Have you felt a persisting, throbbing headache when you get a cold virus? In that case, you probably had a migraine episode from inflammation.
People looking for migraine relief in McKinney usually connect migraines to several triggers like stress, hormonal fluctuations, and sleeping issues. Little did they know, migraines and inflammation can be linked as well.
In this article, we'll try to break down their connection and look at a natural alternative to get relief from inflammation and migraines.
Explaining Inflammation
When you get exposed to viruses, bacteria, and other irritants, your body protects itself by releasing white blood cells to fight off these foreign substances. The attack of the white blood cells against these viruses, for example, causes inflammation.
During inflammation, you may experience pain, swelling, redness, and increased body temperature. If you remember getting a bruise or a cut as a child, you perhaps saw that the area became red due to the increased blood flow. Not only that, the skin around your cut may have become swollen and warm to the touch. This is what happens when your body tries to fight off the bacteria or debris that may get in from the cut.
Another excellent example of inflammation is what happens to your body during an asthma attack. You may have been exposed to some dust or allergen that triggered your asthma. Then, you feel your throat close up or get inflamed, prompting you to use medications to relax your airways.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.
Your body might experience inflammation when you are exposed to any of the following:
- harmful sunlight
- extreme heat or cold
- toxic chemicals
- stress
- trauma
- injury
Some inflammation is healthy, but there are times when the body becomes too sensitive or excited that it attacks its healthy tissues and cells. This can lead to autoimmune diseases like diabetes, lupus, or other autoimmune disorders.
All About Migraines
Those looking for migraine relief in McKinney always ask the question, “Where do migraines come from?” More often than not, migraines have something to do with the nerves and blood vessels in your head. Poor circulation, for example, can delay the much-needed oxygen to the brain, resulting in migraines.
Migraines usually arise for multiple reasons:
- an underlying health condition
- a misalignment in the neck
- dehydration
- poor posture
- sleeping disorders
- weather changes
- bright lights and loud noises
- hormonal fluctuations
- stress
Migraine attacks are frustrating. They often bring searing pain in one side of the head and ruin your day with symptoms like:
- dizziness
- vertigo
- nausea
- vomiting
- sensitivity to lights, noise, and odors
- difficulty in concentrating
How Are Inflammation and Migraines Connected?
Researchers wanted to help people get migraine relief in McKinney and all over the world. In their attempt to do so, they did a couple of studies and revealed that migraines might result from too much inflammation. To clearly see the connection between migraines and inflammation, we’ll first discuss their common cause—stress.
Did you notice that more and more are getting diagnosed with stress disorders in the current pandemic, causing their migraines? If your body senses any physical or mental stress, it commonly releases adrenaline and cortisol.
Cortisol is a natural steroid that can regulate inflammation in the body. Suppose you are constantly exposed to a stressful situation; it will decrease the effectiveness of the hormone cortisol in your body. As a result, inflammation becomes your body's response to stress.
Following the idea that stress can trigger inflammation in other parts of your body, your brainstem might get afflicted by inflammation. The blood vessels or capillaries in the brain might dilate and allow more white blood cells to enter, resulting in inflammation and migraines.
If you constantly feel stressed and anxious, we recommend that you participate in activities for stress relief. This is to avoid complications, including migraines.
What Natural Alternative Can Help with Migraines?
Another connection between migraines and inflammation is an upper cervical spine misalignment. Suppose you are experiencing migraines and you remember sustaining trauma in your head or neck, this trauma may have caused inflammation.
Prolonged inflammation can also accelerate the degeneration of tissues, bones, and ligaments in the body. Let’s quickly discuss the function of the upper cervical spine:
The bones responsible for protecting the brainstem are found in the upper cervical spine. Aside from protecting the brainstem, these bones also provide support and movement for the head. Due to this function, these bones-- atlas and axis are prone to misaligning.
The misalignment can irritate the brainstem, leading up to the onset of migraines. Fortunately for everyone, upper cervical chiropractic care can help reduce or possibly eliminate migraine symptoms.
Here at Crowder Specific Chiropractic, we use a gentle, natural, and safe way to correct the misalignment in the upper neck. Realigning the bones back into place can reduce inflammation and encourage sustainable healing for the body, resulting in decreased migraine attacks.
To learn more about what we can offer you, we invite you to set a consultation with Dr. Crowder. Give us a call at (972) 562-0674 or fill out this form to begin getting migraine relief in McKinney.
To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder, call our McKinney office at 972-562-0674. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.