To Your Health
October, 2021 (Vol. 15, Issue 10) |
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The Wrong Way to Treat Migraines
By Editorial Staff
The wrong way to treat migraines is by far the most common way, unfortunately: pain medication, either over the counter or prescription. When the latter version is used, opioids continue to be an option, despite the fact that the opioid epidemic has been squarely in the public and profession eye for several years.
The opioid epidemic we speak of is the rampant overprescribing of opioids that has led to overdoses, addiction and death in too many people with headaches and other pain conditions. The pharmaceutical industry can take its share of the blame, too, since it's become known that "Big Pharma" has done its usual job of overpromoting these drugs to the doctors who prescribe them - often while knowing of their deadly potential.
In terms of migraine pain, research suggests opioid use for migraines actually increased from 2009-2018, despite their use not being recommended as a first-line treatment option in the vast majority of cases. Unfortunately, clinical guidelines from the American Headache Society encourage other medications instead, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs – Aleve, Motrin, etc.).
So, that's the wrong way to treat migraines. Is there a better way? Chiropractic. Among the research supporting chiropractic care, one study found that subjects who received chiropractic adjustments reported substantial improvement in various migraine parameters including frequency, duration, disability, and medication use after two months of treatment. Ask your doctor about how chiropractic adjustments can help treat migraines and other types of headache pain.
