Tag Archives: Tic Douloureux

Researching Chiropractic: Migraines, Torticollis & Tic Douloureux

How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care? Probably most of them.

hypnic headaches

Migraine and hypnic headaches

A 59-year-old woman suffered from chronic migraines and hypnic headaches (headaches that wake people from sleep) along with nausea and skin rashes. Migraine has a global prevalence of 10% and is the seventh leading cause of time spent disabled. Hypnic headaches are less common.

The patient’s migraines began 15 years prior and significantly affected her quality of life. During that time, her care consisted of RelpaxT, a prescription drug, massage and TylenolT. Her headaches continued unabated. She also recalled that her mother had migraines that began around her menopause.

Chiropractic care of two visits a week for 3 months and then once per week for 6 weeks resulted in resolution of her headaches as well as additional health benefits. (1)

Torticollis, cranial distortion and difficulty feeding

A 13-day-old boy and his twin sister were brought in for chiropractic evaluation and possible care. The boy had torticollis, difficulty latching to his mother’s left breast and cranial distortion. The parents reported that the baby was very gassy and seemed uncomfortable daily. The pediatrician could offer no options. 

The parents reported that the boy was in the head down position for most of his time in utero with the weight of his sister on top of him.

After analysis for subluxations of his spine and skull, the boy was adjusted while he was lying on a pillow on his back or on his mother’s chest while she was lying on her back on the chiropractic table. 

The child had seven visits over 6 weeks with continued improvements. He was able to latch onto both breasts, the gassiness had decreased and the torticollis had resolved. Improvements were noticed by his third appointment. (2)

Tic douloureux

Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as “tic douloureux,” is a chronic nerve disorder characterized by intense, persistent and often debilitating shooting sensations of pain in the face. The pain is so intense people have killed themselves and for that reason it is sometimes called the “suicide disease.” 

A 62-year-old woman came to a chiropractic clinic with a chief complaint of chronic right-sided facial pain of 2 years’ duration which she said felt like stabbing and throbbing, “like a bunch of pitch forks.” 

She had experienced three separate automobile accidents over the past 27 years but had no residual symptoms. The pain began four months after she had had a dental surgical procedure, either a filling or root canal on a wisdom tooth on the right side of her face. Over the course of two years, numerous prescription drugs and alternative supplements had been prescribed by multiple doctors and specialists. She had spent over $9,000 in personal funds seeking relief.

Over the course of six months, the patient received 26 chiropractic adjustments. As a result, she experienced significant reductions in frequency and duration of pain. (3)

Do you know someone with any of these issues?

Please encourage them to make an appointment with us!

(517) 627-4547


  1. Niddery E, Alcantara J. Resolution of chronic migraines and hypnic headaches in a 59-year-old female: a case report & review of the literature. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. September 2, 2019:117-126.
  2. Green S, Alcantara J. Resolution of torticollis, breastfeeding difficulties & cranial distortion in a twin infant undergoing chiropractic care for vertebral subluxation: a case report & review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic. July 10, 2019:78-81.
  3. Cramer J, Persky A. Reduction of chronic trigeminal neuralgia following upper cervical specific chiropractic care: a case report & review of the literature. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research. September 9, 2019:56-62.

RESEARCHING CHIROPRACTIC: Migraines, Hypnic Headaches, Ear Infections, Tic Douloureux

Chiropractic clinical case histories have been a regular feature of our patient newsletter since its inception. There seems to be no limit to the health problems that respond positively to chiropractic care. How many people suffering, reliant on medication and drugs, and facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care? Probably most of them.

Migraine and Hypnic Headaches.

For 15 years, a 59-year-old woman had been experiencing migraines and hypnic headaches, which occur during sleep, along with nausea and skin rashes. Migraines are a significant global health concern with a prevalence of 10%, ranking seventh in leading causes of disability. Hypnic headaches, however, are less common. Despite taking prescription drugs RelpaxT, TylenolT, and receiving massages for her migraines, the patient found no relief. It’s worth noting that the patient’s mother also experienced the same issues during menopause. After three months of twice-a-week chiropractic care, followed by six weeks of once-a-week visits, the patient found relief from her headaches and experienced additional health improvements. (1)

Neck pain, Ear Infections, and headaches in a young girl.

A 9½-year-old girl went to a chiropractic clinic because of chronic ear infections, neck pain, and headaches. Upon examination of her cervical spine, the doctors found hyperlordosis, hypertonicity of paraspinal musculature, lymphadenopathy, decreased ROM, positive orthopedic tests, and chiropractic subluxations. She was scheduled to receive three treatments per week for three weeks, and afterward, her otolaryngologist reported a 95% reduction in her hearing loss. Her scheduled tympanostomy tube surgery was canceled due to her improved condition. (2)

Tic douloureux. 

A 62-year-old woman had suffered from an intense, persistent, and often disabling form of facial pain known as “tic douloureux,” or Trigeminal neuralgia, for two years. Commonly referred to as the “suicide disease” due to its extreme pain, the woman had endured three separate car accidents in the past 27 years before the onset of symptoms; however, they did not appear until after a dental procedure on a wisdom tooth on the right side of her face. To alleviate her suffering, the woman had tried numerous prescription drugs and alternative supplements prescribed by multiple physicians and specialists, spending over $9,000 of her own money in the process. After receiving 26 chiropractic adjustments, the patient reported a significant reduction in the frequency and duration of her pain. (3)

Do you know someone with any of these issues?

Please encourage them to make an appointment with us!

(517) 627-4547

 


  1. Niddery E, Alcantara J. Resolution of chronic migraines and hypnic headaches in a 59-year-old female: a case report & review of the literature. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. September 2, 2019:117-126
  2. O’Connor K, Schneider G, Alcantara J. Resolution of otitis media, improvement in hearing & avoidance of myringotomy tubes following chiropractic care in a child: a case report & selective review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – Chiropractic. 2014;3:47-54.
  3. Cramer J, Persky A. Reduction of chronic trigeminal neuralgia following upper cervical specific chiropractic care: a case report & review of the literature. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research. September 9, 2019:56-62.