Migraine

I actually did a lot of googling about that (I'm the google queen some nights) and from what I read, the inventor of it truly swears by it BUT there are lots of folks who think it's a big sham. The inventor claims it can cure just about anything =though I suppose there are chiropractors out there who claim to cure everything from UTIs to asthma as well as spine problems so I guess that it's to be expected with the CST.

Now I like my current chiro, and I love to have my upper back/neck cracked - my hubby used to do it and it feels great. But I weigh a little more than I did when I was 25 so I don't need my hubby hurting himself....

I have lots of neck and upper back problems that have been going on long before my headaches ever started, but the neck problems seem to trigger a headache - I call them my "skunk stripe" headaches. I always figured it was from posture, working at the computer, sleeping funny, carrying the purse/backpack/kids/etc on my shoulder(s)/hips. But learning lots more here so now I figure they are a form of headache/?migraine in and of themselves.

Anyways, do you not have anything for nausea/vomiting? Phenergan at the very least-it's cheap. I use ginger capsules and dramamine (both over the counter) and just last month finally got the phenergan when they weren't working. My brain cells are totally dead right now but there are other meds - usually used for chemo/surgery - for nausea that have less drowsy effect but much more $$$ and some insurance won't cover them or need prior auth.

Good luck and no more puking in the pokey plants! hehe - that'll teach 'em for not telling you what to expect or helping you when you're in pain. They should have offered you a dark room or something!

Diane, who also has a love affair with the gentle hands of my massage therapist and wishes they could be near me every morning when I wake up achey and sore. That and my hair cuttin' guy so my hair wouldn't look frizzy and flyaway.... I don't think that's asking too much is it? A personal masseuse and groomer? Though gosh darnit honey, I'd settle on a new comfey mattress! (Hubby falls asleep on the couch and doesn't see the benefit of spending over $500 on a decent mattress to replace our 15 yr old piece of junk we bought right out of college.) Sigh....

Every Migraine specialist I know says to NEVER let a chiro work on your neck; especially not to let anyone "crack" your neck. Please be careful.

Teri,

I have never had a dr tell me that. I have read it on here from some of you guys. And I believe you. I was treated by a chiropractor for 7 years. I first went to him due to my migraines. I was not getting much help from the dr I had at the time and was desperate and would have tried ANYTHING at that point. At that time, he did not really help my migraines much. But I have had back/neck issues for a long time, and he did help with those a lot. I worked retail and bartending for a long time, standing on concrete floors for many hours at a time, and this can kill your back. Anyway, back to my point - I went to work for him in July of 2006 until Sept of 2007 (he's the one who fired me for missing days due to migraine). He tried to help me, but could not. If I began to get on while I was at work, sometimes he could stop it or delay it by massaging my neck and a few other things. BUT while I worked there, I was adjusted on a regular basis - my neck and my back, and I actually got worse. I am not positive it was due to the adjustments, as I also came off of all of my meds for a period of time, partly due to his advice (big mistake). In my opinion, chiropractors do have their place, and I think that is mainly to treat back issues. Not to CURE everything that ails you. I have not seen one since I left there. I have been thinking of finding a new one, for my back. Do you think I should not let them adjust my neck? Should I discuss that with my new neuro? I guess so, huh? If you have any articles or info on this, I would love to see them.
Thanks for everything you do, Teri!!

quote:

Originally posted by Teri Robert:
Every Migraine specialist I know says to NEVER let a chiro work on your neck; especially not to let anyone "crack" your neck. Please be careful.

Sherry,

I hear you! I worked retail for many years, including years in management where I was required to wear a dress and heels every day and was often on the sales floor for 12 hours a day.

I would suggest talking with your neuro. The advice I've been given is to be careful even of massage on the neck and to never let anyone do adjustments on the neck. The same doctors who have told me that agree that chiropractic care has its place, they just don't think the neck should be messed with.

You're welcome, and thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by sherry:
Teri,

I have never had a dr tell me that. I have read it on here from some of you guys. And I believe you. I was treated by a chiropractor for 7 years. I first went to him due to my migraines. I was not getting much help from the dr I had at the time and was desperate and would have tried ANYTHING at that point. At that time, he did not really help my migraines much. But I have had back/neck issues for a long time, and he did help with those a lot. I worked retail and bartending for a long time, standing on concrete floors for many hours at a time, and this can kill your back. Anyway, back to my point - I went to work for him in July of 2006 until Sept of 2007 (he's the one who fired me for missing days due to migraine). He tried to help me, but could not. If I began to get on while I was at work, sometimes he could stop it or delay it by massaging my neck and a few other things. BUT while I worked there, I was adjusted on a regular basis - my neck and my back, and I actually got worse. I am not positive it was due to the adjustments, as I also came off of all of my meds for a period of time, partly due to his advice (big mistake). In my opinion, chiropractors do have their place, and I think that is mainly to treat back issues. Not to CURE everything that ails you. I have not seen one since I left there. I have been thinking of finding a new one, for my back. Do you think I should not let them adjust my neck? Should I discuss that with my new neuro? I guess so, huh? If you have any articles or info on this, I would love to see them.
Thanks for everything you do, Teri!!

