Migraine

See also :

• headache
• Cluster Headache

Symptoms and Causes

• Avoid specific foods that are known triggers for migraine headaches. Chocolate, alcohol, caffeinated beverages, sodas, refined sugars, gluten-containing grains, aged cheeses and peanuts are some of the more common food culprits that may be causing your migraines. Reintroduce potential problem foods one at a time over a period of weeks to find out which one is causing the problem. Taking these foods out of your diet may feel like a sacrifice; however, if your headaches are eliminated or greatly reduced, then it may be worth it.
• Avoid MSG, chemical flavor enhancers in food. Many processed foods contain chemical additives like monosodium glutamate (MSG), aspartame, nitrates, sulfites, and "natural" and artificial flavors that can act as chemical triggers in bringing on migraine headaches.

Home remedies

• Thermotherapy can be used for the treatment of headache and migraine.
• Try eating ice cream or drinking an icy-cold slurpy or slushy until you experience what doctors call "sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia." Others refer to this as brain freeze. It occurs when you eat something very cold too fast and it numbs the roof of the mouth. For some, this ice-cream headache actually seems to overcome a migraine.
• Chromotherapy : Exposure to a narrow band of green light may reduce light sensitivity and headache severity.
• Willow bark is very beneficiary. The aspirin property of the bark helps in reducing migrane attacks. Drinking the concoction of the willow bark will gradually bring relief.
• a homeopathic preparation of ginger and the medicinal herb feverfew is effective at treating migraine headaches.
• Butterbur seems to prevent migraine headache. Using a specific extract from the butterbur root over 16 weeks can reduce the number and severity of migraine headaches and the length of time they last. This butterbur extract seems to reduce the number of migraine headaches by almost half. Doses of at least 75 mg twice daily seem to be necessary for best results. Lower doses of 50 mg twice daily may not be effective in adults. There is also some evidence that this butterbur extract can decrease the frequency of migraine headaches in children aged 6-17 years. The butterbur extract researchers used was standardized to 15% petasin and isopetasin (the active ingredients in butterbur) and was free of liver-damaging chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). It was made by Petadolex, Weber&Weber, GmbH & Co. of Germany.
• Catnip is considered as a mild tranquilizer and sedative. For those with migraine, taking catnip makes them rest well.
• Peppermint is also soothing to the spirit and helps migraine sufferers relax.
• Ginger or peppermint can also be helpful in reducing the nausea accompanying many migraine headaches. Ginger thins the blood, so it should be used with care if you're taking blood-thinning medications.
• Homeopathic Nux vomica is one of the best home remedies to help migraine headaches.
• Magnesium's role in stabilizing blood vessels is well documented, helping to prevent capillary and muscle spasms. Increase magnesium-rich foods such as wheat germ, garlic, oatmeal, seafood, kale, broccoli, spinach, melon, bananas, basil, cantaloupe, blackstrap molasses, and nuts to support the body and prevent migraine pain.
• Calcium soothes and relaxes -- mentally and physically -- encouraging sleep and calmness. Having a calcium-rich drink or snack made with raw milk at bedtime encourages sleep and muscle relaxation.
• Foods high in the amino acid Tryptophan stimulate the brain in the production of the neurotransmitter, serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are linked to migraine headaches, depression and sleeplessness. Turkey supplies the greatest amount of tryptophan, followed by black-eyed peas, walnuts, almonds, sesame and pumpkin seeds, brown rice, and whole grains.
• Coenzyme Q10 : Researchers from the Head and Pain Unit at the University Hospital Zurich discovered in a clinical trial that 300 mg of CoQ10 daily cuts migraine frequency by half.
• Vitamin B2 may also help relieve the frequency of migraine headaches. B-2 or riboflavin is found in broccoli, eggs, almonds, raw milk, fermented soy products, whole grains, and organ meats.
• Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce overall inflammation and help lessen constriction of capillaries in the head, a primary cause of migraine headaches. Eat fatty fish, olive oil, avocados, and flax seeds.
• Feverfew is effective at preventing migraines, but not stopping them once they've begun. The plant's active ingredient, parthenolide, inhibits the chemicals in the brain that cause the blood vessels to dilate.
• Hydrotherapy is easy, and it works. Contrast showers help with many ailments. Stand in water as hot as you can stand for two minutes (this increases blood flow to the skin), then as cold as you can stand for two minutes (this sends blood to the core of the body). Alternate back and forth for 20 minutes to increase blood flow and circulation, bringing nutrients to organs and carrying away toxins. Another way to use water to help with a headache is to put your feet in very cold water and a hot rag on the back of your neck. This helps bring the blood down out of your head, by sending it to your feet.
• Marijuana Brings Relief To Migraine Sufferer.
• Working acupressure points such as pinching the soft tissue between your thumb and forefinger can help alleviate pain as well. Another technique is to put your thumb in your mouth on the same side as the migraine pain, reaching up to find the cheekbone. Press that bone up and out. Repeat on the other side. Then place both thumbs on the upper palate (inside the mouth) and press the sides out. Several repetitions may be necessary. Relax and breath deep. Slowly inhale and exhale all the way out.
• There is no substitute for water. When you are thirsty, it is not for coffee or soda, but water and only water. When you drink anything else, you need more water to flush that out. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Eating more vegetables and juicing are the best ways to correct nutritional deficiencies and correct your body's pH. Supplements help.
• Aromatherapy - Peppermint and lavender are used most often, but rosemary, Eucalyptus, sandalwood, and basil often work well also.
• Vitamin B2 : Various studies have shown that individuals who suffer from headaches and migraines may be able to reduce the severity of pain by consuming riboflavin supplements.
• Lavender is used by herbalists to soothe jangled nerves and has an analgesic effect on migraine sufferers. Lavender reduces the inflammation that occurs in blood vessels during a migraine, and relieves spasms in the muscles of the neck, around the eyes and in the scalp. Place dried lavender flowers in sachets or herbal hot packs to use when headaches start. Alternatively, make a tea by steeping one teaspoon of the dried flowers in one cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Sip slowly throughout the day. Sweeten if desired.
• Melatonin is an effective treatment for migraine headaches.

Warnings

See headache.

References

https://hms.harvard.edu/news/green-light-migraine-relief

Medical Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional regarding any medical problems and before undertaking any treatment or dietary changes.