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Migraines

Emily Kane ND

Migraines


This frequently debilitating, recurring problem, more common in women, can
often be helped by complementary health care approaches. The prognosis
for migraine headaches is favorable if your doctor takes the time to perform
a thorough assessment and helps you learn to avoid migraine triggers, along
with developing an individualized program for you which addresses the underlying
biochemical factors in your system which increase the likelihood of migraines.
With proper understanding of your nutritional status, your hormonal status,
the stressors in our life, and your personal history with migraine (including
therapies tried), your “alternative” health care provider will
be able to develop a course of metabolic therapy for you. If you have frequent
and severe migraines it is important to “rule-out” certain conditions.
Make sure your doctor assures you that you don’t have any of the following:


Conventional medicine frequently cannot provide relief for your mjigraines.
So, you’re turned to a good resource for exploring other options. Whatever
method you choose, please stick with it for a minimum of three months.
It is critical to give a new therapy a chance to work.



What kind of Physical Medicine can you use to help migraines?

The breath is a good place to start changing any old pattern. Try doing
relaxation breathing, with consciously slow, deep, even breaths, at some
regular time during the day, every day. Also, regular aerobic exercise
is known to decrease the frequency of migraines. Choose an aerobic activity
that’s fun for you, such as hiking, Nordic track, volleyball, or whatever,
and do it 3 times a week for at least 20 minutes.



Hydrotherapy, described at length in the Introduction to Modalities section,
can be very helpful with migraines. Here are some key concepts:



Also, make sure your spine is in alignment, especially the cervical, or
upper 7, vertebrae. Check with your local osteopath, naturopath or chiropractor.
Some folks find relief from the use of therapeutic ultrasound to the neck
area. Others use a micro-current device called TENS (“transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulator”) which applies a tiny frequency to the
affected nerves, causing conduction to be blocked and pain to be relieved.
TENS units are also believed to stimulate the production of endorphins,
the body’s own natural painkillers. This unit is widely used in doctors’
offices, but can easily be used at home. Your doctor may be able to rent
or lend you a TENS unit, or help to to purchase one.



Can Herbal Medicine Provide Relief From Migraines?

Plant medicine has been used for as long as man has begun to fashion tools
from his natural surroundings. Many plants have particular biochemical
properties, usually alkaloids (so called because they render the system
less acid, and more alkaline), which can contol pain, as well as many other
therapeutic effects. Medicinal plants which have analgesic (pain-killing)
action can be toxic, sometimes at what would seem a small dose. Please
consult with a qualified herbalist, naturopath or botanically trained pharmacist
before experimenting with the following plant drugs:


A terrific herbal tea formula to detoxify the system (often the only treatment
needed to prevent or reduce migraines) is:

1 part Chamomile

1 part Hops

1/2 part Skullcap

1/2 part Catnip

1/2 part Oatstraw

1/4 part Peppermint leaf

Your local herbalist can mix up this blend for you, or you can order it
ready-made from Frontier Herbs (1-800-669-3275). Brew one heaping tablespoon
to 1 cup just boiling water. Steep for 3-5 minutes then drink with a touch
of honey 2-3 times daily.



Can Diet and Nutrition Be Used Effectively To Help Migraines?

Yes, absolutely. It may be helpful to begin with a short (5-7 day) therapeutic
fast to rid the body of toxins. Some specific nutritional ideas are:


Foods to avoid are:


Sometimes diet alone is not enough. This is where supplementation with
specific vitamins, minerals or amino acids may be necessary, at least at
first, to bring your metabolism into balance so that you reduce the possibility
for the onset of a migraine. Here is a list of supplements which may help
you; but please consult with a qualified nutritionist or naturopathic physician
first:


How Can Homeopathy Help Migraines?

