Migraines and Chiropractic: What The Research Shows

Many research studies support the use of chiropractic for the management of migraine headaches. Let’s take a look at the conclusions from few of these research articles.

In an Evidence Report published by Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Research Center for Clinical Health Policy Research, the effects of drug-free options for headache are discussed. The authors concluded the following: “Cervical spine manipulation was associated with improvement in headache outcomes in two trials involving patients with neck pain and or/neck dysfunction and headache. Manipulation appeared to result in immediate improvement in headache severity when used to treat episodes of cervicogenic headache when compared with an attention-placebo control. Furthermore, when compared to soft tissue therapies, a course of manipulation treatments resulted in sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity.”

McCrory DC, Penzien DB, Hasselblad V, Gray RN. Evidence Report: Behavioral and Physical Treatment for Tension-Type and Cervicogenic Headache. Duke University Evidence-Cased Practice Research Center for Clinical Health Policy Research.

“There was no advantage to combining amitriptyline and spinal manipulation for the treatment of migraine headache. Spinal manipulation seemed to be as effective as a well-established and efficacious treatment (amitriptyline), and on the basis of a benign side effects profile, it should be considered a treatment option for patients with frequent migraine headaches.”

The efficacy of spinal manipulation, amitriptyline and the combination of both therapies for the prophylaxis of migraine headache. Nelson CF, Bronfort G, Evans R, Boline P, Goldsmith C, Anderson AV.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1998 Oct;21(8):511-9.

“Evidence suggests that chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation, improves migraine and cervicogenic headaches.

Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache.

Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, Marcoux H, Potter B, Ruegg R, Shaw L, Watkin R, White E.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011 Jun;34(5):274-89.

If you are suffering from headaches in Fairbanks, AK, call Spaulding Chiropractic Clinic today at 907-456-4234.