May 2006 | Whole Health
Mastering Migraines
The 10 Best Holistic Remedies
By Amy Gonigam
My migraines announce their imminent arrivals with great fanfare. After 30 years, I know the drill: silver stars swirl before my eyes, and as I watch the psychedelic light show — the classic pre-migraine aura — I realize with growing dread that misery is on its way.
A few hours later, a vague tightness in my right temple gives way to a nauseating one-sided pounding. If left untreated, the pain is so intense in its jackhammer-like regularity that the faintest light appears blinding, small sounds are intensified and smells are unbearable. The only relief is to sleep, fitfully, with an ice pack perched precariously on my head while my husband hovers, empathic but powerless to help. As the hours wear on, I actually welcome the inevitable vomiting as a blessed sign the end of the migraine is near.
Initially, I sought relief in medication (I still take Relpax when the migraine is full-blown) but a few years ago, my chiropractor suggested acupuncture as a preventative.
Can gentle, holistic healing methods really control a malady that affects 28 million Americans and costs employers $13 billion annually in lost productivity? The following 10 holistic remedies may provide relief either alone or in conjunction with traditional medicine. Before embarking on a course of treatment, however, be sure to consult with your natural health practitioner.
1. Biofeedback: A surprisingly simple technique to learn and administer, biofeedback is a favorite at Chicago’s nationally recognized Diamond Headache Clinic. Utilizing sensors placed on the body, biofeedback teaches a patient to monitor bodily functions like muscle tension, heart rate and blood pressure. Watching the feedback on a monitor can teach you how to control the body’s response — techniques that can be used in the early stages of a migraine to promote muscle relaxation and lower blood pressure, both of which contribute to migraine pain. For more information, visit: diamondheadache.com/biofeedback.html.
2. Acupuncture: A 2003 study in the Journal of Internal Medicine concluded that acupuncture was effective in preventing migraine. The premise of this 2,500 year-old Chinese medical tradition holds that energy (chi) circulates along specific meridian points on the body. Hair-thin needles are inserted along these lines to balance and restore this energy. Research indicates that acupunture may affect the central nervous system, increase circulation and increase endorphins — all of which can act as a balm for migraine sufferers. Typical puncture sites for migraine treatment are the area between the thumb and forefinger and the insides of the ankles. Though acupuncture points are generally painless, I have noticed that a looming migraine causes increased tenderness in these areas.
3. Shirodhara: This ancient Ayurvedic technique calms the nervous system to prevent and relieve migraines. The treatment takes place with the client face-up on a massage table, consists of a continuous stream of warm sesame oil poured over the forehead and down the scalp, inducing a state of deep relaxation. A number of Ayurvedic practitioners and traditional spas have begun including this treatment on their menus.
4. Butterbur: A 2004 study of butterbur in the journal Neurology showed promising results. Patients given two 75-mg butterbur tablets per day showed a 48 percent reduction in migraines. Petasin, one of the herb’s main ingredients, is said to reduce inflammation and may thereby prevent the swelling that leads to migraines.
5. Anti-Headache Diet: According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), nearly 20 percent of migraine sufferers can identify a food trigger (such as chocolate, red wine, aged cheese or the MSG found in fast foods and snack items) as a culprit. These foods may cause chemical changes in the brain that activate the migraine attack process. To maintain preventative migraine health, the NHF stresses the importance of eating healthy meals on a regular schedule and not skipping meals.
6. Meditation: Meditation teaches us that our true nature is not comprised of illness, but is a state untouched by migraines and disease. Reaching this level of awareness through meditation can be deeply healing. Studies show that meditation creates a physiological reaction in the body that is the exact opposite of stress.
7. Feverfew: Feverfew was considered a remedy for inflammation in ancient Greek medical literature. Modern science speculates that feverfew blocks serotonin, which causes abnormal blood vessel dilation during a migraine. According to HolisticOnline.com, “Appropriate dosing of feverfew leaf for migraine prevention is based on parthenolide content. A recommended daily dosage of 125 mg of a dried feverfew leaf preparation containing a minimum of 0.2 percent parthenolide is often prescribed for migraine prevention.”
8. Magnesium: New research is leading doctors to speculate that magnesium deficiency, present in many migraine sufferers, might be to blame for migraines. Magnesium may work to prevent constriction of blood vessels in the brain and scalp. The Required Daily Amount of magnesium, 400 milligrams, can be found in fwhole grains, fresh green vegetables, Brazil nuts and almonds.
9. CoQ10: Coenzyme Q10 has been touted as an extremely effective migraine aid. The journal Cephalalgia reported in 2002 that, during a clinical test of this supplement, 61.3 percent of the patients using CoQ10 achieved at least a 50 percent reduction in frequency of migraine attacks by the end of the four-month trial. Like the other supplements, CoQ10 seems to work best as a preventative rather than a migraine remedy.
10. Mind/Body Musings: John Sarno, MD, a professor at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Medical Center, raised skeptical eyebrows a few years ago with the publication of his book, The Mindbody Prescription. The book featured a fascinating section on migraines in which Sarno discussed how he cured himself of migraines by examining his own patterns of repressed rage. Louise Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life, attributes migraine pain to the thought pattern of perfectionism. It is certainly worthwhile to examine any psychological or spiritual factors that may be contributing to your pain.
Perhaps one of the worst aspects of migraines is the pervasive feeling of hopelessness that can accompany the pain, particularly when one has suffered for decades and taken scores of medications, often to no avail. Just the prospect of relying permanently on medications — many with severe side effects — is enough to cause a feeling of depression. Holistic remedies not only provide real prevention and relief, but they also can engender a sense of hope, comfort and freedom.
Amy Gonigam is a new contributor to CG.
Recommend this page to a friend
Top Ten pages recommended to friends:
