Relieving Migraine Headaches With Decompression Therapy

Introduction

Everybody all over the world suffers from some headache. It can come in various forms, and the pain can range from a dull ache that can go away in a few hours to an excruciating throbbing pain that can make a person stay in bed all day and last for weeks. Headaches can also cause muscle tension on the neck and can dampen a person’s daily life if it is not treated right away. Luckily the use of cervical decompression therapy can help alleviate any pain that the cervical spine is suffering from and can cause instant relief to many individuals suffering from headaches. This article looks at different types of headaches, including migraines, and how cervical decompression therapy can help relieve migraine headaches for many individuals. By referring patients to qualified and skilled providers specializing in spinal decompression therapy. To that end, and when appropriate, we advise our patients to refer to our associated medical providers based on their examination. We find that education is the key to asking valuable questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer

Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.

Different Forms Of Headaches

Have you ever felt excruciating throbbing pain from the forehead that becomes a nuisance throughout the day? How about tension and pain on either side of the face that constantly pounds that laying in a dark, quiet room can only be the cure? Or turning your head causes muscle restriction on the neck and limits the range of motion? These are the many forms of headaches that can affect anybody on any given day. Research studies have defined headaches as pain from various disorders that usually affect the cervical spine. These disorders can range from muscle tension around the neck, being overly stressed, having an inadequate sleep, to wearing something tight around the head. Having headaches in their acute form can last for a few hours until they dissipate, but their chronic condition can cause severe neck and cervical spine issues.

When a person starts to feel pain in their neck, it can cause them to have a limited range of motion and cause reoccurring headaches known as cervicogenic headaches. Research studies have shown that cervicogenic headaches are mainly caused when the cervical root is compressed on the lower parts of the cervical spine, causing cervical radiculopathy. When this happens, it can cause many individuals to have neck pain and headaches from the neck to the head. Cervicogenic headaches can limit a person’s range of motion when they turn their head and irritate the cervical nerve root spread out from the neck to the shoulders.

Migraine Headaches

Have you ever felt a severe headache that makes you feel nauseated and become sensitive to light and that you only feel relief by just laying down in a dark, quiet room? This type of headache is known as a migraine, and research studies classified migraines as headaches with moderate to severe episodes considered unilateral. Having migraines can affect a person’s quality of life as they can last from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how severe the migraine is. Other research studies have shown that since migraines are the commonest causes of severe headaches, the pain is accompanied by a constellation of symptoms that can affect the body and the neck. Some of the common symptoms that are accompanied by migraines are:

• Dizzyness
• Nausea
• Extreme light sensitivity
• Avoiding physical activities
• Extreme noise sensitivity

Non-surgical Decompression Therapy For Cervical Spine- Video

Still feeling excruciating pain from the neck, and it is causing you headaches? How about a limited range of motion when turning your head? Well, cervical decompression therapy could be the answer to alleviating headaches and neck pain. The video above shows what cervical decompression therapy does by using the DRX9000. Cervical decompression allows the individual to lay on a traction table, strapping their head. In contrast, the traction table gently stretches the cervical spine to enable the compressed spinal discs to return to their original form and relieve the pressure on the cervical nerve root. This will alleviate neck pain symptoms like muscle stiffness and help treat severe headaches like migraines. If you want to learn more about spinal decompression therapy, this link will explain the benefits of spinal decompression and how it can alleviate cervical pain symptoms.

Cervical Decompression Therapy For Relieving Migraines

Finding any kind of relief for migraines usually involves a quiet, dark room to minimize the associated symptoms that can dampen a person’s day. Since research studies have stated that when the greater occipital nerve is being entrapped and compressed, it can actually cause the posterior part of the head excruciating pain. This can affect the upper parts of the cervical spine and cause migraines to become much worst. The best way to get the pressure off the greater occipital nerve and the cervical spine nerve root is through cervical decompression therapy.

Research studies have shown that cervical decompression has often been used to help treat many individuals suffering from neck pain. What cervical decompression does, is that it allows traction to be utilized on the cervical spine causing the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that encompass the cervical spine to be gently stretched. This will cause them to relax and reduce the sensory fibers’ pain transmission, causing instant relief. This gentle stretching from cervical decompression takes the compressed disc from the cervical spine and releases the pressure of the cervical nerve root, thus alleviating severe headaches like migraines.

Conclusion

When a person has a headache and neck pain, it can affect a person’s quality of life. Having headaches can dampen a person’s quality of life, depending on the severity. Headaches can range from a dull ache like a cluster headache to excruciating throbbing pain like a migraine. Luckily cervical decompression therapy allows the individual to have their cervical spine be gently stretched and takes the pressure off the cervical nerve root. This will cause the cervical spinal discs to be decompressed and allow an increase in disc height, alleviating the symptoms that are causing a person to have migraines and headaches. Incorporating cervical decompression therapy as part of your wellness journey will give you the relief you need to get by with your daily activities.

References

Bogduk, Nikolai. “The Neck and Headaches.” Neurologic Clinics, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2004, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15062532/.

Eskilsson, Anja, et al. “Decompression of the Greater Occipital Nerve Improves Outcome in Patients with Chronic Headache and Neck Pain – a Retrospective Cohort Study.” Acta Neurochirurgica, Springer Vienna, Sept. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8357752/.

Lee, Chang-Hyung, et al. “The Functional and Morphological Changes of the Cervical Intervertebral Disc after Applying Lordotic Curve Controlled Traction: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, MDPI, 19 June 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6617374/.

Persson, Liselott C G, et al. “Headache in Patients with Cervical Radiculopathy: A Prospective Study with Selective Nerve Root Blocks in 275 Patients.” European Spine Journal: Official Publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, Springer-Verlag, July 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2219654/.

Pescador Ruschel, Marco A, and Orlando De Jesus. “Migraine Headache – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 30 Aug. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560787/.

Weatherall, Mark W. “The Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Migraine.” Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease, SAGE Publications, May 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4416971/.

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