Taking Control Of Her Migraines
Leslie was a contract negotiator for a large ad company. She was organized, assertive, and sharp. She was great at her job. When I asked her if the stress of her job ever got to her, she replied with a smile, “I work well under pressure.” The only thing that slowed her down was her migraines. She would get them at least once a week and it would knock her down for at least a day. Her only reprieve would be laying in the dark with the lights off and praying for relief. But when she was good, she was great. She would almost forget about it until the following week when the next one came along.
I met her on her good day. She came in saying she didn’t want this annoyance to interrupt her day anymore. “It’s like my productivity starts to peak and then I’m out for 24 hours. When I’m back, I have to rebuild that momentum again. And I’m tired of taking the pills – I’m on my 5th medication. I’m not sure it’s working.” I nodded, it wasn’t uncommon for new patients to come to our office as a last resort. “Well, let’s get you checked,” I replied.
After a thorough examination, I knew she had an atlas issue. Atlas (C1) is the top bone of the spine, the most important bone in the upper cervical complex. Leslie’s was misaligned. “This can cause poor blood circulation through the brain and improper waste removal from the fluids of the brain. Both these things can contribute to migraines.” I told her. She replied it made sense and was ready to start treatment.
Her first adjustment went well – her post adjustment x-rays showed positive changes and an improvement in her head and neck alignment. She went home feeling exhausted and felt muscle soreness the day after. “It’s amazing how such a small change can do so much!” she told me a few days later. After 3 weeks of care, she reported that she didn’t have a migraine in over 9 days! A new record for her.
By her re-examination day, she was happy to report that she hadn’t experienced a migraine for over 1 month! She reported she could think clearer and was the most productive she had been in a long time. She even noticed improvements in her posture. But what she found the most valuable was she had another tool she could use whenever a migraine snuck up on her.
