What is migraine?
We’ve all heard of migraine before – its reputation as the unruly mother-of-all of headaches has pervaded the media for decades. However, its more than just a bad headache, there are several criteria that distinguish migraine from the 150 other types of headache.
To be diagnosed with migraine you must have at least 5 headache attacks lasting 4-72hrs each with at least two of the following criteria;
1. Unilateral pain; that is pain on one side of your head
2. Pulsatile quality; that is throbbing or bounding pain
3. Moderate or severe pain intensity
4. Pain that gets worse with physical activity.
During the headache attack you must also experience either nausea and/or vomiting or; light and sound sensitivity.
Those are just the symptoms before we include aura! What’s aura you ask? In this case, its not something mystical, but the name given to neurological symptoms some people experience. Some people experience aura without the headache. Aura symptoms generally last around 30mins to 1hr about an hour prior to the onset of the headache – like a horrible alarm system warning you to go home and lie down!
Aura symptoms might include:
- visual disturbances including flashing lights or dark spots
- tingling and numbness
- trouble speaking
- weakness
Please note if you’re experiencing NEW neurological symptoms, you should always consult with a doctor.
What causes migraine?
Currently the dominant hypothesis is that, in genetically susceptible people, there is an increase in sensitivity of the brainstem. This can be triggered by poor sleep, hormones, neck dysfunction, certain smells, foods or light and sound. When these triggers accumulate above a certain threshold, pain occurs. This is accompanied by unusual activity of the nerves coming out of the brainstem – the cranial nerves.
The cranial nerves control most of the sensory organs in the head as well as the movement of some of the large neck muscles. No wonder neck pain and movement can contribute to the onset of migraine!
What can we do about it?
From a physiotherapy perspective, we aim to normalise the function and movement of the upper neck so that the afferent nerve fibres (nerves arriving at the brainstem) are not providing unhelpful stimulus to the brainstem. We also work on any factors elsewhere in the body that might be contributing to poor neck function.
Another option available at Mind Heart Body Centre is meditation practice. Meditation can help to provide down regulating or calming input to the brainstem via the vagus nerve, which forms the majority of our parasympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as the rest and digest system.
Come and talk to us about your migraine!