Migraines in Adolescents

[pepotskie]

I've had two people in the last two years bring their children in for us to try and help them with their migraines. We are considered one of their last hopes.

The first time, the child was 10-11 and he's had migraines for two years. The parents brought the child to a number of doctors, specialists, etc. with no answer. I don't feel that I was able to help him either.

Within the past month, a mother brought her 15-16 year old with the same thing! Numerous doctors, diet plans, medicines, ...the works! The client has had migraines for the past 5 years. Both cases said that the migraines are constant.

One of them said that the doctor prescribed Neurontin and even THAT doesn't help! (I think that doctors give this medicine when the reason for pain isn't clear and this just deadens the nerves)

Has anyone run into anything like this?

 

[strawberryfieldsforever]

Has anyone tried craniosacral therapy for these kids? CST helps settle mine when even Rx meds don't work because it helps "unstick" the sutural joints and get the dura and spinal fluid moving properly again.

Just a suggestion

 

[caydelay]

When my son had migraines, we found that he was allergic to both msg and to a red dye - Red 40. Eliminating those from his diet eliminated his migraines completely. Drinking peppermint tea (or eating peppermint leaves off the plant at times when he was desperate to stop a migraine as it got started) would eliminate the pain within minutes and keep him from the nausea and vomiting. He would still sleep a good 12 hours, but skipped to that instead of suffering for hours, first.

From a massage standpoint, TPs in the pterygoid can cause migraines, and often require intra-oral massage.

If you have a good reference for what trigger points can refer to the head, you can check for those, too. If you could deal with it by relieving TPs in the traps, for instance, you wouldn't need to try the intra-oral work at all. In this day of constant computer and video game usage, a child could easily have a lot of TPs and other muscular and fascial restrictions.

 

[michelle a]

Migraines in Adolescents

Can you believe no one at the facility (including myself ) knows CST??

Am I allowed to mention the peppermint tea to the client or would that be considered outside of my scope of practice? (Since they have to consume it, would it be for a nutritionist or something?)

 

[xxabbyxxjoexx]

Migraines in Adolescents

Has anyone run into anything like this?

Not as a professional, but I've lived it. I've had migraines since I was a child. Earliest I remember were at 5 y.o., but my parents tell me they think I had my first one at 6 months old.

I've tried every remedy I know of (although I have never heard of the peppermint one. I will be trying that this morning. I've had this migraine since Saturday.) There is medication that works for me about 50% of the time, but it cannot be prescribed to children.

The thing to keep in mind about children, migraines and massage (and I've said this before,) is that even if your treatment doesn't reduce or eliminate the migraine, it gives the subject a temporary break from the pain. This is very valuable, as it allows the person to recoup.

The worst thing about chronic migraine (besides the actual pain,) is that it is so constant, sometimes you feel like you are going insane. 30 minutes of massage can (literally) be a lifesaver.

 

[shadow95340]

Migraines in Adolescents

The thing to keep in mind about children, migraines and massage (and I've said this before,) is that even if your treatment doesn't reduce or eliminate the migraine, it gives the subject a temporary break from the pain. This is very valuable, as it allows the person to recoup.

The worst thing about chronic migraine (besides the actual pain,) is that it is so constant, sometimes you feel like you are going insane. 30 minutes of massage can (literally) be a lifesaver.

A little OT, but I remember learning that since migraines are circulatory, that working the head and neck would increase the vascular pressure and then make the migraine worse, or even trigger one. I suppose they were teaching this in relation to massage being effective at relieving tension HA. Would someone who knows mind clarifying this for me?

 

[chzbrgr]

Migraines in Adolescents

A little OT, but I remember learning that since migraines are circulatory, that working the head and neck would increase the vascular pressure and then make the migraine worse, or even trigger one. I suppose they were teaching this in relation to massage being effective at relieving tension HA. Would someone who knows mind clarifying this for me?

As a sufferer of migraines since about age 10... I can also say massage can be a lifesaver. Sometimes you have to get to a knot that will set-up in the occiput and just work that puppy out. Then sleep it off or take your meds.

I am in my 40's so I don't take a lot of meds for my migraines and have them down to about 5 per year now (depending on stress and the like)... from at least every 3-6 weeks as a youngster / young adult. If I eat too much chocolate AND orange juice at the same time (within about a week), I'll get one.

I can't tell you what to do for a child in your practice, but I can tell you that even as a child, my dad would work "knots" out of my neck which would at least help diminish the problem for me back then.

