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Yawning is perhaps one of the most interesting yet poorly understood human body reactions. It’s an involuntary response that allows you to breathe in deeply and lets your lungs suck in air. You’d do it unknowingly when you’re tired or sleepy. Interestingly, yawning can also occur hours before an impending migraine attack.
As a certified Draper upper cervical chiropractor, Dr. John Cheney has encountered many patients telling that they experience excessive yawning before they experience migraine symptoms like visual aura or headaches. A 2018 study on migraine attacks confirms this claim and emphasizes the value of observing excessive yawning in reducing the impact of an attack.
What’s The Connection Between Migraines and Yawning?
So what connects migraines and yawning? Does it happen to every migraine patient? More importantly, how long is the interval between the warning signs and an actual attack. Before you decide on visiting a chiropractor for migraine in Draper, we’d like to share the answers with you.
Studies say that it all boils down to the fact that yawning is a dopaminergic symptom of migraine. This means yawning and migraines have something to do with the levels of dopamine in your body. If your body has abnormal dopamine levels or if you have a dopamine receptor hypersensitivity, then chances are you will experience worse migraine episodes.
To help you understand migraine and dopamine further, here are some quick facts from a recent study on migraines and yawning:
- During the early phases of a migraine attack (prodrome phase), low dopamine concentration triggers prodrome symptoms like yawning. The prodrome or premonitory stage can start anywhere from several hours or days before an episode.
- As the dopamine levels increase, additional prodrome symptoms appear like vomiting, nausea, weird food cravings, drowsiness, and hypotension. These symptoms can linger until the headache phase of a migraine attack occurs.
- After the amount of dopamine slowly reaches baseline level, a migraineur may start noticing fatigue, polyuria, and euphoria, some of the common symptoms of the postdrome phase (hangover phase).
Because of the growing evidence on the strong connection between yawning and migraines, blocking dopamine neurotransmitters has become one of the leading therapies used by patients to cope. Additionally, many patients note repeated yawning and begin preparing for a migraine attack. Some would avoid exposure to triggers, while others opt to take pain medication.
Other Signs of a Potential Migraine Attack
Apart from yawning, some patients who come to our Draper upper cervical chiropractor for migraine relief also experience other warning signs before an episode. Some examples of which include:
- Recurring neck pain: One of the leading reasons migraineurs reach out to upper cervical doctors for help is noticeable neck pain. It often indicates a problem along the cervical spine alignment, which often impacts the brain and can trigger a series of health mishaps like migraines.
- Exhaustion: While it’s normal to feel tired after a long day of work, some people who constantly experience migraine episodes note that exhaustion indicates an upcoming episode for them. In some cases, this happens because of low dopamine levels, lack of sleep, and physical or emotional stress.
- Having mood swings – Prodrome symptoms vary from one patient to another. Sometimes, it includes mood swings, irritation, and depression. Around 60 percent of people migraineurs report mental health problems before an episode.
- Sensitivity to certain odors: Do you notice sensitivity to scents from garbage, perfume, food, or gas fume before a migraine episode? You’re not alone. Studies note that more than 50 percent of migraineurs experience sensitivity to odors.
- Sound sensitivity: Sometimes, patients, especially those who experience vestibular migraines, notice sudden sensitivity to the sound of cars passing by, TV, radio, and even the screeching sound of a door.
How a Chiropractor for Migraine in Draper Can Help
Experiencing migraines several times a month can be quite a challenging experience. It can take a toll on various aspects of your life, including your work and relationships. Unfortunately, because migraines are pretty complex, finding an effective remedy doesn’t come easy. Your best hope is to find an approach that addresses the possible root cause of your agonizing migraine symptoms.
Over the years, several studies established that migraine attacks can stem from a problem with the cervical spine alignment. It’s a common issue that patients with a history of neck trauma deal with even after the injury heals completely. Cervical bone misalignment is also an issue that occurs because of poor postures like leaning forward, slouching, or putting a phone between your shoulder and head.
If you desperately want to take control of your migraine episodes and reduce their impact on your life, then it may be worth it to have your neck bones assessed by a chiropractor for migraine in Draper. Unknown to you, the bones along the topmost part of your neck might have shifted from their positions, pressing on the nerves, brainstem, and tissues.
Once you gradually realign your misaligned neck bones, you can potentially get rid of or lessen the severity of your migraine attacks. It can also help you live pain-free, allowing you to enjoy doing your work tasks, house chores, and other activities.
Upper cervical care is a leading choice for migraine relief among patients who experience mild to severe attacks. It’s a gentle procedure guided by precise and accurate measurement of a patient’s cervical spine alignment.
If you wish to consult with Dr. John Cheney, a licensed Draper upper cervical chiropractor, you can book an appointment with Source Chiropractic and Wellness. You can reach us at 385-237-3110 or write to us through our web form.
To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Cheney, call our Draper office at 385-331-7035. You can also click one of the buttons below.
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