Many of us know all too well how a migraine headache can keep us from enjoying life. Often they are so disruptive that the only way to try to survive them is to lock yourself away in a dark and quiet room. Even hiding away in another room is not enough to bring relief. Nothing seems to stop the throbbing pain.
Yes, we all know that headaches can be caused by stress – that of course is true, but the other things that we may not have realized may be as big or even a bigger contributor.
It is true that a bang to the head could cause a tilt or rotation of the head on the neck and then also a counter rotation or tilting of the spine below could cause us to also have pain in our low backs and hips.
But, who would guess that landing on our back side or our tail bone could also cause migraines to be in our future? Who would guess that grief or sadness could be a contributor? In fact, perhaps even trauma from our own birth could be part of the cause.
Any and all of the above could contribute to your present migraine difficulties. Sometimes the primary trauma can cause secondary traumas as a result of compensation and adaption. The reason that I mention all of these possibilities is that just concentrating on the head may not give us the relief that we are seeking.
We can begin with the possibility that the muscles in the neck become tense and this tightness may reduce blood flow as it leaves the head via the jugular vein. Another type of fluid flow that can be affected is the cerebral spinal fluid which is created deep inside the brain. As the cerebral spinal fluid is produced from the arterial blood by the choroid plexuses of the lateral and fourth ventricles, the cranial bones pulse slightly apart. Similarly, as the cerebral spinal fluid is dispersed down the vertebral column, the cranial bones pulse back together again.
When the cranial bones become tightly drawn together, or compressed from a traumatic accident, or from stress, whether it is mental or emotional, it restricts the movement of the natural rhythmic flow of the cerebral spinal fluid. When the cerebral spinal fluid and blood flow are restricted our brains do not receive the nutrients and oxygen to keep our brains healthy. And, just as important, the fluid flow of cerebral spinal fluid also helps to remove toxins that can build up in the brain over time.
Your migraine problems could also be coming from as far away as your stiff knee that changes the way that you walk, which also affects the low back and even eventually the muscles of you neck. This is the reason that it is important to treat the whole body – not just the part that has the current symptoms.
Whether the trauma and stress is from poor posture or a traumatic accident, these subluxations and muscle contractions are often held in place for days, weeks, months and years of time. This in turn affects the connective tissue, or fascia that wraps all muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves and organs, as well as the all bony structures.
When this connective tissue, or fascia is healthy it is pliable, but when we have an injury, sustained stress or poor posture the fascia becomes sticky and stiff. This causes pain, stiffness, tightness, decreased circulation and reduced nerve conductivity, which results in loss of energy, and less resistance to disease either locally or systemically.
CranioSacral Therapy releases tension in the muscles and restrictions in the fascia, or connective tissue of the body, which in turn causes an increase in fluid flow and improved alignment of bones and vertebrae.
Using a very light and gentle touch CranioSacral Therapy brings relief and helps break the cycle of migraines by releasing tensions throughout the meninges, which is a series of membranes that cover the central nervous system. These three layers, the dura mater, the arachnoid mater and the pia mater cover the brain and brain stem and the spinal cord. The primary function of the meninges is to protect these important parts of the central nervous system.
By removing restrictions from meningeal and cranial bone structures, pressure it taken off the nervous system and the entire craniosacral system can open up and function more efficiently. And, when the central nervous system is functioning optimally, all of the other systems of the body benefit.
I have many clients that have found welcome relief from their constant, recurrent migraine pain. Give me a call at 715-571-6000 today to find relief from your migraines.
