Living Life Free from Migraines
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Physical Therapy for Migraines Traditionally, people think of physical therapy as a post-surgical or post- accident process designed to improve mobility and balance. While this is an important function, its scope provides a narrow picture of what physical therapy can do. Physical therapists are trained to recognize limits to the body’s function and prescribe ways to restore movement, balance, strength, mobility, and harmony of the body’s systems. For instance, some migraine sufferers experience neck and jaw pain that triggers an event. Physical therapists can recognize the cause of this pain and address it with manual therapies and exercise that, in turn, relieve a person’s symptoms. Even if the cause of a patient’s migraine is undefined, a physical therapist’s approach is ideal for identifying and addressing the underlying causes that may be contributing to a Physical therapists will likely perform techniques designed to improve the range of motion in the patient’s neck. This may include joint mobilization techniques, massage, physical therapy, or pressure point therapy. These manual therapy techniques reduce pain, but they also keep the head and neck moving the way they should. Manual therapies, especially massage, have also been shown to help migraine sufferers sleep better and experience attacks less frequently. Exercise Physical therapy targeted at migraines may include neck flexion exercises, postural exercises and recommendations for work or school accommodations that may help limit migraine frequency person’s symptoms. Manual Therapies
or severity. Additionally, regular aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce tension in the muscles that may be related to migraine symptoms. It can also help a person maintain a healthy weight that is essential to balancing hormone levels that may also contribute to migraines. Physical therapists are adept at prescribing customized exercise programs for every fitness level. While there is no definitive cure for migraines, physical therapy is among the most promising ways to manage your symptoms both now and in the future. Drug-free manual therapies coupled with targeted exercise at the hands of a physical therapist may be the key to managing the frequency, duration and severity of your migraine attacks. The only way to find out if physical therapy is right for you is to contact us for a consultation. Let us help you get on the road to better management of your migraine symptoms. Call us today to speak with a physical therapist or come on in for a free consultation.
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Sources: • americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine • americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine-cat/migraine-triggers • www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3072494
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