Homeopathy is a form of “energy” medicine, which like Traditional
Chinese Medicine uses substances to stimulate your own innate power to heal.
Homeopathic medicine is often touted as the “medicine of the 20th
century” by its proponents because it uses miniscule doses of plants,
minerals or animal parts to produce “remedies” with very little
resultant environmental damage. The following remedies may be considered:



Can Acupuncture Provide Relief From Migraines?

Another form of “energy” medicine is the ancient scientific art
of acupuncture. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a 3000+ year old
system of diagnosis and therapeutics which works primarily in stimulating
the body’s natural “vital force” (known as Qi – pronounced chee).
There are several areas of TCM, including diet and nutrition, acupuncture
and moxibustion (a stick of compressed mugwort which is burned and held
close to the body to insert Qi into the area of distress), Qi Gong (slow
breath and movement exercises) and medicinal herbs. Chinese medicinal
herbs to be considered to prevent or perhaps even remedy migraines are listed
below. Please consult with a qualified acupuncturist (certified from the
NCCA) or Chinese herbalist. The following selection of Chinese herbal combinations,
brewed into the “soup” medicine, may be selected for you:



The Chinese often eat a fish head soup with Gastrodia and Ligusticum (available
in most good Chinese restaurants) for chronic migraines. There are also
many acupoints useful for treating migraines. One of the most famous points
is located in the fleshy web of the thumbs (Large Intestine 4). In fact,
you can squeeze this area to stimulate a bowel movement (which in itself
will help relieve the migraine) and to reduce the pain of a migraine, especially
if is presents in the lower face. For the migraine which focuses on the
eyes and upper face, a point 2 inches up from the wrist (Triple Warmer 5)
will curtail pain, and so will a point below the base of the big toe (Liver
3). For migaiens which come on more frequently with the change of seasons,
a very effective point is called “Wind Gate” (Gall Bladder 20),
located at the top of the neck, just below the hairline on either side of
the thick muscles which run up from the back. These points can also be
effectively pressed for relief. Some people find great relief from putting
two tennis balls inside an old stocking and tying them together. You can
then lie on your back on the floor, preferably in a dark and quiet room,
with the tennis balls pressing into the top of the neck. Your local acupuncturist
will give you a constitutional work-up, looking at your tongue and feeling
your pulses, before deciding on the correct point combination to remedy
your migraine.


What About Using Guided Imagery or Meditation For Migraine Relief?

Migraines, obviously, are located in the head, and therefore both affect
and are affected by your mental condition. Many people find a psychological
approach to relaxation the very best way to handle migraines. Consider
the following metaphors and correlations between the migraine and your mental/emotional
wellbeing. Perhaps some of these ideas will provide insight as to buried
sources of stress which continue to create physical problems. Knowing yourself,
and acting responsibly upon that knowledge, is an important key to restoring
balance and vitality.



Are There Any Subtle Energy Medicine Techniques Effective For Migraines?

Flower essences, popularized earlier this century by the British physician
Edward Bach, are especially helpful for migraines induced by some kind of
emotional upset. The following may be considered, although it will probably
be more effective for you to consult with someone trained in the use of
flower essences:


A newer form of vibrational medicine is the use of sound for healing. Some
health care providers with specail training can determine “missing”
tones from the patient’s voice, and then use a machine to produce the missing
tone, thus filling in the harmonic spectrum of the patient’s major form
of expression (the voice), thus restoring balance and vitality, and presumably
helping relieve any symptoms of distress. A qualified sound therapist may
help reduce or eliminate your migraines.



Color, either by wearing clothes of certain colors, or placing claer plastic
colored gels over light sources in your environment, can reduce all sorts
of physical, mental and emotional ailments. In particular, for migraines,
the following colors should be considered. During the migraine:



Between migraines try:

For right sided migraines try:


In general, great healing colors for migraines are the colors associated
with the upper “chakras” (energy centers along the spine), which
are violet, indigo, blue, and green.



Some people will find gems and semi-precious stones, worn as jewelry or
placed in special locations around the home, will help restore balance and
bring a sense of peace and well-being. Some gems to consider for migraine
are:


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