Migraines and chronic headaches are among the worst of the weakening conditions that plague society today and the frequency of occurrence and acuteness are increasing. The present medical model is multi dimensional 1.the function of one of the many medicines for discomfort alleviation, reduced severity and frequency of headaches, and mitigation of concomitant vertigo and dizzy spells symptoms. 2. Enquiry of the potential and “common” triggers (stress, emotional upset, hormonal inequalities, sleep deprivation, red wine, fermented cheese, chocolate, coffee, etc). This approach is not without it’s benefits, but is restricted in its chemical approach and scope relative to the correction of the reasons behind the multiple underlying mechanisms that predispose people to the suffering of migraines. The trade off for the relief of migraine symptoms with this approach is naturally the long listing of moderate to severe complications from the long run use of these moderate to aggressive pharmaceuticals and often an increase in the severity and frequency of subsequent episodes.

The cause of this is that the medications cannot address the causative neurological and metabolic mechanisms of migraines and chronic headaches. The pharmaceuticals dilate the arteries, “inhibit” neurotransmitters (brain chemicals “especially serotonin) and “block” calcium and beta adrenergics. The question that has to be answered “What are the mechanisms that are “broke” that cause some people’s arteries to contract and others to dilate, some to require calcium block” and so on. ?

The current medical model and current speculation is leaning heavily towards the reason for all of the unnatural chemical mechanisms leading to migraines being due to faulty calcium physiology. The functional medicine/chiropractic neurology approach feels the mechanisms are rather more varied and complex and must address both brain and metabolic aberrations in the headache subject.

The chiropractic neurology perspective is that there is a decreased function in an area of the brain that controls blood flow on the same side of another part of the brain that controls dilation and contraction of the veins. This is an electrical not a chemical (ie- calcium abnormalities) disparity. The mixture of these two areas not firing “in sync” causes a cut back in blood flow to a part of the brain (different in everybody) and an increase in chemical irritations that overpower further mechanisms that normally stop your grey matter from feeling agony. This neurological complex mechanism “when present - prejudices patients to suffering chronic migraine symptoms.

The above unnatural neurological electrical disequilibria usually co-exist alongside multiple metabolic disequilibria in the predisposed headache sufferer. These mechanisms are not regarded as part of the “cause” for chronic migraines in the medical model. The list is long: undiagnosed thyroid conditions , uncontrolled high or low blood sugar, untreated or unnoticed anemia’s, GI/liver issues, intestinal issues (Celiac, IBS, inflammatory bowl), autoimmune illnesses, fatty acid metabolism, food allergies, hormonal issues in women “and more. Take away message: it’s not just calcium channel mechanisms.

So how will this all work in partnership to cause migraines? What happens is that the patient has one of the above abnormal firing patterns (from stress, old concussions, car accidents, and countless other causes beyond the remit of this piece) combined with one of more of the already mentioned metabolic conditions. The patient lives in this unsteady condition without pain due to the bodies natural efforts and abilities to keep it in check (maintain homeostasis). Then something (the trigger) destabilizes the system and finally the body’s abilities to neutralise the base abnormal mechanisms that are predisposing the patient to potential migraines. The triggers mentioned earlier in this piece are often mistaken for the “cause” because now the patient will experience assorted headache symptoms. But the trigger only destabilizes the unusual mechanisms which have been laying in wait for months or years . Once the mechanisms are destabilized they stay that way until corrected.

So how does medicine correct the various complicated patterns that come to our offices “all with the diagnosis of migraine? It doesn’t, it can’t. Thank the Lord that it can manage the symptoms, particularly for the folks that won’t ever know the above mechanisms even exist and they can frequently be managed or corrected without medication.

The functional medicine, chiropractic neurologist approach is multifaceted. An intensive history must be taken which will uncover the above named triggers and very likely some of many that haven’t been mentioned. A complete, comprehensive functional neurological examination must be performed to figure out the exact brain misfiring pattern of that precise headache subject. Specific blood, urine, DNA, and fecal testing may also be required to determine the metabolic imbalances destabilizing the brain pattern. And finally a non-drug brain strengthening protocol is implemented to stabilize the disequilibria present in that person’s brain and a non-drug natural angle to that individual’s unnatural metabolic disequilibria is also implemented at the same time. This treatment plan has been awfully successful in the resolution of migraines. Not all migraines are the same. You must define the uniqueness of each case and treat the patient and not the diagnosis. To do otherwise is a recipe for failure.

Martin P. Rutherford, D.C, C.C.S.T. And Randall Gates, D.C, D.A.C.N.B. From Power Health in Reno, NVfocus on working with patients that are suffering from chronic neurologic and metabolic issues such as migraines, movement disorders, IBS, peripheral neuropathy, vertigo/dizziness fibromyalgia and much more. Their practice is found at Power Health 1175 Harvard Way Reno, NV 89502 775-329-4402