Those who suffer from migraine headaches are top candidates for legalized drug dependency. The ferocity of the migraine headache and, from a medical point of view, drugs being the only handling possible, the migraine sufferer is doomed to a life of misery and a life of prescription drug dependency.

The drug industry is a billion-dollar-a-year industry and spends millions of dollars in advertising to influence the way patients think and doctors prescribe. What chance has the migraine sufferer? Can chiropractic help?

In a recent research trial, four migraine sufferers were given spinal manipulation therapy and responded dramatically, with numerous self- reported symptoms either eliminated or substantially reduced. Migraine episodes were reduced on average by 90% and the duration of each migraine attack reduced by 38%

while the use of medication was reduced by 94%.

Vomiting, nausea, aversion to light, and aversion to sound were also  substantially reduced. So there is hope for the migraine sufferer through chiropractic care.

Nine of 10 Americans suffer from headaches either occasionally or daily; 45 million suffer chronic, recurring headaches. It’s estimated that 20% of children and adolescents suffer from significant headaches, some of which cause debilitating pain and nausea. Research has shown that Chiropractic care is effective in treating tension headaches, as well as headaches that originate in the neck.

In 1991, researchers from Duke University found that Chiropractic adjustments resulted in almost immediate improvement for headaches that originated in the neck, as well as having fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief than common prescription medicine.

In 1995, the

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics,   also reported that Chiropractic effectively relieved tension headaches, more so than drug treatment.

Research has also indicated that nearly 5% of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems, whereas 95% are tension, migraine or cluster headaches and are not triggered disease, but by muscle tension in the neck.

The American Chiropractors Association offers the following recommendations to reduce the risk of headaches:

• If you spend a lot of time in one position (sitting in front of a computer) take breaks every 30 minutes to one hour in order to stretch.

• Low impact exercise, such as walking and low-impact aerobics, may help relieve the pain of primary headaches.

• Avoid clenching teeth, as this stress on the jaw contributes to tension headaches.

• Drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water each day to prevent dehydration. Avoid caffeine, salty and sugary foods and avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

Chiropractic adjustments are a recommended and proven treatment option, as it improves spinal function and alleviates stress on your system.

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.

In a recent report released by Duke University, substantial evidence was revealed which shows the efficacy of Chiropractic treatment for tension and cervicogenic headaches.

This new report entitled, “Evidence Report: Behavioral and Physical Treatments for Tension-type and Cervicogenic Headache,” documents both the quality and strength of research findings pertaining to Chiropractic and headaches, supported by an impartial governmental agency, The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.

Evidence in the report shows that among the many treatment alternatives, Chiropractic is among the most effective treatment in both tension-type and cervicogenic headaches.

Key evidence in the report states that Chiropractic produces “markedly superior results in the treatment of tension-type headaches,” when compared to treating the same type of headaches with the antidepressant, Amitriptyline. And, even when compared to various soft tissue procedures, Chiropractic

manipulation is shown to produce “sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity in the treatment of cervicogenic headaches.”

Chiropractic management surpassed the results of various treatments. Based on the assessment, the evidence clearly position Chiropractic as a viable treatment that lacks the detrimental and sometimes fatal side effects of conventional treatment methods.

Results of this study are important and should be considered when selecting a practitioner for the management of headaches.

For more information on the report, visit The Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research’s web site, http://www. fcer. org.

Three recent studies 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 of the 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.

SOURCE: “Rehab Literature Review: Chiropractic Treatment and Migraine, www.chiroaccess.com.