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!

Chiropractors in Fort Wayne

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

There are a number of Chiropractors in Fort Wayne. However, you may have noticed that there are a number of different techniques that each of those Fort Wayne Chiropractors use as well. Some of those techniques may be gentle techniques, while others use a lot more force with twisting, snapping, cracking, and popping. At Atlas Chiropractic of Fort Wayne you'll find only the former and never the latter. We only adjust using the very gentle and precise technique known as NUCCA. Your adjustments will not sound like someone has broken into a box of rice crispies, or has found some bubble wrap to pop, or one of those little popping fidget toys. There should be very little to no sound at all resulting from your adjustment.

Gentle Chiropractors in Fort Wayne

NUCCA is an acronym that stands for the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association and is extremely gentle by design. NUCCA relies on your body's positioning using a specialized NUCCA table and adjustable headpiece to allow the weight to be taken off of the atlas bone so that it can be gently shifted into a more neutral, or corrected, position.

When you visit a NUCCA chiropractor, such as Dr. Emily Staples, you'll first go through an onboarding and intake process. Unless you're transferring in from another NUCCA upper cervical chiropractor, you won't have undergone the analysis that is required to perform the NUCCA adjustment. Each person's adjustment is specific to their body and the angle that the atlas bone sits in their spine. As such, that requires that we use some imaging to make that determination. After the imaging, Dr. Emily is able to use formulas and calculations to determine the exact adjustment your atlas bone needs. In addition to imaging, Dr. Emily will take other measurements, scans, readings, and notes about different indicators that will provide verification that the adjustment is actually doing what it should be. We want to scientifically verify that your body is doing what it should and that interference of your nervous system is being removed or reduced.

NUCCA in Indiana

According to the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association - nucca.org - there are four NUCCA chiropractors in the entire state of Indiana as of the date of this writing. Only one of those is in Fort Wayne (that's us) and two of them are in Indianapolis. Since NUCCA has been around for quite some time and many midsize to large cities have a NUCCA chiropractor, we were astounded when we found out that not only did Fort Wayne not have a NUCCA chiropractor, but that it did not have any upper cervical chiropractors at all. In fact, there are no other upper cervical chiropractors of any type that we have been able to find in Allen County or any of the surrounding counties as well - Adams, Wells, Huntington, Whitley, Noble, or DeKalb. So here we are! While we've only been open a short time so far, we've already heard from some of you that you've been driving to neighboring states or that you moved here from somewhere that had a NUCCA chiropractor. Whether you're new to NUCCA or you're just now learning about this technique, we're glad you've found us! We'd love to become your chiropractors in Fort Wayne!

Complimentary Consultation

We know that our patients are busy and perhaps in pain or distress from the symptoms they may be experiencing. The last thing you want is a complicated process when seeking help. We make use of the latest technologies and a lot of automated processes in our office to help make your experience as smooth as possible. To book a complimentary consultation you can either reserve your spot through the link below or you can give us a call at (260) 399-9020. Many times we still answer the phone after normal office hours, so don't hesitate to call any time. If we're unavailable to take your call, we'll call you back as soon as we can!

How NUCCA Can Benefit People with Migraine

Posted on August 24, 2023October 31, 2023 by Atlas Chiropractic

Migraine is a common neurological disorder that can cause severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. They can significantly impact a person's quality of life, making it difficult to work, go to school, or enjoy activities. According to the American Migraine Foundation as of 2023, 39 million Americans live with migraine. The AMF also estimates that migraine affects 1 in 4 households in the United States.

There is no cure for migraine, but there are a variety of treatments available that can help to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. One promising treatment option is NUCCA upper cervical chiropractic care. (NUCCA is an acronym for the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association.) NUCCA is what we offer here at Atlas Chiropractic of Fort Wayne.

NUCCA is a specific type of chiropractic care that focuses on the alignment of the upper cervical spine. More specifically, NUCCA focuses on the top vertebra C1, also known as the atlas bone. These upper cervical vertebrae are responsible for supporting the head and neck, as well as for protecting the brainstem and spinal cord. The atlas bone itself is known as the brain to body connection through which all of the nerves of the body pass through.

When the upper cervical spine is misaligned, it can put pressure on the nerves, blood vessels, and cerebrospinal fluid that travel through this area. This can lead to a variety of problems, including migraine attacks.

NUCCA adjustments aim to realign the upper cervical spine, reduce the pressure on these nerves and blood vessels, and improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. This can help to prevent migraine attacks or reduce their severity.

How NUCCA Works for Migraine

One way that NUCCA helps is to improve the flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid to the brain. This is because the upper cervical spine is located near the base of the skull, where the brainstem and spinal cord connect. When the upper cervical spine is misaligned, it can put pressure on these structures and restrict the flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid.

Another way that NUCCA helps is to reduce inflammation in the brain. Inflammation is a common trigger for migraine attacks. When the upper cervical spine is misaligned, it can irritate the nerves and blood vessels in this area, which can lead to inflammation.

Research on NUCCA for Migraine

There is a growing body of research on the effectiveness of NUCCA care for those with migraine. A 2017 study published in the journal Chiropractic & Manual Therapies found that NUCCA treatment was effective in reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks in adults. The study also found that NUCCA was well-tolerated and had no serious side effects.

Another study, published in the journal Headache in 2018, found that NUCCA treatment was effective in reducing the frequency and severity of attacks in children. The study also found that NUCCA was more effective than medication in reducing the frequency of attacks.

Here are some additional tips for people with migraine who are considering NUCCA:

Keep a headache diary to track your symptoms and triggers. This will help your chiropractor identify the underlying cause of your attacks and develop a treatment plan.
Make lifestyle changes that can help to reduce your risk of attacks. These changes may include getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep.
Be patient. It may take some time to see the full benefits of NUCCA treatment.

If you are looking for a natural and effective way to manage your migraine, NUCCA may be a good option for you. Book a complimentary consultation at Atlas Chiropractic of Fort Wayne to learn more.