I had craniosacral therapy done to me by someone who was "tops in the field"- highly recommended, blah blah blah.

When I say that I've never been in so much pain, I include migraine pain -as a preface to my story.

CST works by "resetting your body back to its natural rhythm." and is preformed by gentle manipulation of your neck- which while on the table may feel gentle, but it's really not- it's getting down deep and trying to restore balance and is not concerned about getting knots out, but the actual manipulation of the neck to attain a more holisticalic result- with your body doing some of the work as the CST therapist finds the spots that will trigger relaxation and work to create body harmony.

It started off fine, and the massage part was gentle enough. I have neck problems in addition to the migraines, and since I wasn't eligible for a free study to get the CST, I thought that if it was being studied, there much be something there...

When the session ended, I got off the table. Immediately was nauseous. Told the therapist so. She sighed and told me to hop back on. The second time she had me sit up, I was still nauseous, but my neck had locked so badly that I had limited movement. I told her so. She said that's not normal, and it's would pass. I was still nauseous. Paid for the massage, and went outside and threw up in a trash can, and an empty pot for plants, and the next garbage can.I was in bed for the first day after the therapy with extreme vertigo and still puking my guts out. Every time I threw up, my neck would start throbbing and it would trigger a migraine. This was not good, obviously. I wenr to a walk in clinic and got Rx meds.

I had to go back to my normal PT for 3 visits to get my neck back to where it was before the CST. He said that had I asked him about it beforehand, he wouldn't have recommended it for me, and he was sorry this happened. I was not the first patient he had seen with this cluster of symptoms after CST. I don't remember why he said that he thought I was a bad candidate... Wish I did though.

Eventually, I went to a masseuse to get the rest of what she did out. So, the CST cost me several hundred dollars to fix the outcome, and many days off work as a result of something that one doctor (who I don't see anymore) recommended.

Most of the doctors I have talked to (which is plenty since my mom works in a hospital) say that you shouldn't let anyone adjust your neck.
A lot of chiros will go about doing this, saying that it's fine and not dangerous.

But if you think about it, it really is kinda scary. I mean, the neck is kinda like the gateway from your brain to the rest of your body. All that's got to happen is to apply a little too much pressure to the wrong spot or force it bit to far and a lot of very bad things could happen.

I had my neck "popped" by someone years and years ago and came out of it totally unscathed luckily, but I have to tell you it was pretty terrifying as an experience. I was sure that they were going to twist it just a bit too far and then I would be dead like in those movies where the assassin just does a quick jerk of someone's head and they're dead.

I am all for the chiro fixing my back when it is really out of place, but the neck is just too dangerous for me.

All this talk about chiropractors and necks brings up a question.

Occasionally, when I stretch my neck and shoulders my neck will crack. This only occurs on one side, not the other.

Does anyone else have this occur? I never thought to mention this to my HA specialist. Would this be relevant?

Liz

Liz,

It certainly sounds as though it couldn't hurt to mention it to your specialist, and it might help. So yes, tell your specialist.

quote:

Originally posted by nutcrackerHOST:
Liz,

It certainly sounds as though it couldn't hurt to mention it to your specialist, and it might help. So yes, tell your specialist.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've added that to my list of questions for my upcoming appointment.

Ok, just to clarify my "cracking" since I started this whole topic - my chiro (and his partner, who is female and uses different techniques but same principle) is actually pretty gentle, though he does get some noises every once in a while. (I had tried one in the past the was so "gentle" I didn't get ANY results and his overly pushy receptionist caused me to quit that practice.) He knew I had headaches when I came to him and said he actually said up front he wouldn't promise he could fix them but he would see if he could make my upper back stop hurting, which is mostly why I see him.

I like him b/c he didn't push me to make a set number of appointments - just to come when I need to. And he's given me good stretches to try and a few exercises, though mostly for lower back which I don't really need.

I tend to pop and crack anyways - hands, knees, wrists, hips, elbows, toes, pretty much all my joints just from moving them and yes my neck does alot just from turning my head or stretching while working and taking a break. And hubby would just lift me up under my arms which would stretch my back out and "crack" it. Weird but it felt good. I used to walk on his and do the same thing - LOL, I'm only about 20lb more but I'd suffocate him now!

