Discover Migraine Relief in Fort Wayne

Posted on September 18, 2023October 31, 2023 by Atlas Chiropractic

Migraine relief in Fort Wayne can come in a number of different forms. Some people are simply seeking only short-term relief so they feel better right now, while others are also seeking a long-term solution to prevent getting migraine attacks in the first place. We're going to discuss both in this blog post to help you find the right type of care for you.

Short-Term Migraine Relief

Short-term migraine relief is ideal for when you're actually experiencing one of the 4 stages of a migraine attack: prodrome, aura, headache, or postdrome. You might notice that only one of the 4 stages includes the headache that migraine is so well known for. In fact, some migraine attacks may not even include a headache. Sometimes people with migraine will experience nausea and vomiting, nasal congestion, sensitivity to light and sound, or other symptoms instead of a headache during phase 3.

One easy thing you might try for short-term migraine relief is to sip on a caffeinated drink. Remember not to overdo it though, as caffeine withdrawal later can cause withdrawal headaches. This may also not be a good idea late in the day as it could affect your sleep, which is important for migraine relief as well.

Another thing you might want to try for migraine relief is a migraine hat or migraine cap like this TheraICE one shown to the right. (Disclosure: If you use our link to purchase one we may earn a very small affiliate fee.) Many of these include the ability to freeze or warm it up to provide cold or hot relief to the head as well. Be sure to look for one that also covers the sinuses. If you don't want to go the route of a migraine hat or cap, you can substitute using a cooling ice pack or heating pad. A lot of people find it helpful to alternate between the two.

That leads us to tip number three for short-term migraine relief. Try to rest and get some sleep. However, while you're resting remember that posture is important. If you're slouching on the couch but looking straight ahead, you're encouraging forward head posture. (As an upper cervical chiropractor, Dr. Emily prefers the proper medical term anterior head carriage, but you might see the more common term forward head posture among non-medical professionals.) If you're going to lay down flat, make sure you have a good pillow that is going to provide the proper support for your neck and upper cervical spine.

Long-Term Migraine Relief

Long-term migraine relief is really what everyone with migraine should desire. Taking medication everyday or when you first start to experience symptoms merely masks the problem. It's like putting a piece of black electrical tape over your check engine light. Just because you can't see the check engine light anymore doesn't mean there isn't still a problem. You may just not notice it because it's a very minor issue. But what happens to minor issues if left ignored? They can get worse, right?

The same goes with our bodies. Just because you're taking advil, tylenol, ibuprofen, sumatriptan, rizatriptan, or other medications, that doesn't mean that the nerve problem has been fixed. It simply masks over the problem. Now, don't get me wrong. We're not advocating that all medicines are bad. There are some fantastic life-saving medications out there that work wonders. But if you have a nail in your tire creating a slow leak, do you think it's better to simply pump up the tire every day or remove the nail?

At Atlas Chiropractic of Fort Wayne we think it's better to treat the cause of the problem rather than the effects. Chiropractic for migraine relief is something that we know quite a bit about.

When you continue to take medication day after day for something like migraine, you're treating the effects of one problem but potentially creating others:

Aspirin can increase your risk of hemorrhagic stroke, stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding. (Mayo Clinic)
Ibuprofen can increase your risk of heart attack, liver disease, kidney disease, etc. (Cleveland Clinic)
Tylenol is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the US. (Drugwatch)

The NUCCA upper cervical chiropractic technique that we use in our office has shown many positive results in our office as well as other upper cervical chiropractic offices across the country. Dr. Emily is even a migraine patient herself and the effectiveness of NUCCA on her migraine attacks is one of the reasons that led to her becoming a NUCCA chiropractor herself. Since there are no other NUCCA upper cervical specific chiropractors anywhere close to Fort Wayne, she makes a two-hour drive on a frequency indicated by the care plan she is under in order to ensure she says as healthy as possible and migraine free.

If you'd like to learn more about Dr. Emily's story and experience NUCCA for yourself you can either give us a call at 260-399-9020 or reserve your free consultation through the button below. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Defying Occipital Neuralgia in Fort Wayne Can Help You Feel Rejuvenated

Posted on September 14, 2023October 31, 2023 by Atlas Chiropractic

Defying occipital neuralgia in Fort Wayne is something Dr. Emily Staples does on a regular basis. She has helped a number of people in her years of practice to reduce the pain and frequency of pain related to occipital neuralgia.

