Holistic approach to Migraine

When working with patients with migraines and other types of headaches, the first step is a detailed history of the current symptoms, past health history, assessment of lifestyle, past and current stressors. This is followed by a comprehensive physical examination. This information is critical to help establish a diagnosis. Some patients may require diagnostic imaging like MRI, CT scan or X ray and blood work to exclude other causes of headaches.

I have always explained to my patients that your migraines tell me that you have a sensitive nervous system. There is an imbalance which may be caused by a variety of factors. And hence because of this, your nervous system is prone to getting overstimulated with things like stress, changes in sleep, lack of sleep, inconsistency in blood sugar regulation, weather changes, digestion problems, food sensitivities or intolerances, hormonal changes, or weather changes, to name a few. Personalized treatment plans to address the root cause of the symptoms gives lasting benefits beyond symptom suppression and improves quality of life dramatically.

These are some of the areas that are evaluated and addressed during the initial and subsequent follow-up visits:
• Nutrition and blood sugar regulation
• Nutritional and vitamin deficiencies
• Food sensitivities and intolerances
• Allergies • Toxins
• Hormonal imbalances
• Adrenal function
• Gastrointestinal function
• Chemical sensitivity
• Genetic predisposition
• Sleep regulation
• Biomechanics
• Stress management
• Overall brain function and health assessment

Some patients may require comprehensive lab work and specialty testing like food sensitivity, cortisol, and nutritional testing to have a deeper look at different aspects of their health and uncover cause of persistent symptom. Treatment plan consists of lifestyle recommendations (sleep, exercise, stress management), nutritional or dietary changes, supplements, and medications.

Many a times my patients have said that they have tried this medication or diet previously, but it did not work. My advice to them is that we must first identify all pieces of the puzzle and as we work to put them together, we start to see results. For some, these results can be seen in the first few weeks of starting treatment. By looking at the body as a whole and addressing the root cause, we achieve lasting results.