Troubleshooting the Body’s Computer Treating Migraines at Prairie Spine and Pain Institute

Healthy Cells Magazine recently featured Prairie Spine and Pain Institute on the cover of their June issue, as well as interviewed our doctors about the rising cases of migraines within the United States. We were so excited to share the different state-of-the-art treatments we offer for those suffering from migraines, as well as our own research and findings we have gathered from our experience. Continue reading to learn more about our treatment options for migraines, and make sure to check out the June issue of Healthy Cells Magazine!

More than three-quarters of households in the United States own a computer. Combined with the number of smartphones, the daily use of computers in this country continues to be on the rise.

But as most users will tell you, computers can evoke constant feelings of ambivalence. Even though they seem to make our lives easier, they can also become sources of staggering frustration.

We can have a similar relationship with the central processing unit of our own bodies. Despite all the good our nerves and brain do for us they can also malfunction and cause inordinate amounts of pain. Migraines, in particular, are a debilitating condition that negatively affects more than ten percent of the population.

Fortunately, physicians like those at Prairie Spine and Pain Institute in Peoria are gaining a better understanding of migraines and, more importantly, how to treat and prevent them.

Hitting Close to Home

Just as a crashing or virus-infected computer can cause no end of difficulties, the virulent headache known as a migraine is often only the surface problem. Nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sounds are some of the most common issues associated with them. Migraines can also be disabling, putting some people in bed for a day or even three days at a time before relief is finally forthcoming.

With the number of migraine sufferers in this country nearing 40 million, most people probably know at least one person who experiences crushing headaches and their concurrent symptoms. Dr. Richard Kube, orthopedic spine surgeon at Prairie Spine, and physician’s assistant, Andrew Kitterman, are personally close to migraines on both the treating and receiving end.

“My own daughter is a patient, so there are added reasons for my interest in treating headaches,” shares Dr. Kube. “Migraines can impact daily life and productivity as much as many of the spinal ailments we treat.”

“I personally suffer from migraine headaches; they can be debilitating,” Andrew adds. “I have missed school and work due to migraines.”

Of the myriad potential causes and triggers of migraines, Dr. Kube and Andrew have found even more correlations. Patients who suffer from neck pain and trauma also commonly suffer from migraines.

As so many of their patients experience both chronic neck pain and migraine headaches, they saw the logic in adding a headache program to their practice. “We understand that patients can choose a number of places for treatment, which is why we treat them like consumers,” adds Dr. Kube. “Through listening to our patients, we more fully understand the entire problem and all the symptoms experienced as best we can. Then we are best equipped to solve it ourselves or make an appropriate referral to another specialist.”