What is Occipital Neuralgia?

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke defines occipital neuralgia as a rare neurological condition that involves shooting, shocking, throbbing, burning, or aching pain and headache that generally starts at the base of the head and spreads along the scalp on one or both sides of the head.

There are two greater occipital nerves - one on each side of the head. There are also two lesser occipital nerves - also one on each side of the head. These nerves send messages to the brain about feeling in the top and back of the head. If any of these nerves becomes inflamed or irritated, that can result in the aforementioned types of pain.

The pain may radiate along the side of the head to the ear or to the front of the head to the eyes as well. The scalp may become extremely sensitive as well, making everyday activities like washing your hair or brushing your hair anywhere from slightly uncomfortable to nearly impossible.

Causes of Occipital Neuralgia in Fort Wayne

Since the root cause of occipital neuralgia is typically related to inflamed or irritated occipital nerves, Atlas Chiropractic of Fort Wayne looks to find the cause of the inflammation or irritation. Many times the inflammation or irritation may be caused by a pinched nerve, which is caused by a subluxation of the bones of the upper cervical spine.

The photo shown here is courtesy of Anatomy Standard and is used under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License as an educational tool only.

In the photo you can see how the atlas bone of the spine connects upwardly to the occipital bone and then downwardly to the axis bone. The combination of these two joints is known as the craniocervical junction and you might notice that the atlas bone is at the center of this entire structure.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic for Occipital Neuralgia

Since the atlas bone is where the rest of the body connects to the occipital bone of the skull, there are many nerves that pass through this part of the body. If the atlas bone is shifted out of place even by a small amount, it can cause a number of issues including pain related to occipital neuralgia and the relatively similar trigeminal neuralgia.

Here at Atlas Chiropractic of Fort Wayne, we determine the exact position of your atlas, correct the position to its more proper and neutral location, and then verify that the procedure of the correction did what we calculated that it would. This focus on the C1, or atlas, bone is known as upper cervical chiropractic. As of the time of this writing, Atlas Chiropractic is the only form of Upper Cervical Chiropractic in Fort Wayne Indiana.

The procedure we use, NUCCA, is extremely gentle and there is no popping, cracking, or snapping of your neck or the vertebrae in your spine. By correcting the position of the atlas bone, the nerves that pass around and through this extremely important bone are then able to communicate properly as well as remove the pressure being applied on them by the bone itself or the adjacent occipital or axis bones. This can help reduce or eliminate the inflammation or irritation of those occipital nerves and thus reduce or eliminate your pain.

If you would like to experience this unique care for occipital neuralgia in Fort Wayne for yourself, give us a call at 260-399-9020 or reserve your complimentary consultation using the link below. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Why Upper Cervical Chiropractors in Fort Wayne Are Awesome

Posted on August 23, 2023October 31, 2023 by Atlas Chiropractic

In the Chiropractic universe, there are many different techniques that Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) use to adjust subluxations (misaligned vertebrae) in patients. Some of the techniques, such as Thompson or Diversified, are known as full spine techniques where the chiropractor adjusts any of the vertebrae, while others may focus on just specific areas. Upper Cervical chiropractors focus on just the upper part of the spine where the spinal column connects to the skull and the brain. However, even within the upper cervical world there are multiple different approaches, or techniques, that a doctor might practice.

Upper Cervical Chiropractors

Some of the more common techniques include Atlas Orthogonal (AO), Advanced Orthogonal, Blair, EPIC, Knee Chest, NUCCA, and Orthospinology. Here at Atlas Chiropractic of Fort Wayne, we exclusively practice the NUCCA techique. As of the time of this writing, we are the only upper cervical chiropractor in all of Fort Wayne and Allen County and the surrounding counties. So if you have a friend that has told you about the benefits of NUCCA, Atlas Orthogonal, Blair, Orthospinology, or some other upper cervical technique and are looking for an upper cervical chiropractor in Fort Wayne, we'd love to talk to you about the benefits of NUCCA upper cervical specific chiropractic care!

NUCCA upper cervical specific chiropractic has demonstrated amazing results where people with migraine, vertigo, occipital neuralgia, trigeminal neuralgia, and many other diseases have found relief and a reduction of their symptoms. Don't miss out on another soccer game or baseball game or cheerleading practice for your kids or grandkids when there are solutions out there that can help without the costs and side effects of surgery!