Craniosacral Therapy for Migraine Relief

Discover the Most Effective Form of Therapy for Migraine Pain Relief

The key to experiencing relief from migraines is to address the root cause of the problem, learn the pattern of the migraine and know the triggers. Many healthcare practitioners are just treating the symptoms of the headache without understanding the root cause of the problem which will only lead to temporary relief of the pain.

It is also important to understand the difference between a headache and a migraine to allow for proper diagnosis . Understanding these contributing factors and triggers will help reduce the frequency and the chance of a migraine attacks. It will also assist doctors, physical therapists and healthcare practitioners to offer the most effective migraine treatment plan tailored to their patients.

Headaches present themselves quite differently from migraines:

In addition, the Trigeminal nerve when overstimulated can be a major contributor for migraines that is frequently overlooked. The person can experience pain into the jaw, sinus and mouth. This is especially true if there is a history of TMJ.

The diagram below demonstrates the pain distribution with the different types of headaches:

Different types of factors that can contribute to migraines:

There are two types: lifestyle factors and medical factors. Lifestyle factors include habits built into your routine and daily life, while medical factors are more physical factors that require a close examination of your medical history to understand.

Image from American Migraine Foundation

Lack of sleep can contribute to migraine intensity and frequency.

Studies have shown that those who get less than six hours of sleep per night experienced more frequent migraines.

What can contribute to poor sleep:

Establish wind-down time. Do a quiet, relaxing activity before bed that doesn'tinvolve a screen. Read a book, listen to soft music, pray or meditate. Don't sleep with your smartphone on your bedside table. (It is so tempting to check it!)

Sleep problems can trigger migraines by causing instability of serotonin levels. Serotonin is an important chemical and neurotransmitter in the human body. It is believed to help regulate mood and social behavior, appetite, digestion, sleep, memory, and overall function.

It is important to include regular exercise as part of your healthy routine

However, research as shown that high intensity exercise can be a trigger for some migraine suffers.

If you get migraines, you may find that intense exercise triggers your migraines. In one study, 38% of participants experienced migraines as a result of or in association with exercise.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t exercise at a high level. I have struggled with migraines and I am a cyclist but very rarely have I experienced a migraine after cycling or exercise.

Just be aware if you do experience a migraine after exercise that you may need to decrease the intensity.

Diet and Migraine

Food triggers known to contribute to migraines:

Stay Hydrated!

Many studies have demonstrated that dehydration is a common cause of chronic migraines.

In addition, dehydration can lead to fatigue, dizziness, confusion, affect muscle cell function(cause weakness), contribute to low back pain, and affect brain function.

This means that dehydration can affect our central nervous system!

When the brain is dehydrated your body will feel increased levels of pain(especially if you have chronic joint pain or frequent migraines).

To avoid dehydration, focus on drinking plenty of water throughout the day. There are a variety of opinions as to how much water a person should drink.(coffee, tea, and soda don’t count towards your water intake since it is a diuretic). The amount of water intake depends on your lifestyle and activity level.

Decrease Your Stress Level

"I believe we can’t have optimal physical healing if we don’t address the emotional component that is triggering the migraine."

I know from personal experience how difficult life challenges can create major stress, drain your energy, steal your spirit, and create a great deal of pain physically and emotionally.

Stress can be a major factor in contributing to migraines and many other diseases.

We often hold our “issues in our tissues” which overtime accumulates in our body. It is like a sealed container ready to erupt and can present itself as migraine, chronic pain or physical disease.

So what are your stressors? What are you anxious about? Are you taking on other people’s stuff?

Here are some helpful strategies:

Alternative treatments for Migraines That Don’t Include Medication:

Craniosacral therapy can be a very effective form of treatment for the patient suffering from migraine pain.

What is Craniosacral Therapy(CST)?

A gentle light-touch manual therapy that addresses the central nervous system releasing tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction. It is intended to decrease stress, tension, improves whole-body health,  and increases the immune system.

How is Craniosacral Therapy performed?

In a quiet relaxing setting, while fully clothed and lying on a comfortable table. Delicate manual techniques are then used to release tissue restrictions that are found throughout your head and body.

How Can Craniosacral Therapy Help With My Headaches?

Craniosacral Therapy helps to release restrictions and tensions throughout the membranes that attach to the inside of the skull and spinal cord. It helps to take pressure off the central nervous system and allows for the proper flow of the cerebrospinal fluid.

The goal is to correct and create balance where there may be dysfunction within the craniosacral system. Removing any restrictions within the meninges (spinal cord membranes) can effectively help release and prevent the pain of migraines.

In addition, Craniosacral therapy can greatly affect the Trigeminal nerve which research as found when this nerve is over stimulated it can have a major role in contributing to migraine.

Research has shown that these meningeal membranes and fascia (connective tissue) are the only pain-sensitive tissues in the brain. Therefore, these restrictions can cause a significant amount of pressure on the blood vessels.

In addition, pressure on the brain from surrounding fascia can cause sensory neurons to signal messages to the higher brain center; hence these pain receptors can create the migraine pain.

I advise all my patients to keep a migraine journal which allows them to understand their migraine triggers and patterns. When we discover the migraine trigger it helps to decrease the frequency of the migraine and to help create the most effective treatment plan.

Journal the date and time of migraine. In addition to foods you ate, stressors your may have had, medication or supplementation you took, changes in temperature or barometric pressure. Be as detailed as possible.

We would love to help you by inviting you to book a call to talk with one of our physical therapists to find out what we can do to help you.

Click the button below to book a call with us if you would like to get some solid advice given to you over the phone. Our goal is to help you find relief from the pain of chronic migraines and headaches.