Should You Blame Your Migraines on Your Poor Posture?

What We Know About Migraines

Before you go and seek a doctor or chiropractor for Rockford migraine relief, you should know what migraines are. A neurological condition, migraines bring about pulsating or throbbing head pain ranging from moderate to severe. Some migraines affect one side of the head, while others hit both sides.

Migraineurs have an option to take pain pills to relieve their pain or dodge a migraine episode right before it kicks off. They can choose from a wide variety of medications, from analgesics, NSAIDs, anticonvulsants to triptans, beta-blockers, and many more.

You’re Likely to Get Migraines if You Use Bad Posture

In common scenarios, we associate migraines with external triggers such as our environment and daily stressors. Little do we realize that things we do in our bodies can also trigger migraines.

If our regular activities result in poor posture, a migraine may surface persistently afterward. How?

Working a 9 to 5 job every day in front of your computer, for example, can eventually result in poor posture, hence, a possible migraine episode. We may ignore this occurrence as it has become part of our daily routine, or we simply think that our migraine is caused by something else.

When a migraine occurs while we’re working or using our smartphones, more often than not, we immediately associate the pain with eye strain. We ignore the fact that it could be related to poor posture. The moment we experience a migraine attack, we simply rest our eyes, stop scrolling or do something else to get Rockford migraine relief.

Our chiropractors always warn our patients against prolonged forward head posture (just when you are in front of your computer or texting with your mobile phone), as it can stress your myofascial trigger points.

A myofascial trigger point is a very sensitive spot, usually within a tight band of your skeletal muscle. When compressed or pinched, it can lead to a painful sensation like a throbbing pain of a migraine.

In short, your head posture will naturally change during the day. After a few hours of working, you will tend to slouch, and your head will start to move forward after a long sitting position while in front of the computer. By then, your neck becomes tense, eventually triggering a migraine attack.

Think of it this way. Every inch that your head moves forward is actually creating extra weight on your neck that causes the pain in your head.

Fortunately, by learning how to correct poor posture, we can minimize the negative impacts of painful migraines and perhaps even avoid unnecessary pain reliever intake.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and migraines, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Some Steps to Take for Rockford Migraine Relief

Keep the height of your desktop screen at eye level. If you’re using a laptop, simply apply the same principle.
Use an ergonomic chair with sufficient lumbar and thoracic support.
Be conscious of neutral neck alignment and correct posture. While sitting up straight, your chin should be at a 45-degree angle from your chest.
Change your position regularly to minimize prolonged standing or sitting position. This helps ease any possible tension in the neck area.
Do chin-nodding exercises every 1 or 2 hours.
Take short breaks. Walk to another room or do some stretches.
Do a recovery pose once in a while. You can do this by lying on your back with your knees bent and gently clasping your hands together behind your neck.
Seek professional advice for migraines and neck pain that are unresolved.

Fortunately, migraines caused by poor posture can be kept at bay if you use these simple interventions.

Posture Correction Provides Benefits Beyond Rockford Migraine Relief

Bad posture not only triggers migraines but other health concerns as well. Why do we say this bold statement? Not correcting your posture through lifestyle modifications and upper cervical chiropractic worsens neck misalignment that can cause the following:

Nerve and muscle irritation in the neck
Pressure in the brainstem that connects your brain to your spinal cord
Improper body-brain communication
Deficient blood and oxygen supply to the brain

If personal management of poor posture is impossible, professional upper cervical chiropractic care is the most logical course of action to get Rockford migraine relief. Normally, chiropractors at Rockford use a gentle technique to adjust the neck alignment back in the center (the correct position).

Therefore, by receiving upper cervical chiropractic care, you will be able to address migraine and posture-related problems and potentially prevent more serious health concerns.

If you want to work on correcting your posture, improving your migraines, and ensuring your optimum health, we urge you to visit Upper Cervical Care Center Rockford at 4350 Morsay Drive Rockford, IL 61107. You may walk in or secure an appointment before consulting with one of our doctors by calling 815-384-1127 or filling out our form.

To schedule a consultation with Dr Schalow, call our Rockford office at 815-384-1127. You can also click the button below.