BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 19, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Painful migraines and other headaches have the potential to sideline sufferers from their work and personal lives. According to one Birmingham chiropractor, the best solution for relieving migraine pain can often be found in a spinal adjustment. Doctor Scott Duca, a licensed Birmingham chiropractor at the Back on Track Chiropractic & Wellness Center, says chiropractic care offers a safe alternative to prescription or over-the-counter medications for treating migraines.
"Medication can provide some relief, but chiropractic care uncovers underlying causes behind headaches," says Dr. Duca. "Chiropractic care is a safe method of treatment that helps a patient regain a high quality of life."
Migraine headaches are characterized by an intense throbbing pain localized to one part of the head. These headaches can cause nausea, vomiting and an extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Severe migraine headaches can leave some people immobilized for days – resulting in everything from missed work to diminished quality of life.
According to Dr. Duca, a misalignment of the bones in the cervical spine, also known as the "neck", is often a root cause for migraine pain. Spinal misalignment can be caused by many events; sitting at a computer for long periods of time, stress due to work, family or financial issues, whiplash injuries as a result of an auto accident or work related job injury. A misalignment puts pressure on muscles and nerves and can limit blood flow to the brain. While medicine can reduce the symptoms arising from this condition, Dr. Duca reports that a spinal adjustment has the potential to relieve the pressure on the nerves and muscles and restore healthy blood flow by eliminating the potential cause.
"Migraine headache pain may be linked to changes in blood flow," Dr. Duca says. "Adjusting the cervical spine helps us to reduce tension at muscle pressure points and boost the oxygen-rich blood flow to a patient's brain."
Some migraine medications are able to reduce the frequency and intensity of headache pain, but may carry risks of side effects. The better solution, according to Dr. Duca, is to heal patients through a combination of spinal adjustments and lifestyle counseling, which can identify migraine triggers such as dehydration and stress and then find appropriate solutions.
About Back on Track Chiropractic & Wellness Center
Back on Track Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Homewood, AL is headed by Dr. Scott Duca, a licensed chiropractor who has served the community for more than 15 years. Back on Track Chiropractic offers comprehensive chiropractic care including spinal adjustments, corrective exercises, lifestyle advice, nutritional counseling, massage therapy, and spinal and postural screenings.