Have you ever noticed that your posture can affect how you feel? Maybe you've experienced neck or back pain after sitting at a desk for too long or felt a headache coming on after slouching in your chair. But did you know that poor posture can also contribute to migraines? That's right – how you hold your body can impact your head pain. In this post, we'll explore the connection between posture and migraines and what you can do to improve your alignment and reduce your symptoms with the help of a chiropractor for migraine in Edmonton, Symmetry Spinal Care.
When we talk about posture, we're referring to how we hold our bodies while standing, sitting, or moving. Good posture involves alignment of the spine, hips, and shoulders, with the head balanced on top. Conversely, poor posture can lead to strain on the muscles and joints of the neck and upper back. This can contribute to tension headaches and migraines.
Migraines are a type of headache characterized by intense, throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head. They can be accompanied by sensitivity to light, sound, or smells and may be preceded by visual disturbances or other symptoms. While the exact causes of migraines are not fully understood, they are believed to involve changes in blood flow and nerve signaling in the brain.
So, how does poor posture contribute to migraines? Here are two examples:
When you hold your body in awkward or asymmetrical positions, the neck and upper back muscles can become tense and overworked.
Poor posture can also reduce blood flow to the head and neck, contributing to migraines. This may be due to constriction of the blood vessels that supply the brain.
So, if poor posture can contribute to migraines, what can you do about it? Here are a few tips for improving your alignment and reducing your symptoms:
Pay attention to how you hold your body when you're sitting, standing, or moving. Are your shoulders hunched forward? Is your head tilted down? By being aware of your posture, you can make necessary adjustments to prevent problems like neck instability or cervical subluxation - a key factor to triggering severe migraines.
If you spend much time sitting at a desk or in front of a screen, take regular breaks to stand up, stretch, and move around. This can help relieve tension in the muscles and improve blood flow.
Exercises targeting the core and upper back muscles can help improve posture and reduce the risk of migraines. So, we strongly recommend incorporating exercises like planks, bird dogs, and rows into your routine.
Stress can contribute to muscular tension and exacerbate migraines. Consider incorporating relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga into your routine to help reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care can help address misalignments in the spine that may be contributing to migraines. It’s gentle and targets explicitly the atlas and axis bones - two bones that often get misaligned after a neck or head trauma.
If you're experiencing migraines, seeking the help of an Upper Cervical doctor may be a game-changer for your health and well-being. It will also help you gain insights into the importance of maintaining proper posture and identify lifestyle adjustments you must make to support good alignment, especially after receiving adjustments.
With the help of an Upper Cervical doctor, you can say goodbye to migraines and hello to a happier, healthier life. Book your appointment with Symmetry Spinal Care today!
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Schmaus, call our Edmonton office at 780-462-0447. 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.
Among the many symptoms of migraines, some are known to be much more debilitating than the rest. Unlike the usual list that features common symptoms, we've put together six with the most weakening effects on migraine patients. Furthermore, to help manage and relieve migraines and their symptoms, our Edmonton chiropractor has a natural relief in mind!
Learn more about how to cope with migraine using a natural and long-lasting remedy. Call our practice at 780-462-0447 to reach Dr. Schmaus or click the button below.
Headache can be a scary thing. It can be the kind of pain that makes you think you're dying, and it can be so sudden and unexpected that you're left wondering what happened. If nothing else, headaches are an inconvenience: they make even the simplest tasks feel like a chore, making it hard to concentrate on anything but how much your head hurts. But there's good news: most headaches are not caused by anything serious, and if you know how to identify your type of headache, it's easy to pick the perfect Edmonton migraine relief form.
The American Headache Society (AHS) has come up with a set of criteria that people, including medical practitioners, can use to figure out the kind of headache at hand. This is important to catch any underlying severe conditions early on and determine if you might need emergency care. They refer to it as the SNOOP criteria. Here's what the acronym stands for:
Using your headache or migraine diary, use SNOOP to characterize your headache. The more details you can take note of, the more comprehensive information you can provide to your physician during your scheduled consultation.
Now that you know the criteria to assess your headache, let's dive into what a headache is and its most common classifications. Clinicians define a headache as any pain in the head or neck area. It's a common symptom that you can experience either as a sharp or dull ache or accompanying symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound.
There are two major kinds of headaches: primary and secondary headaches.
Primary headaches are those which have their own specific cause. They're not related to any other health issues like an infection or tumor growth in your brain tissues - this includes:
This is definitely a common type of primary headache, and it can be caused by stress, anxiety, and muscle tension. Tension headaches typically affect both sides of your head at once and cause mild to moderate pain. It tends to develop slowly over time, lasting anywhere from two days to two weeks.
Migraines typically cause moderate to severe pain on one side of the head accompanied by vomiting, light or sound sensitivity, and nausea. Sometimes migraines can set off visual aura that lasts for several minutes before pain begins; this is often described as flashing lights or spots in front of your eyes. Migraine signs and symptoms can vary from person to person – for some people, it may cause vomiting only, while others experience sensitivity to sound or light only (or both). They can last for up to 72 hours if not managed immediately.
Cluster headaches cause intense pain on one side of your head that lasts 15 minutes to three hours at a time. They're typically accompanied by redness in your face or eyes and nasal congestion.
TACs include cluster headaches and paroxysmal hemicranias (THs). The symptoms for these conditions are closely similar to migraines but less severe; they also tend to occur more often than migraines do (about every month instead of once a year).
On the other hand, these headaches are much more serious than primary ones. They are due to an underlying condition such as stroke, brain tumor, or infection. They can also result from side effects of medication abuse.
