Migraine headaches,
which are caused by the dilation of blood vessels in the head,
affect 18-30% of women and 6-20% of men. They differ from the more
common tension headache in that the pain is usually throbbing rather
than constant, and is frequently associated with visual disturbances
or nausea and vomiting. The pain is typically also much more severe,
with pain medications such as Tylenol or Advil offering little or no
relief. Fortunately, there are several natural therapies which can
be very effective in resolving migraine headaches.
Dietary Treatment
Migraines can often be caused by food allergies and sensitivities. Food allergies
occur when the immune system reacts to foods in the same way it
would to a foreign bacteria. Food sensitivities occur when something in the food
triggers a biochemical change which leads to the dilation of blood
vessels.
Food allergies or sensitivities occur most commonly to dairy, wheat, citrus, soy, peanuts, corn, and eggs. The list of potentially allergic foods, however, includes pretty much everything a person eats. The more frequently a food is eaten, the more likely it is to be a food allergen. The best way to determine if food allergies are a problem is either by a blood test or by following a food allergy elimination/challenge diet. In this diet potentially allergic foods are eliminated for a period of about two weeks and then are challenged one at a time to see if they provoke a migraine headache. While inexpensive and accurate, this can be a painful process to go through. For that reason, many people prefer the blood test.
Food sensitivities that cause migraines occur most commonly to chocolate, nuts, MSG, caffeine, alcohol, Nutrasweet, and tyramine containing foods such as wine and cheese. Nightshade family vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers, and nitrate-containing foods such as cured meats and bacon can also cause difficulty. The best way to determine if any of these foods are problematic is to follow the elimination/challenge diet described previously.
Some people with migraine headaches also suffer from hypoglycemia, a condition in which the blood sugar drops precipitously a couple hours after eating. Correcting this condition through diet is very important to the successful treatment of migraine headaches.
Supplementation
In addition to the dietary treatments
discussed above, there are a number of supplements that can be very
effective in the treatment of migraine headaches. Feverfew, an
herbal medication, is one of the best. It has been used for
centuries to relieve migraines, fever, and arthritis. It has been
studied extensively in recent times, and was found to help 70% of
270 migraine sufferers in a 1983 survey. For feverfew to be
effective, however, it must be taken on a regular basis for four to
eight weeks. It works by preventing migraines, not by relieving the
pain of a migraine headache already underway.
Other treatments include magnesium, vitamin B6 and 5-hydroxy tryptophan, a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. These last two supplements can be especially helpful to women who have migraine headaches which are associated with their menstrual cycle.
The most effective approach to the
treatment of migraines generally includes a combination of diet changes and supplementation, and can take several months to be completely
effective. Many people who do not have severe migraines, however,
are able to prevent headaches by making dietary changes alone.
