Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches are a common presentation at the Osteopathic Life Clinic, quite a few patients have diagnosed them-self’s as suffering from migraine headaches. However our practice has found that quite a few have in fact turned out to be a Cervicogenic headache and some a simple Tension type of headache. Some however are true Migraine type of headache.

 

Migraine sufferers will have the following.

  • Throbbing pain within an hour, often one-sided
  • Pain may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and photophobia

They may also have the following associated symptoms

  • Prodromal: visual disturbances or auras (e.g. flashing lights blind spots,) or auditory disturbances (hearing disturbances)
  • Pain aggravated by movement

Triggers associated with migraines such as stress, certain food types, trauma, or hormone changes usually initiate the onset of the migraine leading to vasodilation (increase in size of blood vessels) at the base of the brain.

Osteopathic Treatment

Treatment at the clinic includes biomechanical assessment as well as Cranial Osteopathic assessment. Our practitioners are also qualified in Nutritional evaluation and can help with dietary assessment.

When you visit the clinic for your appointment a thorough case history is taken as well as a musculoskeletal assessment. This will help to identify weather you may have a tension type headache or migraine. Assessment of your temporomandibular joint is done, so as to discount bruxism or teeth grinding or jaw clenching, which can lead to dysfunction of the masseter muscles and temporalis muscles.

Cranial Osteopathy

Looking at the cranial component is a very important part of the Osteopathic evaluation in migraine sufferers. It is believed that dysfunction of the sphenobasiler symphysis and temporal bones are common in migraine headache. Judicious and well-timed institution of manipulative treatment of cranial dysfunctions may terminate and even preempt a migraine attack