulation: The practitioner uses a device or their hands to apply controlled pressure to a certain joint in the spine. Patients may hear a popping sound when this is done. The goal here is to relieve stress on a person’s system and improve the spine’s function.

Often, patients find a combination of these approaches effective at reducing their migraines. We will recommend a treatment plan at the end of the initial consultation.