This headache is caused by pain medication abuse. Pain medications, when taken excessively, can increase the risks of worse headaches that manifest when you stop your medication intake. You will likely experience throbbing pain in the temples if you have this type of headache. If you have it, we suggest speaking with your doctor to find alternative medications or get referrals to other options for Edmonton migraine relief.
Another common secondary headache that people experience. They are typically due to an inflamed sinus, which can cause pressure and pain behind the eyes and the forehead. This type of headache is often manageable with the help of decongestants and other medications that help clear out mucus buildup in the sinuses. Some also relieve their sinus headaches with the help of saline flush, steam inhalation, and meditation.
Caffeine has been shown to cause headaches in some people, so if you're having frequent headaches after drinking caffeinated beverages, it might be worth cutting them out of your diet to see if your symptoms improve.
Hormonal imbalances (like those caused by PMS) may also trigger frequent headaches in some women. If this is your case, talk to a doctor about using birth control pills or other hormone therapy medications to try and stabilize your hormones and prevent future episodes from happening again.
If you're suffering from severe or frequent headaches, you may be interested in considering upper cervical chiropractic care – the most natural Edmonton migraine relief form. That's because it has been shown to help people with headaches of all types, including migraines and tension headaches.
How exactly does it work? The art and principle of upper cervical care hinge on the importance of the cervical spine. So, it focuses on adjusting the position of your neck and head to relieve pressure on affected muscles, nerves, and blood vessels and to improve your overall posture.
If you want to try this holistic Edmonton migraine relief, visit Symmetry Spinal Care. Dr. Blair Schmaus and our whole team would be thrilled to help you overcome your headache problems through the specially designed adjustment technique: NUCCA protocol. You can learn more about the upper cervical chiropractic method and your spinal health from your very first visit! You can reach us via phone (780) 462-0447, email, or online request form.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Schmaus, call our Edmonton office at 780-462-0447. 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.
Silent migraines are so tricky because of the absence of pain. Thankfully, nowadays, we know more about silent migraines because of case studies and medical journals. We've rounded up a few shocking facts about silent migraines that you might want to check out. Our Edmonton chiropractor also tackles a helpful approach to managing chronic migraine episodes and their symptoms.
Learn more about how to cope with migraine attacks using a natural and long-lasting remedy. You may call our practice at 780-462-0447 to reach Dr. Schmaus or click the button below.
Countless patients come to upper cervical chiropractors in Edmonton, AB for migraine relief. But, unfortunately, most of them know very little about their condition. Because of that, they experience worse attacks and don’t know how to manage their symptoms. Learn how to avoid getting stuck in this situation by knowing five essential facts about migraine attacks.
Migraine attacks often progress in four phases: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome. Notably, some patients experience all four stages, while others only notice two to three. Studies note that knowing about these distinct phases of migraines can help you improve how you cope with the symptoms. Here’s a quick look at them:
It can occur two before an attack. It affects about 60 percent of migraineurs and triggers sudden food cravings, mood swings, sensory sensitivity, neck pain, and upset stomach.
Not everyone experiences the aura phase. However, it causes several debilitating problems ranging from visual to sensory disturbances. Some specific examples of the symptoms of the aura phase include blurry vision, pins and needles sensation, and auditory hallucinations.
The pain or headache phase is the most widely known phase of a migraine attack. It causes mild to intense throbbing on one side of the head, stiff neck, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and irritability. The symptoms also seem to worsen with increased physical exertion.
The postdrome phase or hangover phase can occur 24 hours after the headache phase. It can lead to fatigue, lethargy, mood changes, anxiety, depression, muscle weakness, and even digestive problems. This specific migraine phase can sometimes stretch 3 to 5 days and cause massive discomfort to affected individuals.
Several case studies have found that most migraine attacks can get worse because of specific triggers. That’s why, patients of upper cervical chiropractors in Edmonton, AB often remind patients to stop:
We suggest taking note of any specific migraine triggers that you have so you can modify your activities, lessen exposure, and improve your migraine episodes.
Several case studies have discovered that certain food products can set off a migraine attack. That’s why, doctors, cervical chiropractors, and other healthcare professionals strongly advise against consuming such products. Here’s a list of items that you might want to avoid the next time you hit the groceries:
Instead of these food items, you can switch to migraine-friendly products like tuna, avocado, and dark leafy veggies. Additionally, we suggest addressing vitamin D, magnesium, and B complex deficiencies by taking food supplements.
Migraines exempt no one. This means it can affect all age groups, including children and seniors. It can also afflict expecting mothers and women with hormonal imbalances. Notably, it also causes severe impacts on working professionals, school kids, athletes, and other individuals. To give you a better overview of how it affects people in the USA, here are some facts and figures from the American Migraine Foundation:
Indeed, migraine attacks can be quite debilitating. It can affect almost every aspect of life if you fail to take control of the symptoms and find a sustainable option for relief. If you have tried some of the popular remedies for migraine attacks but failed to see improvements, then you can try exploring upper cervical care.
Essentially, upper cervical chiropractors in Edmonton, AB provide gentle neck adjustments to address health problems that contribute to the onset of migraines, such as:
The NUCCA method of Upper Cervical Chiropractic helps address postural imbalances that can affect several physiological functions, such as maintaining equilibrium and keeping the head upright.
This chiropractic technique applies to every age group. It’s also safe and pain-free so you can tap into it even if you have a history of head or neck trauma. So, if you want to explore a different level of healing, we suggest giving upper cervical care a try.
Learn more about how you can manage migraine attacks with soft and precise C1 and C2 bone adjustments by connecting with us. You may visit us at Patricia Heights Shopping Centre, 7654 – 156 Street Edmonton, AB T5R 4K7, or call (780) 462-0447 to book your appointment with one of our upper cervical chiropractors in Edmonton, AB.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Schmaus, call our Edmonton office at 780-462-0447. 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.
