Migraine Headache

Migraines are much more than headaches and  can wreak havoc on your life. Those who suffer with migraines know too  well how a migraine can interfere with family time, work, social and  travel plans. Though many migraine triggers are predictable and once  understood, to some degree avoidable, there are also random and severe  migraines that seem to come out of nowhere. There are solutions within  naturopathic medicine that can help reduce triggers, symptoms and  frequency and provide natural relief for migraine headache problems. 

Treatments for relief of migraine headache may include any or all of the following:

Many people with migraines have food  allergy or food sensitivity. When offending foods are removed from the  diet, the incidence, severity and duration of the headaches often  decreases. Migraines might be sensitive to a specific food such as soy  or salt, or a group of foods such as nuts or dairy, high histamine  foods.  

Other chemicals and additives in prepared  foods such as monosodium glutamate, nitrates, nitrites, or artificial  sweeteners,  like aspartame can also be triggering. Yet others may have a  migraine set off by alcohol or caffeine. Your naturopathic doctor can  help you identify food sensitivities by careful assessment of a diet  diary, by using an elimination and re-introduction diet, or by making  use of laboratory testing. It can be challenging to give up a beloved  food or food group, but patients often find that having less pain is  indeed a strong motivator.

In general, an anti-inflammatory diet is recommended characterized by plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from nuts  and wild caught fish, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean protein  and healthy fats. Reducing overall inflammation throughout the body can  help to decrease incidence and severity of migraines.  

It is also important to normalize blood  sugar levels as high or low blood sugar can trigger a headache. The  anti-inflammatory diet is helpful here, as is remembering to eat at  regular intervals and introducing intermittent fasting or the elongated  the overnight fast, which have been shown to enhance insulin sensitivity and improve glycemic control which in turn help to balance overall blood sugar levels.

The actual amount of fluid necessary  varies from person to person based on size, activity level, and other  dietary considerations, but for many people, being adequately hydrated  is essential to the prevention of migraine and can make a notable  difference. 

A number of botanical medicines have been associated with a reduction in number of migraines, for instance, the herbs, Gingko (Gingko biloba,) Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) and Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), have each been associated  with  a reduction in occurrence of migraine. Note that unprocessed butterbur  may contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) that can cause liver damage, so  look for PA-free butterbur products. 

Diffused essential oil of lavender, has shown evidence  of reducing migraine incidence. Other essential oils may have similar impact.

Numerous nutritional supplements have also shown evidence of efficacy in the prevention of migraines. Riboflavin, CoQ10, B vitamins, and magnesium are on the top of the list.

This has been shown to be a cornerstone of the prevention and treatment of migraine. Regular exercise, mindfulness meditation, biofeedback, massage therapy, enjoying a hobby, being in nature, and time with loved ones, and gratitude all go a long way to unwinding from the stressors of everyday living that for some, are direct triggers for an attack. 

For some migraine patients, removing  environmental toxins will be part of the equation. Household and  personal care products, smoke, air pollution, and other environmental  exposures can be ongoing migraine triggers. Trying to replace those  items as you can in your home and avoiding other exposures as much as  possible,  can help to reduce migraine incidence. See the INM series on Low Toxin Living for further information. 

If you are impacted by too much screen  time, consider wearing blue-light blocking glasses. Similarly, if you  are triggered by sunlight, invest in a pair of UV blocking sunglasses to  wear when outdoors. 

Some patients will benefit from a short  (5-minute) hot foot bath at the onset of a migraine. Others do well with  ice packs to the head. A combination of these treatments also works for  some patients. 

Having enough and good quality sleep has been studied for how it impacts frequency of migraines. Naturopathic doctors have  to help you fall and stay asleep.

Some naturopathic doctors are also licensed acupuncturists and acupuncture has been assessed for its capacity to reduce frequency of migraines and to lower the use  of migraine medication. For those uninitiated, tiny needles are placed  at specific sites on your body and help to balance overall function and  blood flow. You may need frequent visits to establish see enduring  results.  

