Eight Natural Migraine Treatments
September 24, 2009
Migraines are the worst. If you suffer from them then you know they can absolutely stop you in your tracks and ruin your day. And if you suffer from them then you’re not alone. More than 29.5 million Americans have migraines.
Migraine symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Severe pain on one or both sides of your head
- Pulsating or throbbing pain
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and/or sound
- Extreme fatigue
- Headache pain lasting from several hours to several days
While there are millions of sufferers, many people do not want to take pharmaceuticals because of the expense, side effects, and potential risks. The good news is there are several natural remedies for migraines.
Let’s take a look at eight natural migraine treatments:
1. Feverfew, an herb, is commonly used as a treatment for migraine, arthritis and fever. It has been shown to cause a significant decrease in migraine frequency among sufferers. Unfortunately, as is the case with many herbs, there can be side effects including stomach distress and a possible interaction with blood-thinning medications.
2. 5-HTP, or 5-Hydroxytryptophan, a compound produced in your body from the amino acid tryptophan, is used to make serotonin and melatonin. It can also be taken as a supplement. It has been studied for its ability to reduce the severity and duration of migraines.
3. Magnesium, a mineral naturally found in many foods including greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, has been studied for its ability to reduce the frequency of migraines in sufferers. However, high doses of magnesium may cause stomach distress, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, irregular heart rate, and it can interact with some medications.
4. Butterbur, an herb, has been studied for its ability to prevent migraines and it has very few side effects or interactions. However, if you’re allergic to ragweed then skip the butterbur because they’re in the same family. Butterbur also comes in the form of tea, extracts and capsule.
5. Vitamin B. Studies have shown a great reduction of migraines in people who take this amount of riboflavin for at least three months, and women who suffer from menstrual migraines seem to receive a significant benefit.
6. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are also thought to reduce the frequency of migraines. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel and can also be found in flax seeds and some nuts. Recommended dosage is 5,000mg in capsules of either flax or fish oil.
7. Acupuncture has been used to treat migraine/headache successfully for many years. Not all practitioners are created equal. Make sure you have a licensed therapist and be sure you’re comfortable with needles.
8. Biofeedback, guided imagery and relaxation techniques are also highly recommended by many migraine experts to not only help with pain relief and reduction, but to also begin to recognize early on when a migraine is pending so you can stop it in its tracks.
The causes for migraines are numerous and mysterious. One way to try to begin to determine the cause or causes for your migraines is to keep a migraine journal. Often people find that certain foods are migraine triggers. If you suffer from migraines, make sure you eat a nutritious balance of foods, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly. These simple steps, in addition to natural migraine treatment, may have you migraine free in no time.
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Alexis – This is a good list of some of the supplements you can take that aid in Migraine prevention. Another that many find helpful is Co Enzyme Q10. Most true migraine specialists incorporate use of supplements as well as pharmaceuticals for Migraine prevention. It is important, though, that people do their research about dosage levels and consult with a doctor about the interaction of the herbs or supplements with medications. Remember that just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean it isn’t a chemical that will interact with other chemicals in your body.
I use guided imagery and relaxation techniques and teach them to others – and they can help to reduce your Migraine frequency significantly. But it’s not accurate to promise people that any of these methods, or even all of them combined, will have them “migraine free in no time.” Migraine is a chronic condition. Those of us with Migraine have a different, more sensitive nervous system than others, and though we can learn to monitor and care for it, keep it calm and reduce our Migraines, most of us will never be entirely Migraine free.
- Megan Oltman
Megan Oltman´s last blog ..October Blog Carnival Coming Up – On Alternative Therapies
Great list on natural migraine treatments. I also prefer natural treatments on migraines since its cost less and proven to be effective. Its true hat a lot of migraine sufferers really complains on the side effects of prescribed medicines and over the counter drugs.
I have had at least one migraine every day for the last six or eight weeks. One Dr. put me on Lyrica, stopped the headaches but had frequent accidents. Will be paying Dr bills for years. So not worth it, the side effects were just horrible. Would like to take natural treatments but seem to be stuck at this point on quite a few prescriptions. I even lost my job in February due to my migraines, and it seems you have to know someone who knows a Dr that treats with herbal and and non traditonal medicine, they tend not to advertise in small communities. But I will continue my search for relief. Good luck to all of you.
Please consider the Bowen technique also for migraines! It is absolutely incredible and almost foolproof. Migraines usually stop completely, but in some cases they are just less severe and farther apart. I’m a practitioner so of course I’m going to endorse it, but it REALLY does help! At one point my clinic actually conducted a clinical study and only one person didn’t respond to treatment! Please consider this great technique, you will know after only 1-3 treatments if it is working for your body.