Migraines Are the Sixth Most Disabling Disorder Globally

By Alexander C. Frank, DC, DACNB, FABES

Briana, Mom of 3
“When I get a migraine I am done for a couple of days, and with 3 young children it is devastating. I was fortunate to had been given Dr. Frank’s card by a friend when my most recent attack occurred. After a thorough examination, he gently adjusted my neck and applied other therapies including vibration and aroma therapy. Normally the only thing that stops my migraine is going to sleep (or vomiting). However, I left that first treatment with a pain level of 2 out of 10, having started out at level 10 pain; I was thrilled! In addition, Dr. Frank gave me exercises and recommended neurological tools that I could use to help prevent and/or treat my migraines”.

Migraine are the sixth most disabling disorder globally, and the most disabling of all neurological disorders. Migraine affect females greater than males at a rate of 3:1. It is described as a disorder of brain sensory processing that can have many influences such a genetics, environment, stress, etc. It’s a complex and multifaceted disorder which can last for moments, or may last over several days. It is widely accepted that Migraine involves activation and sensitization of an orchestras of tissues along with the Trigeminovascular Pathway (TVP). The TVP starts in the deepest regions of the brain that are tasked with maintaining homeostasis, or balance within the body & its systems. The TVP continues through the Brainstem which houses the centers that control light & sound sensitivity, pain inhibition, posture, sleep, arousal, nausea/vomiting centers, and more. It ends in the upper cervical spinal cord around C2/C3. It has been suggested that migraine may be considered a brain state of altered excitability which leads to the failure of the “volume knob” which gaits sensory information.

In simple of terms, a migraine is occurs when the cells/tissues (think engines) that make up your TVP and associated tissues do not have the capacity/integrity to do work and fail, just like an injured muscle. An example of this type of pain is when you eat or drink something cold and you feel a sudden onset of severe head and/or facial pain. This leads to an overactivation of the system that relays facial pain and we experience 30 seconds of what we feel as excruciating pain. However, this is an misinterpretation of the actual level of tissue damage, as there is none. What occurred was an immediate constriction of blood vessels in the upper palate followed by a rapid dilatation (stretch) of those blood vessel. The failure to throttle the information caused the brain to perceive things being worse than they actually were.

Many medication aim to block this pain pathway from sending painful information. At Florida Functional Neurology Group, Dr. Frank utilizes his extensive knowledge of clinical neuroscience to apply drug-free treatments to improve the capacity/integrity of the TVP and other tissues involved in head/facial pain. utilizing a combination of neuroplasticity retraining, vestibular rehabilitation, visuomotor rehab, chiropractic, photobiomodulation, & physio therapies. Diet can play a major role in migraines as keeping TVP tissues appropriately “fueled” in order to prevent fatiguefailure of tissuepain. There other variables that also must be considered when developing a tailored treatment plan for each individual. Many times it is a combination of treatments that provide the longest lasting results. This approach has allowed Dr. Frank to help many individuals suffering from various forms of head and facial pain who have not be able to find relief through traditional methods and have been told to “learn to live with it”.

Dr. Frank understands that no two people are quite alike, and as such, no two injuries or pains manifest themselves identically. He offers a diverse range of cutting-edge neurological, chiropractic, orthopedic, treatments & physiotherapies, along with nutritional support, to better assist his clients on the road to optimal health & maximum potential.

About Dr. Frank
Dr. Alexander Charles Frank is the only Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist in the North Central Florida area. He also holds a fellowship in Electrodiagnostic Specialties.

Dr. Frank graduated Cum Lauder from Life Chiropractic College West. He has interned and trained with the top chiropractic neurologists and functional medicine specialists in the world in order to manage the most complicated of health issues.

Dr. Frank’s comprehensive evaluations assess for the root cause(s) of his client’s health issues. Treatment plans are then tailored to an individual’s specific needs. . Dr. Frank’s comprehensive evaluations are based on the most advanced clinical neuroscientific research of today. In addition, he utilizes the most state-of-the-art diagnostics available that help to find the “weak links in the chain”. Cutting-edge rehabilitative programs are then tailored to each individual’s specific needs.

To Schedule your appointment with Dr. Frank, please call the Florida Functional Neurology Group at (352) 571-5155.

(352) 571-5155 | ffng.org