Are Your Headaches Really Migraines?

In the US, 12 percent of the population experiences migraines, with women being almost three times more likely to suffer from them as men. At Lakewood Ranch Chiropractic in Bradenton, we see many patients who have silently dealt with the pain of migraines for years because they did not know their headaches were treatable migraines. Are your frequent headaches actually migraines?

Different Types of Migraines

There are two different categories of migraine: Those that have accompanying auras and those that do not. Auras are visual disturbances such as flashes of light or shadowy patches that typically begin prior to the outset of the migraine. These auras can act as a warning of an upcoming attack. Approximately a quarter of all migraine sufferers experience auras. Sometimes, doctors refer to migraines with auras as 'classic migraines' and those without auras as 'common migraines.'

In addition to aura and non-aura migraines, there are several common groups of symptoms that present themselves in multiple patients. These include:

• An ocular migraine causes a limited or complete loss of sight in one eye for up to thirty minutes at a time. The sufferer feels pulsating pain is moderate to severe and occurs on one side of the head and can last up to 72 hours.
• Hemiplegic migraine can mimic a stroke's symptoms, including numbness and weakness on one side of the body as well as a headache, nausea, and other more typical signs of a migraine.
• A headache does not always accompany a vestibular migraine. The main symptoms are loss of balance, disorientation, nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to sound.
• Hormonal or menstrual migraines affect women and can be due to menopause, hormonal therapy, or birth control. Over half of women who get migraines experience them premenstrually due to a sudden drop in estrogen and progesterone.
• Alice in Wonderland Syndrome migraines can have a severe effect on the sufferer's visual perceptions -- straight lines are wavy, body parts shrink or grow, and faces can look distorted. This type of migraine often begins in childhood.

Chiropractic Care May Be Able to Help

Why suffer from migraines when relief is a phone call away? Talk to a Bradenton chiropractor who can help. Call Lakewood Ranch Chiropractic at 941-739-2900 for an appointment.