Making sure that skeletal alignment is  correct will be another key area for some migraine patients. All  naturopathic doctors are trained to correct and support structural  integrity by using spinal manipulation, massage therapy, physiotherapy  and more. Or your naturopathic doctor might refer you to a chiropractor or osteopathic doctor who works in the cranial field, who can further help you bring your  spine and musculoskeletal areas into optimal alignment for the  prevention of migraine headache.  

Licensed naturopathic doctors are  perfectly suited to help you prevent occurrence and treat your migraine  headache. NDs work to identify and treat the underlying cause of your migraines. From the list above, you can see that no two people  with migraines are the same, and therefore treatment plans will need to  be highly personalized. NDs will take time needed to understand your health history, family history, the nature of  your headaches and to contextualize that information within the rest of  your overall health– physical, emotional and cognitive. NDs use the Therapeutic Order to help ensure that the most gentle, effective treatments are used  first, and aim to stimulate and support your innate healing capacity.

A highly individualized naturopathic  medicine roadmap for getting rid of migraines is based on patient  history, physical exam and laboratory findings, as pertinent. 

An additional  upside to naturopathic medicine prescriptions for migraines is that they  highlight healthy overall lifestyle, which can improve additional  health complaints and quality of life. And, naturopathic medical  approaches carry low-to-nil side effects.  

Many migraine patients have been told  there is no cure and the best approach is to find rescue medications to  use early and as needed. Naturopathic doctors have been treating  migraine patients with lifestyle and gentle natural medicine approaches  to good effect for decades. While naturopathic approaches may not stop  all migraines, you can expect a reduction in number of headaches,  severity of pain and duration of discomfort. As a neurological ailment,  migraines impact the whole person, not just the head, so it follows that  treatments are based on whole person assessment, understanding and  treatment. 

Migraine headaches impact about 12% of the population,  including children. More common between the ages of 18-44, migraine  headaches often run in families. Incidence can be intermittent,  perhaps  once or twice a month, but many people have intractable ongoing head  pain every day. Most people with migraines are unable to focus on school  or work or social interactions when struck with a migraine. 

Vision disturbances before or during  attacks takes place in about one fifth of all migraine sufferers.  Throbbing pain alongside sensitivity to light and sound are also common.  Migraine headache pain is often on only one sided and is characterized  by intense painfulness. Some people have digestive disturbances or  changes in body temperature during a migraine headache. Emergency room  visits as well as use of pharmaceuticals is more common for those who  endure migraines compared to people who do not have migraines. 

What causes a migraine headache? There are  many theories that revolve around shifts in blood flow, nerve  conduction and muscular reactions. There can be any number of triggers,  including inflammation and alterations in neurotransmitters in the  brain. Stress in all its manifestations can be another common  trigger. Alterations in hormones related to the menstrual cycle and  other manifestations of imbalanced hormones can be the culprit for many  people. Head injury or previous viral infections may in play. 

Poor and inadequate sleep, and  insufficient fluid intake can cause migraines. We see some people  develop migraines as a side effect from medication. Some are sensitive  to environmental exposures or have residual migraines that begin after a  viral or bacterial infection. Some people develop migraines due to  constipation and others yet from hypertension. We are seeing an uptick  in migraine headache patients due to eye strain and too much time in  front of the computer. Some people feel that changes in barometer and  humidity can trigger a migraine. Some people suffer from migraines  related to pregnancy.

There are many other kinds of headaches  like cluster headache, tension headaches, head pain from the neck being  out of alignment, hormonal headaches, headaches that follow head injury  and headaches related to digestive disturbances. Migraine headaches are  usually more long lasting, more intense and oftentimes more challenging  to treat that other kinds of headaches. 

For migraine sufferers there is hope by  integrating a range of approaches from the naturopathic medicine  toolbox. Working with a licensed naturopathic doctor can help you  uncover root causes of your migraines and offer steps to remove and  reduce triggers, improve overall nutrition, target deficiencies, lower  inflammation, and correct for structural imbalances, all of which give  you more control over your health and hopefully, fewer migraines. 

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