About 39 million Americans experience frequent migraines. These severe headaches, which typically affect one side of the head, are often attributed to factors such as genetics, stress, or dietary triggers. Musculoskeletal factors can also be an influence, including neck pain.
Board-certified pain management physician Marcie Merson, MD, at Palm Beach Pain Institute in Delray Beach, Florida, treats migraine patients. Here, we explain the link between migraines and neck pain, discuss the limits of conventional treatments, and explore how osteopathic approaches may help.
A migraine is a complex neurological disorder that occurs when the pain centers in the brain become overly active. Experts don’t know exactly why they happen, but it’s thought that genetics, hormones, and environmental factors play a role. Musculoskeletal issues, like neck pain, can also contribute. Tension in the cervical spine and surrounding tissues can cause inflammation and increase the likelihood of headaches. Poor posture or past neck injuries may also trigger migraine attacks.
While neck pain isn’t always the cause of migraines, addressing the issue promptly can sometimes reduce their occurrence.
Many people with migraines turn to conventional treatments like prescription medication or Botox injections. Although Botox is used typically for cosmetic purposes, it’s FDA-approved for migraine management. Even so, it usually requires multiple treatments, can cause side effects, and isn’t always covered by health insurance.
Furthermore, not every patient is a candidate. Pregnant people, as well as those with allergies and certain neurological disorders, can’t receive Botox injections. Prescription medications are similar in that they can reduce the frequency of migraine attacks, but can also present side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, and sleepiness. Because of these limitations, many are exploring more holistic alternatives.
One of those alternatives is osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). This manual therapy uses hands-on adjustments to improve your neck’s alignment and ease strain, helping reduce one of the most common migraine triggers.
We typically pair OMT with healthy lifestyle changes, such as stress management and posture education. These help reduce muscle tension and ease stress on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support your neck.
Osteopathic approaches don’t necessarily provide immediate migraine relief, but if you incorporate them into your routine, they offer lasting results. Because they’re drug-free and noninvasive, you don’t have to worry about side effects, unlike some other treatments.
If you’re struggling to manage migraine headaches and want to avoid prescription medications and Botox, OMT is worth considering. Schedule an appointment today by calling our office at 561-499-7020 or booking online.