Migraine Headaches: Consider These Alternative Treatment Options

If you suffer from migraine headaches, it can be challenging to find a solution that works for you. Many people have different triggers for migraines, and narrowing those triggers down takes plenty of trial and error. However, many people find that alternative treatments for migraines can sometimes help to reduce their severity or frequency. 

Here are some useful treatments you might consider as you look for ways to manage chronic migraine headaches. 

Chiropractic Adjustment

Many people are sensitive to changes in spinal alignment, especially through the upper back and the neck. Even if you don't have noticeable back pain, subluxations in your spine could still be a trigger for headaches. Try getting a series of adjustments over the course of a few weeks to see if regular chiropractic care can help with your condition.

Chiropractor providers don't just provide spinal manipulation. They can also help with nutritional counseling, provide non-prescription remedies, and offer muscle relaxing treatments. Some may partner with massage therapists to address tension and tightness in the neck and skull area. 

For example, chiropractors that specialize in head and neck treatment might recommend cutting out refined sugar along with your treatment to see if you have increased improvement. Your practitioner may even recommend a new pillow or a special chair to help improve your posture if you carry extensive tension in your neck that could be aggravating your condition. 

Meditation and Yoga

For some people, vigorous exercise is not possible because of migraine headaches. When severe, they can limit vision and mobility. However, you don't have to be completely sedentary. You might try enrolling in a meditative yoga class. Stress can be a trigger for migraines, and participating in deep breathing with yoga poses can help you maintain muscle health while providing meaningful stress relief. Yoga also helps to restore posture and body symmetry in motion, which can help to reduce migraines. 

If you meditate before sleep, your sleep quality can improve. Lack of sleep can also increase the instance of migraines in chronic sufferers, so improve your sleep can only help. 

Acupuncture

One of the most well-known branches of alternative medicine is acupuncture. The leading philosophy behind acupuncture is that many conditions (including chronic illness) are caused by energy imbalances or blockages in the body. The careful placement of thin, sterile needles in specific locations may help the body to become better balanced and facilitate healing.

While the actual theories behind acupuncture may be disputed by medical professionals, the benefits are well-documented and respected. Many people who have chronic pain improve with acupuncture treatments, and those with migraines may also see improvements. 

Piercings

While relatively new to the scene, many people are till turning to daith piercings in hopes that the small pierce will help migraine symptoms subside. Most doctors believe that the effects of daith piercings are largely placebo: people believe they will help, and so there is a general perception of reduced pain and migraine severity. Piercing this area of your area can be difficult, and the risk of infection is high, so doctors can discourage the practice. 

However, others state that the piercing works like a acupuncture pressure point, but with long term effects because you always wear the "needle" earring in your ear. If you do consider this type of treatment, it's best to do so with the knowledge that it may not work. You should still plan to continue other treatment plans.

Migraines affect millions of people worldwide, but every person experiences migraines differently. You need a specialized solution for your lifestyle. For more information, contact a local chirpractor with experience in head and neck pain.