I was put on migraine meds around age 14 --Midrin... nowdays, I can take Excedrin Migraine and sleep it off when I am lucky. Imitrex makes me vomit. If I get regular neck work though, I can go even longer without a migraine most times.


As a side note... I have a client who's daughter killed herself because of severe migraines. They can ruin a life / many lives in this case.

 

[FancyPants!!!]

1 more odd thought about using CST for migraines ---- CST can also help to keep the sutural lines in "good working order" so that impingement in the sutural lines is not contributing to any other triggers that these kids are experiencing.

fwiw

 

[sarahG]

Am I allowed to mention the peppermint tea to the client or would that be considered outside of my scope of practice? (Since they have to consume it, would it be for a nutritionist or something?)

I would be pretty cautious with this type of advice, it doesn't seem like a big deal really, but depending on your state laws you could be overstepping your boundaries. You could suggest to the parent to consult an herbalist, nutritional therapist, or something of that sort. If they are open to suggestions you could always get their e-mail address and you could send them information, since you would not be charging for the service and it would be viewed as a favor.
Have they looked into chiropractic therapy?

 

[nersespurses]

Migraines in Adolescents

Can you believe no one at the facility (including myself ) knows CST??

Am I allowed to mention the peppermint tea to the client or would that be considered outside of my scope of practice? (Since they have to consume it, would it be for a nutritionist or something?)

I have never told a client to try peppermint tea, but I have related my son's experience with it. I've also related that I've read of others using ice on their neck and heat on their feet simultaneously, ginger tea, dark, quiet rooms, etc. None of this could be construed as a prescription, but rather, "these are things I have heard of helping others".

I would keep it verbal, though, rather than email. Any email advice I'd offer would be very strictly within my scope of practice - how to find a particular muscle/muscle group to massage or stretch, etc. I'd think anything in writing *could* be considered a prescription and in my state that can only be massage related. Check with your state.

 

[Bowling for some Soup]

Migraines in Adolescents

I had migraines throughout my years in high school. Part of it was hereditary, my mom had them as a teenager, but part was also stress related. My parents separated the beginning of October my freshman year. My migraines started not soon after that. Coincidence? I think not. It got so bad that I was being sent home once a week. (This was from 93-94.) The doctors prescribed for me massageplanetergot, which is now Excedrin Migraine. If I got a migraine in school, I would goto the nurses office, take some, and sleep a couple of periods. So I'd only miss part of the day. The rest of the day afterwards wasn't pleasant, but it was bearable.

Oh, and a thing that would set the headache off all the time was flickering flourescent lights.

Just my story. Don't have much to add now about treating them as I don't get them anymore. Maybe once every 2-3 years.

 

[guitarist_147]

Migraines in Adolescents

I'm also a migraine sufferer. I have multiple triggers, and they tend to go on for 2 to 4 days at a time.

I have found that I can not have any artificial sweeter - at least in anything larger than what is in sugar free gum. I am going to have to perhaps give that up as well.

I know a D.C. who said that he tried doing some self massage on the middle of his abs, up high near the xyphoid process while he had his back extended like laying on one of those big exercise balls. I tried this and used VERY LITTLE pressure, just basically rubbed there and the pain was intense. Even the next day. The point of this is that he gets migraines like clockwork and doing massage like that on himself he said that he caused a delay in symptoms for a few days which was SIGNIFICANT for him.

So far I have found that codeine helps me the most. I also have tried Maxalt, but I really don't notice any difference with that medication. I am looking to try biofeedback and see if I have some success with that.

It is my opinion that migraines come on from so many different reasons and that is why they are hard to nail down with one fix it solution. The only real similarity is the fact that they can be severely debilitating. I actually go into a panic/anxiety mode when I start to even hint at a headache. I am sure that makes it worse. :roll: I don't think I am alone in having that feeling since we know what we may be in for - for days at a time.

 

[Missy.]

Migraines in Adolescents

I started having migraines at the age of 16. At first, I would get 1-2 debilitating migraines a month. I figured that they were hormonal. By the time I had my first child and started massage school at the age of 23, I was up to 2-3 a WEEK. Each time I had one, I was down for the entire day. Not very good when trying to go to school and have a little one. When I was in massage school, the Chiro that taught my Pathology course explained to me that I might have a cranial issue. She uses AK in her adjustments, and when testing me, discovered that I had a sphenoid tilt. She adjust this, and I did not have a migraine for 2 years when I hit my head again. This time, it was a frontal shift. But that's what worked for me.. Now I am migraine free!