What Causes Migraines?

Are you having migraines or headaches?  In the United States, there are over 38 million people who suffer from migraines according to migraine.com. That is a TON of people. On top of that, studies have found that 2-3 million people suffer from chronic migraines. A lot of people aren’t really sure what differentiates a migraine from a headache. The biggest thing is intensity. Most migraines last 4 hours and cause a throbbing pain ranging from one side of the head to the entire head. People who suffer from migraines will get them weekly, to monthly usually.

What Causes Migraines?

We see a number of people who suffer from migraines at The Specific Chiropractic Centers – Lake Country. One of the most common frustrations for people is they don’t know what causes them. This is bothersome because migraines can be debilitating a lot of times causing people to miss work, family events, and other things! There are a lot of common causes out there but it differs for everyone.  The list of causes really differs according to Mayo Clinic.

  • Certain Foods
  • Food Additives
  • Drinks – alcohol and caffeine
  • Stress
  • Sensory Stimuli – bright lights, sun glare, strong smells
  • Sleep
  • Change of Seasons
  • Medication changes
  • Family History
  • Hormonal Problems

This is just a small list of some of the causes, it is important to note that women are 3 times more likely to suffer from migraines than men. If these are the main causes then why do we see people with migraines?

We not only take care of people who suffer from migraines but often times we are able to decrease the number of migraines they are having and the severity within the first 12 visits. A lot of times people are getting them because there is an issue going on with their nervous system. Studies have indicated that migraines are often due to sympathetic nervous system overload. The sympathetic nervous is in charge of your fight or flight mode. Now think of that mode being on all the time, the body is in a constant state of stress. The goal is to bring the body back into balance and not stuck in that fight or flight mode.

At The Specific our goal is to get the nervous system working how it’s supposed to and get you out of sympathetic/fight or flight mode. Once we achieve that and the body is working how it is supposed to people see a huge decrease in their migraines. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Learn more.

Here are a few more posts on how chiropractic care can help those who suffer from headaches and/or migraines.