Chronic Migraines, Vertigo, and Natural Healing: A Case Study Using Functional Muscle Manipulation

Chronic migraines can overshadow life, affecting relationships, productivity, and well-being. This is the story of how Functional Muscle Manipulation (FMM) helped a patient -a mother enduring daily migraines and regular vertigo- find relief and reclaim her quality of life. Her case demonstrates how trauma, chronic stress, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalances contribute to persistent pain and how addressing these underlying factors leads to lasting healing.

A Lifetime of Pain: The Patient’s Struggle

As often happens with massage therapists that start their career, my mother was my first patient.
She had endured debilitating migraines every day for decades. Occasionally, these migraines were accompanied by episodes of vertigo so severe she described them as unbearable. Despite years of medicating with caffeine-codeine—widely prescribed at the time— and drugs for vertigo, her symptoms persisted.

An MRI revealed four cervical disc hernias, the result of decades of extreme neck contraction. But there was no specific injury to explain the hernias. Instead, her chronic pain seemed rooted in her life story: surviving post-WWII famine, losing her mother to hunger, and facing unimaginable stress during her formative years.

These experiences led to a deeply ingrained defensive contraction in her neck and spine—a survival mechanism that became subconscious and automatic over time.

The Root Cause: Chronic Neck Tension and Autonomic Nervous System Dysregulation

Her migraines stemmed from several interconnected factors:

1. Chronic Defensive Contraction:

– Decades of neck tension resulted from the body’s fight-or-flight response to extreme trauma.

– Persistent contraction impinged cervical nerves (C2-C4), contributing to migraines and vertigo.

2. Autonomic Nervous System Dysregulation:

– Her sympathetic nervous system (SNS) remained stuck in “survival mode,” preventing her muscles from relaxing and her nerves from healing.

3. Diaphragmatic and Breath Pattern Dysfunction:

– Chronic shallow breathing reinforced muscle tension, keeping her body in a state of defensive readiness.

A Gentle Approach: Functional Muscle Manipulation in Action

On our first session, the challenge was clear: her middle and upper neck was hypersensitive to touch. Even a light touch there would trigger a migraine. This extreme reactivity required an innovative approach.

1. Starting Slowly with Accessible Areas

I could only access her C7 vertebra, the lowest part of her cervical spine, without triggering the unacceptable reaction. Additionally, focus on her traps and deltoids helped convey to the neck that it’s safe to release. Those areas worked to address the local chronic sympathetic defensive pattern of the upper body and neck.

2. Introducing Functional Breathwork**

Teaching her to take deep sighs of relief became central to the process. This technique involved open-mouthed, audible exhalations that signaled safety to her autonomic nervous system, helping it transition from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic state.

3. Gentle Negotiation, Not Force

FMM’s unique approach avoids forceful manipulation. Instead, it gently “negotiates” with the body’s nervous system to release tension. This approach was particularly vital for such a reactive case, as any forceful method could have worsened her symptoms.

4. Building Neuromuscular Awareness

Over the months, the therapy helped her become more aware of how her body responded to stress and how to consciously relax her muscles and breathe effectively. This self-regulation was key to maintaining the results of her therapy.

The Results: A Significant Improvement in Quality of Life

The patient’s migraines didn’t disappear overnight, but progress was clear. After just a few sessions, she began to “skip” some of her daily migraines. Over time, her vertigo episodes stopped entirely, and her migraines didn’t appear at all, as long as she had a session every two weeks.

The therapy continued over three decades, during which she enjoyed improved quality of life with no symptoms. After I immigrated to the U.S., her migraines didn’t immediately return to their former severity, and her vertigo stayed in remission for seven years after her last session.

Lessons from the Case: The Power of FMM

This case underscores the potential of Functional Muscle Manipulation as a natural healing approach for chronic migraines and neck tension. Here’s why it succeeded:

1. Focus on Root Causes: By addressing the ANS’s role in chronic contraction, FMM provided long-lasting results.

2. Patient-Centric Approach: The therapist tailored the treatment to the patient’s unique sensitivities, ensuring progress without overwhelming her nervous system.

3. Empowerment Through Awareness: The patient learned to manage her stress response, helping her sustain the benefits of therapy.

Natural Healing for Chronic Migraines: A Personalized Path Forward

My mother’s story shows the resilience of the human body when given the right tools to heal. If you or a loved one struggles with chronic migraines or neck tension, consider Functional Muscle Manipulation as a gentle, effective alternative to traditional treatments. By working with the body’s natural mechanisms rather than against them, FMM offers the potential for lasting relief and a restored quality of life.