Migraines

Three recent studies further examined the efficacy of Chiropractic in the management of migraine and tension-type headaches.

The first study tested 218 patients who were randomly assigned to a Chiropractic group, an anti-depressant group, or a group receiving a combination of both treatments.

The groups received their respective treatments for a period of eight weeks.

Progress was measured using the headache diary, which measures frequency and intensity of the headache, as well as any over-the-counter medication that is used and is documented daily by the patient.

Chiropractic treatment induced a 40% reduction in pain and minimal side effects. 58% of participants in the other groups reported greater side effects, which caused 10% to drop out ofthe study.

The second study was a three-phase study over a 12-month period. 32 patients participated and showed statistically significant improvement in decreased migraine frequency, intensity, disability and medication use.

The third study was a randomized, controlled trial of 83 participants who received 16 treatments over a two-month period. The group reported a 90% reduction in migraines and 49% in the morbidity of each episode

As studies continue, there is mounting evidence of the effectiveness of manipulation in the treatment of patients with chronic headaches.