But my real point was that to have something for nausea! I just found out my coworker doesn't have anything either. Yet she has terrible vomiting with her migraines. She only has maxalt tablets so if she's vomiting, how in the world does she hold them down? I told her about considering the other forms of triptans and at least getting something to help with the nausea. And yes, I told her about this wonderful site - actually I've told 3 coworkers about it. hehe, it's too good to keep a secret!

Diane

Yes, your coworker might talk to her doctor about triptan nasal sprays. Imitrex and Zomig come that way. If that isn't an option for her for some reason, she should ask about a second med for nausea.

Hi Diane and my other forum buddies,

I tried chiropractic care and CST for a few months last year. I should've known to run the other way when the chiro told me that she's "never, EVER had a migraine patient who didn't get much MUCH better." (Now I know that chiropractic care is definitely helpful to many people--it's just so scary to me when it's used for migraine treatment!)

This chiro worked on my neck and upper back. She was probably gentle as far as chiros go--no loud cracking but definitely some noise! Then I saw a 2nd chiro who specialized in CST. Because I have TMJ involvement with my migraines, she spent a lot of time working on my jaw, head, and upper neck. It was absolute agony! When she pushed on the muscles in my mouth that connect my upper and lower jaws I literally cried--tears streamed down my face!!

Each time, she told me the scar tissue was breaking up and I would feel better and better. But the fact is, I got worse and worse! My experience was like Jamie's--I'd barely make it to the parking lot before throwing up...

I kept trying, thinking something was wrong with me. Why did everyone else get better for the chiro while I was getting so much worse!

Finally, I realized that I was going in for CST without migraine and coming out EVERY TIME with migraine so severe that I had to have someone else come to get me...This treatment was really not for me!

I still felt like a "failure" for a long time! Then I read many of the comments here on the forum and realized that I was really lucky! I'm so happy no severe, long-term problems came of the whole experience!

Oh, and as far as your friend and the nausea go, I'm a migraineur who cannot rely on pills as abortives. My migraines hit all at once...aura, vomiting, pain all come right away. There are some options for people who throw up, though! I've tried injectible Imitrex, and Imitrex nasal spray. (Unfortunately, Imitrex injections work best for me but I just can't afford them with our lousy insurance.) I've tried Zomig nasal spray. I've tried Maxalt melts. I also have three different nausea meds--phenergan in the injection, suppository, and pill form. It's tough to treat a patient who can't keep down pills, but it definitely can be done! There are options out there!

jenny

Jenny,
thanks for posting that experience with CST. I felt like I was all alone and it was just left to make me feel like it "was all in my head." I knew what I experienced... and it was VERY real- and very awful.

Thanks for letting me know that I'm not alone... reading your post made me want to cry- both good tears and bad ones- good 'cause I felt validated, and bad 'cause I knew how much it absolutely stunk to feel like that, and I was sorry that you had to go through it also.


Thanks again.

Jamie,



Anytime! I'm sure glad you found it helpful!

I think the whole chiropractic experience for me was not so good...I always felt like I was doing something wrong. Like I would've been getting better if I was a better patient...How ridiculous, huh!

Anyway, I'm sorry you went through that too, but it sure is nice to find a kindred spirit out here, isn't it?!?

jenny

Jenny,
YES!!! It was a "I'd be getting better results if I wasn't such a strange case." And I knew better. It was just the level of pain vs. the promise of "every migraine patient I've worked with has benefitted." I mean, how could I pass that up. I went for a sample of it- a 15 minute session the 1st time as the doc introduced me to the CST practitioner (in the same office) and spent most of that time taking the history. (in my case that's LONG) She did some massage, but I was just a little nauseous, and thought it would pass. Thought nothing of it.

So, one day, I'm feeling like I'm ready to try it again- she has an opening that same day- and I jump on it. This time it was for the whole hour. And... I couldn't even bill it to insurance 'cause she used the wrong codes on the bill, and then once we got beyond that, she wasn't a licensed PT, so they wouldn't pay anyway, even if she hadn't used codes for like "nasal drainage" and "mole removal"

It DOES feel good to have a kindred spirit out there. Knowledge is power- I never would have known that anyone else tried this had this thread come up, and I'm really glad that it did. (Not glad that we both had bad experiences, though!).

Oh, and we're the "good patients," by the way. We learned from our attempts and errors, and didn't go back for more once we put two and two together and added correctly. Now THAT's smart!

quote:

Originally posted by jennyc:
Jamie,



Anytime! I'm sure glad you found it helpful!

I think the whole chiropractic experience for me was not so good...I always felt like I was doing something wrong. Like I would've been getting better if I was a better patient...How ridiculous, huh!

Anyway, I'm sorry you went through that too, but it sure is nice to find a kindred spirit out here, isn't it?!?

jenny