Migraine and osteopathy
Migraines, we never know what might set one off, but once it’s there, it’s persistent.
More than 80% of those with migraines never seek treatment although there are simple and quick solutions to be found!
It has to be said, are migraines doing your head in?!
Well today we will teach you the osteopathic methods to treat this very common condition.
Symptoms of migraine
- Only on one side, the right or the left
- Who evolves by crisis
- That changes with each event and can last up to 72 hours if left untreated
- The migraine is pulsatile, meaning that you can feel your heart beating in your head
- The pain increases during physical activity
- This pain can be accompanied by nausea or vomiting
- You become more sensitive to light or noise
5 common causes of migraines
Biomechanical cause
You can suffer from a migraine following a severe trauma such as a car accident, a concussion, or a fall from a bicycle.
This, or these traumas create muscular, joint or skeletal biomechanical tensions in the regions of the spine or skull.
These biomechanical tensions are equally found in osteopathy after a series of wrong moves, poor posture, poor ergonomics that can in the long-term cause you to have recurring migraines.
Nervous cause
Because of a pinching of the nerve
This is the case in occipital neuralgia, which, if it is pinched, will create a burning sensation or electric discharges that go from the nape of the neck to the top of the skull and sometimes to the eye.
Other nerve compressions can also be found in the origin of neurological migraines such as:
- Great auricular neuralgia
- Neuralgia of the lesser occipital nerve
Biochemical cause
In women, menstruation can bring on head pains due to hormonal changes, most notably in response to a lowering of oestrogen levels and/or tensions in the lower pelvic organs (via the fasciae).
Vascular cause
This cause is linked to a reduction in intra-cranial circulation of blood. Remember that the arteries and veins play an important role in the distribution of oxygen and the nutrients necessary for proper functioning of the organism.
Ophtalmic cause
In this case there are visual symptoms that appear first and foremost. There is usually a spot of light that slowly gets bigger and occurs in both eyes. This can last for anywhere between 10 minutes and a half-hour.
Osteopathy treatment
Osteopathy is used to treat the patient in a holistic manner, that is, globally. This takes into account the symptoms evoked by each individual and adds to this the results of a manual examination to propose an optimal therapy that is customized to the patient.
The aim of the treatment, if it is complete and well done, is to avoid recurrence or to increase the period of time between events.
For migraines, a belief that was handed down from the founder of osteopathy, Andrew Taylor Still applies “The Rule of the Artery is Supreme”. In fact, migraines are generally linked to defective cranial vascularization. The intention is therefore to reset the circulation at the level of the various arteries by various methods.
The treatment can also be multidisciplinary with the intervention of another discipline to best optimise treatment; notably the neurologist or the orthoptist.
Osteopathic Treatment Methods
SOFT TISSUE MANIPULATION
Soft tissue manipulation can be used in many different ways. This method is used to evaluate the condition of tissues, ease restrictions, help the body’s fluids (blood, lymph, etc.) flow smoothly and restore function.
Optimal neuro-vascular flow helps to reduce harmful fluid retention and allows the body’s immune system to work more effectively.
Throughout the treatment, Osteopathic Manual Practitioners will continuously check on the state of the body’s tissues. The goal is to gently guide the tissue back to health without over-treating.
CRANIAL OSTEOPATHY
As the gentlest osteopathic technique, Cranial Osteopathy is also one of the most significant.
It is used to assess and treat the mobility of the skull and its contents. It may also be used to assess and treat the spine, sacrum and other parts of the body. The goal of this technique is to adjust the body’s physiology by restoring balance and optimal neuro-vascular flow surrounding the Central Nervous System and all of its autonomic centers.
VISCERAL MANIPULATION
Visceral Manipulation is used to effectively treat organs and viscera of the body, including the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, pancreas, intestines, the bladder and the uterus.
Osteopathic Manual Practitioners will gently move the structures themselves and the fascia that surrounds them to restore full movement.
Applied with gentle pressure, visceral manipulation corrections can improve the mobility of an organ, improve neuro-vascular flow surrounding the organ and ultimately help maximize organ function.
OSTEOPATHIC ARTICULAR TECHNIQUE
The osteopathic articular technique, involving gently moving two joint surfaces, is used to reduce muscle spasms, ease neurological irritations, assist in joint mobility and help reduce pain and discomfort.
It is a less forceful technique than joint manipulation.
Osteopathic Manual Practitioners will carefully prepare the soft tissues around the treatment area, positioning the patient so that there is minimal (if any) force needed to perform the maneuver.
