Last week we went over new research showing the effectiveness of Chiropractic adjustments in treating cervicogenic headaches, one of the 3 most common types of chronic headache. This week we're shifting our focus to migraines, one of the other most common chronic headaches. Migraines can be incredibly painful and people that suffer from regular and chronic migraines are dubbed "migraineurs". Migraines are also often associated with visual and auditory changes before the onset of pain known as auras. A migraineur often knows a migraine is setting in due to an aura, and can sometimes offset the development of pain by seeking immediate treatment, such as chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue work, or medications.

Treatment for migraines differs from the treatment for cervicogenic headaches as it heavily involves nutrition, diet, and prevention. Careful monitoring of a person's diet can help them prevent migraines and can reduce the intensity of migraine pain and reduce duration when migraines do occur. Most migraineurs are aware of the most commonly known foods and beverages that cause their migraines, such as wine, cheeses, and chocolate. However, with a detailed food diary and careful monitoring of their symptoms, other, less common trigger foods can be discovered. For migraineurs food is not always the "bad guy", some foods and nutrients help with migraines. Careful and effective management of migraines usually involves a multifaceted approach including diet, nutritional supplementation, manual therapies such as chiropractic adjustments, and medications.

A new study published in the Journal of Nutritional Neuroscience demonstrates the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation in managing migraines even when provided on top of pharmaceutical medication meant to prevent migraines. In this exciting research study one group of migraineurs was given high quality omega-3 fatty acids on top of their normal dose of amitriptyline (a drug prescribed to prevent migraines in migraineurs), while the other group received only the amitriptyline with an extra placebo pill. The researchers found that nearly 70% of the patients receiving the omega-3 fatty acids had at least an 80% reduction in migraines, a very significant change in migraine days compared to the control group taking the placebo.

This study shows the importance of nutritional supplementation and guidance by an experienced practitioner when managing chronic migraines. When combined with diet, overall nutritional status, and manual therapy, migraineurs will benefit greatly, even if already taking medications such as amitriptyline for prevention. Dr. Ross and his team here at Excellence in Health Chiropractic look forward to serving your healthcare needs and continuing to be a leader in quality healthcare. If you're suffering from chronic headaches, don't hesitate to call and make an appointment with us today. Take charge of your health and get back to living the life you deserve; and as always, we wish you excellence in health.

Resources:

• Soares, A. Loucana, P. Nasi, E. Sousa, K. Sa, O. Silva-Neto, R. (2017). A double- blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (OPFA ɷ-3) for the prevention of migraine in chronic migraine patients using amitriptyline. Nutritional Neuroscience, 20(3):1-5.

Link to the Abstract:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28056704