A new decade is coming, yet lots of people still believe in the age-old misconceptions about migraines. Similarly, the majority of the 39 million American migraineurs still have little understanding of their condition – like what it truly is and what it is not.  

In this post, we have summarized the top five migraine myths we all should leave behind. At the end of this blog, we will reveal how a migraine chiropractor in WA can help patients manage their neurological disorder.

Myth 1 – All Migraines Bring a Headache

This is false as people can have a migraine even without experiencing a headache. In particular, ocular migraines often occur without a headache. In short, a headache can be absent in a migraine attack. Yet, a severe headache remains the most common migraine symptom. Other symptoms to watch out for in migraines are sensory sensitivity, aura, temporary loss of vision in one eye, blurry vision, and many more. 

Myth 2 – Every Headache Is a Migraine

When migraineurs start to experience a headache, it is often an indication of a migraine approaching. However, not all head pain points to a migraine. For example, if you bite into ice cream and get a headache, the source to blame is the cold temperature of the ice cream. It is not due to a migraine. Also, you should not expect to get all the other symptoms of migraines from common headaches. 

Myth 3 – It’s Only a Migraine if You Experience Aura

Migraines with aura involve visual symptoms that occur between 20 to 60 minutes before the headache hits. Like the headache, an aura is not always present in migraines. Not all patients experience visual disturbances such as seeing zigzag lines, bright flashing lights, or visual hallucinations. If you have migraines with aura, do not hesitate to discuss any feelings of depression with your doctor. Patients who have migraines with aura are at higher risk of suicide, according to a study.

Myth 4 – Medication Is the Best Migraine Care 

Medications such as over-the-counter pain relievers indeed help in alleviating migraine pain, especially when attacks hit all of a sudden at work. However, there are many better options out there, which can bring long-lasting relief to migraines. Patients can’t always rely on pain relievers for a couple of reasons:

  • They only ease the pain – Pain medications don’t address the other symptoms of a migraine. They only reduce the pain.
  • They don’t always work – Sometimes, pain pills only take the edge off the pain for a moment. They can’t prevent attacks from occurring again.
  • You can’t take them regularly – If you usually take pain relievers, don’t be surprised that you experience regular head pain. Taking pain medications a few times a week can cause rebound headaches. Your headaches may be due to your meds, not your condition. 

Myth 5 – Neck Pain Has Nothing to Do with Migraines

Neck pain belongs to the list of most common migraine symptoms. What’s more, just about any type of headache has neck pain as one of its common signs.

According to an Upper Cervical Awareness blog, 75% of migraineurs deal with neck pain either before or during an episode. Neck pain may partly be a trigger of migraines since stress can bring about an episode, and the body stores stress in the neck and shoulder muscles. 

The Connection Between Migraines and the Neck

Doctors involved in migraine studies see a common trend among patients – many of them have an atlas misalignment. The atlas is the bone at the upper neck and supports the skull. It has a direct impact on the central nervous system.

An atlas misalignment can result in distressing things, including the following: 

Decreased brainstem function

The atlas houses and protects the region where the brainstem meets the spinal cord. Even a tiny misalignment of the atlas can put the brainstem under undue pressure, resulting in its disrupted function. 

Reduced blood flow to the brain

The upper neck (upper cervical spine) aids in the circulation of blood to the brain through the small loops of bone called the vertebral foramen. If misalignment exists in this area, limitation in the flow of blood may likely be the result.

Increased intracranial pressure

Results of upright MRIs showed a disruption in the cerebrospinal fluid drainage among patients with an atlas misalignment. This issue related to the cerebrospinal fluid drainage can lead to pooling and increased intracranial pressure. 

In a nutshell, an atlas misalignment can be the root cause of migraine problems. If this happens to be your case, then we want to recommend a natural therapy that has helped many patients in Washington and other states. It is a niche in the chiropractic profession called upper cervical chiropractic. 

Upper Cervical Chiropractic: Bringing Migraine Relief 

If you have been living with migraines for a long time now and want to turn your situation around, upper cervical chiropractic care can be the natural reliever for you. It is the use of precise measurements and gentle adjustments to realign the misaligned atlas.

Upper cervical doctors, like our team here at Ribellia Family Chiropractic in Wenatchee, Washington, develop custom adjustments for each patient. We employ safe and long-lasting adjustments for patients of different ages and health levels. 

If you have a history of neck or head injury that could have resulted in misalignment, we urge you to get the help of a migraine chiropractor in WA. Call (509) 888-1598 or pay us a visit for a no-obligation consultation.