Symptoms and treatment of cervical migraine

1 The main causes of the disease

Often the causes of cervical migraine are hidden in the side diseases, which are currently diagnosed in many patients:

• osteochondrosis in the neck;
• pathology in the structure of cervical vertebrae of an innate nature;
• whiplash and other types of neck injuries;
• atherosclerotic processes in the vertebral artery;
• spasms of the muscles of the neck.

How to treat a cervical migraine, in each individual case the doctor decides after establishing the exact reasons for its occurrence.

But before starting treatment, it is necessary to recognize migraine, the symptoms and treatment should be specific for this disease.

2 Clinical picture

First of all, it is worth noting the periodic nature of the emergence of a key symptom of cervical migraine - severe pain, concentrated in the occipital region of the head. During attacks, pain sensations can be located in the frontal part of the head or in the area of ​​the orbit, the bridge of the nose. They can appear and disappear at different time intervals, but if the stage of the disease is in neglected form, then the symptoms of the disease will be very frequent.

The logical connection between the intensification of pain sensations and the motor activity of a person is revealed. In the inactive state, the pain is not felt so much, but with the turns of the neck can significantly increase. During scratching or touching the head, pain attacks are also possible.

Cervical migraine, in addition to the main symptom, can be accompanied by the following symptoms:

1. During the turns, head inclinations, there may be a specific itching or burning sensation.
2. Lifting of the head can lead to sudden dizziness, darkening in the eyes, nausea, previous vomiting. Possible loss of consciousness with a sudden change in the position of the head.
3. Sensation of noise or ringing in the ears, pulsating in the rhythm of the heartbeat.
4. Possible manifestations of visual pathology: turbidity, fog, flicker, flies in the eyes.
5. Disturbance of the swallowing process or feeling of a foreign body in the throat. Chills or fever.
6. Supersensitivity of the skin of the cervical region with pressure.

At an early stage, cervical migraine does not have a significant effect on a person's habitual lifestyle.

But when the form of the disease is neglected, the symptoms, acquiring a permanent character, can cause a nervous, depressed, irritable, and often even aggressive state in the patient. In this case, a strong, almost intolerable headache violates all types of human activity: work, leisure, leisure and even personal relationships.

3 The pathological state of

Most often, an experienced neuropathologist is able to diagnose cervical migraine, guided by information collected during the examination of the patient's complaints that are characteristic of the symptoms of the disease, the presence of pathologies in the structure or injuries to the vertebrae of the cervical region, and the results of the samples with the compression of the vertebral additional vein.

If it is necessary to clarify the diagnosis after a neurological examination, hardware research techniques may be involved, such as:

1. Radiography. Not the most accurate method, but allows you to identify fairly obvious changes in the cervical spine and clarify the causes of the disease.
2. Ultrasonic dopplerography. It is conducted to assess the quality of blood flow in the vertebral arteries.
3. Rheoencephalography is a method of diagnosing disorders of the cerebral vascular system, which provides a complete picture of blood flow in the brain.
4. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance therapy are the most effective methods of studying the state of vertebral arteries.
5. The blood test is performed to obtain information about the level of cholesterol and lipids.

Based on the results of the research, it is possible not only to diagnose cervical migraine, but also to reveal the degree of damage to the permeability of the vertebral arteries and to reduce cerebral blood flow. In the future, this information will be extremely necessary in choosing the path of treatment.

4 Treatment measures

To date, cervical migraine is treated with a large number of techniques in the selection of which the neurologist is determined. This decision depends primarily on the causes of the onset of the disease.

The most effective methods of treatment are divided into 3 types:

• conservative treatment with medications;
• curative physical culture;
• traditional medicine.

Treatment of the disease with the help of drug therapy must necessarily be supervised by a competent neurologist. Most often prescribed medicines act in several directions:

• elimination of inflammation and painful sensations - Dexalgin, Movalis, Meloxicam, Nimesulid, Ibuprofen, Ketonal;
• improvement of cerebral circulation and permeability of vertebral arteries - Actovegin, Instenon, Cavinton, Cinnarizine, Mexidol, Eufillin;
• reduction of muscle tone and withdrawal of spasms - Midokalm, Papaverin, Sirdalud, Baklosan, No-shpa;
• prevention of neuronal damage to the brain due to the action of the pathogenic factor - Piracetam, Cerebrolysin, Semax, Pikamilon, Ceraxon;
• withdrawal of pain syndrome - Sumatriptan, Imigran, Amigrenin, Sumygamren.

At a serious stage of the development of the disease, surgical intervention necessary to stabilize the cervical vertebrae, remove bone and cartilaginous outgrowths can be prescribed.

Although cervical migraine therapy requires physical activity limitations, to date, the Pilates exercise system is gaining increasing popularity as a method of treating the disease.

To get the best effect from exercise therapy, the exercises listed below are recommended for 3-4 times a day:

1. In sitting position to the back of the chair, pressing the arms bent at the elbows to the shoulders, it is necessary to perform 5 to 10 rotations.
2. Having hooked your hands behind your head, inhaling, without making sudden movements, you should take your elbows back, then on exhalation - forward. The number of repetitions of the exercises is 10.
3. Standing straight so that the legs are at the width of the shoulders, and hands on the belt, perform 5 turns in each side.
4. Sit on a chair and relax your hands, on inhalation you need to lift them up. On exhalation lower and slightly move the body forward, while looking all the time straight. Repeat 5-10 times.
5. Breathing freely, when walking, try to raise your knees high.

The resulted exercises of improving gymnastics are not bad to finish massage: enough stroking of an occipital part and a neck, and also kneading by circular movements of shoulders.

"Grandmother's" recipes from cervical migraines will be a wonderful addition to traditional medication treatment. But it is necessary not to forget that this treatment can be used only during the recovery period.

Many medicinal plants and various compresses will help to get rid of pain:

1. It is necessary to mix 150 g of St. John's wort flowers and 0.5 liters of sea buckthorn oil, then cook in a water bath for half an hour. Cool and let it brew for three days. The resulting solution is rubbed into the neck and the spine in a slightly heated form. This drug with daily use helps in the restoration of cartilaginous tissue of the vertebrae.
2. For severe pain in the occiput to this area of ​​the head, you can attach a cloth moistened with apple cider vinegar.
3. An ointment from a mixture of lard and crushed bumblebees proved to be an excellent analgesic property. The proposed components are mixed in equal proportions and applied to the neck, the ointment is left overnight. In the morning, rinse and rub your neck with a towel.

If you competently combine all the methods of cervical migraine, you can not only forget about unpleasant symptoms, but also say goodbye to the disease itself.