Headaches are one of the top reasons people refer us to their friends and family—because we get such excellent results.
We use DNFT Chiropractic to successfully treat headaches in the following ways:
- Adjusting your neck where neck-related (cervicogenic) headaches originate.
and we take it several steps further by:
- Checking the jaw, the TMJ joint, the neck muscles, and temple bones which are often contributing factors of headaches especially for those of us with stress in our lives.
DNFT Chiropractic enables us to relieve headaches by treating the deeper causes, such as when the headache comes from a structural component.
Unfortunately, not all headaches are as straightforward as that. Frequently the headache can be related to hormones, vitamin deficiencies, or other metabolic conditions that DNFT Chiropractic cannot adjust. In these cases we often refer our patients to a Naturopath. One of our favorites is Dr.Juli Mazi who has a particular interest in resolving headaches naturally and even created a helpful handout (we have reprinted below) that has been very beneficial to many of our patients.
Suffer from Migraines or Headaches?
By Juli Mazi, Thrive Natural Medicine
If you suffer from migraine headaches, it is helpful to start keeping a migraine journal. Of course, journaling is probably the last thing you want to do when you have a headache. However, keeping a journal of the preceding events, such as foods, drinks, time of day, time of female cycle, circumstances…etc., can help you to determine the pattern of triggers. In the meantime, here are 15 ways to treat and prevent migraines:
- Avoid dietary Amines – such as chocolate, cheese, citrus, and alcohol. They cause vasoconstriction, which can cause headaches.
- Avoid arachidonic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) – especially present in red meat, chicken and eggs, arachidonic acid in high amounts is inflammatory, and avoiding this helps to decrease the pain and inflammation associated with migraines.
- Drink water – aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily (away from meals), as dehydration is often a trigger for migraines.
- Increase consumption of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids – unsatruated fatty acids such as fish oils, algae oil, and nut oils decrease inflammation and help on a cellular level to prevent migraines.
- Increase Fiber and complex carbohydrates – this helps the colon to rid the body of toxins more consistently, and helps prevent the buildup of toxins- which can cause migraines.
- Quercitin – take 500 mg 15 minutes before each meal to protect against allergic and inflammatory responses to foods and environmental allergens, which trigger migraines. Quercitin acts as a protector.
- Magnesium – take 400-1,000 mg daily, this can be done in divided doses as too much magnesium all at once can cause loose stools. Magnesium helps to relax smooth muscles, prevent the release of catecholamines, and mediate platelet aggregation, which helps to treat and prevent migraines. Because of it’s relaxing effect, higher doses of Magnesium are better taken at night.
- Niacin (Vitamin B3) – 400 mg at the first onset of migraine symptoms and 100 mg per day as prevention.
- Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) – take 100 mg daily as prevention and up to 300 mg for a migraine headache to help treat the nerve inflammation that may be responsible for causing the headache.
- L-arginine – 1,000 mg to treat a migraine. This amino acid is not suitable for those who have any strain of the herpes virus, but can be very beneficial for those who do not have herpes, but do have migraines.
- Garlic – inhibits platelet aggregation, when platelets aggregate, the blood becomes thick, sticky and congestion in the head occurs causing migraines. Garlic prevents this from happening and helps to treat the congestion.
- Tanacetum parthenium or Feverfew – take 50-100 mg per day of the whole leaf, this is an herb that helps to inhibit the inflammatory response associated with migraines.
- Butterbur – take 100 mg twice daily as a prevention for migraines. Be sure to use the rhizome extract.
- Cold compress – get a washcloth cold and wet, wring it out and apply it directly to the area of the migraine. This will help to immediately decrease the congestion and inflammation of the migraine.
- Treat the liver – sometimes migraines and headaches are caused by over-toxicity. Helpful detoxing factors such as Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Jerusalem Artichoke and Glutathione can help the liver to detox more effectively, thus reducing the toxic load that leads to head pain.
- Treat environmental or food allergies – many naturopathic doctors can test to find out what environmental allergens or foods are causing inflammation in you and triggering migraines. Although there are many “usual suspects,” each individual is unique and may have unique triggers. Naturopathic medicine can help you to find out what triggers migraines in you, specifically, and treat the cause to prevent migraines in the future.
