CLINICAL TRIALS NOW OPEN
NEW MIGRAINE THERAPY
We are now conduction a NSW trial for a new Migraine Therapy.
To be eligible you need to:
- suffer from Migraines
- get at least 2 migraines per month.
If this is you, or someone you know, just ring our Crows Nest practice and set up and eligibility interview with Dr Adam Meredith.
PH: (02) 9460 8459
MIGRAINE CLINICAL TRIALS OPEN FOR APPLICATION JULY 2016
**** Clinical trials at Spine and Health are closed – please check for further future trials. Thank you
Migraine – a neurological disease
According to the International
Headache Society, and as stated by Headache Australia, one can be classified as suffering from a migraine when over a period of 4-72hrs the following occurs (1):
Pain classification: (minimum of 2)
– one sided
– moderate to severe
– throbbing
– aggravated by movement
Concomitant symptoms: (minimum of 1)
– nausea
– vomiting
– photophobia (sensitivity to light)
– phonophobia (sensitivity to sound)
– osmophobia (sensitivity to smell)
More concomitant symptoms:
– aura (visual disturbances such as bright zigzag lines, flashing lights, difficulty in focusing or blind spots lasting 20-45 minutes)
– difficulty in concentrating, confusion
– a feeling of being generally extremely unwell
– problems with articulation or co-ordination
– diarrhoea
– stiffness of the neck and shouldes,
– tingling, pins and needles or numbness or even one-sided limb (1).
There are many different types of migraines and they are not entirely understood in the medical world. What is being discovered is that they are not all just exacerbated tension-type headaches. Migraines are a neurological disease that can involve the over-activity of the trigeminal nerve.
The trigeminal nerve is a cranial nerve, which has 3 branches to innervate the face (in general terms, one to cover the forehead area, one to cover the area across the nose and between the temples, and the last one to cover the lower jaw). All 3 branches of the trigeminal nerve are sensory but the 3rd is also involved in motor function. The mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve is responsible for the motor activity of the muscles of chewing, talking, and also for the tympanic membrane in the ear. If the trigeminal nerve is overactive or has pressure placed on it, it can cause migraines – huge facial pain, pain behind the eyes, temples and so on.
The current medical approach is to attempt to inhibit the trigeminal nerve with intense drugs or invasive surgical techniques. We as chiropractors view this as a last resort and believe that if your body is not in correct alignment then signals from your nervous system may not be communicated properly. Ie. If you have a full functioning nervous system then your body should be able to inhibit these signals itself. If you have poor posture then it is likely that your nervous system is not functioning as well as it could or should.
Current research shows that the chiropractic spinal adjustment can reset muscle behaviour patterns by sending signals to the brain via the nervous system (2). And by stimulating the nervous system the chiropractic adjustment can improve the function of the whole body (2).
If you suffer from migraines it is recommended that you visit your local chiropractor and have your posture assessed. The Spine and Health Chiropractors are the experts in pain and posture and have the ability to conduct a Digital Postural Analysis in their Crows Nest or North Sydney clinics. In doing so they will be able to establish if you have a postural issue that may be the cause of any pain you are feeling. Together you can construct an action plan to give you symptomatic relief, improve your posture and overall well-being. To look better, move better, feel better contact the team today.
Crows Nest Ph 9460 8459
North Sydney Ph 9955 8055
(1) Headache Australia
(2) Haavik Taylor H and Murphy B. (2007). World Federation of Chiropractic’s 9th Biennial Congress Award Winning Paper (3rd Prize): Altered sensorimotor integration with cervical spine manipulation. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, in press.
Posture Perfect AND Migraine and Headache FREE!!
Do you suffer from migraines and headaches? Have you ever wondered why Panadol does not have a lasting effect? It is time to consider your posture and the effects it is having on the ability of your body to function correctly!
The World Health Organization declared that most people perceive headaches as a ‘minor or trivial compliant’ and yet the ironic thing is that studies have shown in Australia approximately 87% of people will have a headache in a year (1). An astounding 7 million suffer from tension type headaches and a further 2 million of us suffer from migraine (75% of whom are female)(1). It is a very common and distressing disorder that is most common in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s and there is something that can be done about it! (1).
TYPES OF HEADACHES
There are several different types of headaches that are classified as either primary or secondary. Primary headaches (95% of all headaches) include such things has migraine, tension headaches and cluster headaches. Of these primary headaches majority of them are associated with muscle tension in the neck, which is related to societal sedentary behaviours (2, 3). Secondary headaches are the result of something else, eg. glaucoma, chronic sinusitis, or cervical spondylosis (3).
Migraines occur on one side, can change sides, are mid-severe in strength, give a throbbing sensation and are generally localized at the front part of your head (3).
Tension headaches are usually both sides of your head, severe and give a tight gripping feeling (3).
Cluster headaches are excruciating, are locked to one side of your head, and are often behind the eyes (3).
THE RESEARCH
A study (1995) in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics and a report (2001) released by researchers of the Duke University Evidence Based Practice Centre in Durham, NC have both found that chiropractic care is more effective than medication (2). This research has found that not only does spinal manipulation give almost immediate improvement in headaches that originate in the neck but also that it gives longer-lasting relief of tension-type headaches (2). Furthermore, even if care is ceased the patients experienced sustained benefit (2).
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Visit your local chiropractor in Crows Nest or North Sydney where they can conduct a digital postural analysis and talk through a potential action plan. The Chiropractors at Spine and Health are experts in pain and posture and can alleviate the stress on your system by removing subluxations. They can offer advice on posture, ergonomics, exercises, relaxation techniques, and nutrition (common trigger) (2).
In analyzing your posture, looking at your body system as a whole (including what you put in and how much you exert yourself we will be able to put you on the road to looking better, moving better and feeling better.
Say goodbye to tension in your neck and body, migraines and headaches because with correct posture you are less likely to suffer.
So what are you waiting for?
Come and see one of our chiropractors today:
Crows Nest Ph 9460 8459
North Sydney Ph 9955 8055
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- Headache Australia
- American Chiropractic Association
- Joubert, J. Diagnosing Headache, Australian Family Physician, 2005 34(8):621-625.