My Top Natural Picks For Fighting Migraines

By Author: Dr. Victor Marchione
Total Articles: 90
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Here I begin a short series that hones in on my top picks
for
treating migraine pain naturally. There are several natural
supplements and herbal remedies that just might make
painkillers unnecessary -- and even shorten the duration of
a migraine episode. This is the introduction to that series.

Migraine is a very common headache that hits about 28
million people in the U.S. It costs $13.0 billion a year in
lost work hours in the country. Still, over $4.0 billion is
spent a year on over-the-counter painkillers for various
types of headache. Many are not effective.

There are essentially two types of migraine: common and
classic. This major difference between is that the classic

type is accompanied by an "aura" or warning symptoms
preceding the onset of headache. The common type does
not have the aura. The aura typically consists of visual
disturbance, such as seeing stars or blind spots in front of
their eyes.

In 50% of cases, the cause is unknown, but likely related to
genes, since 90% of "migraineurs" have at ...
... least one
affected family member. However, in the other 50%, one
or
more of the following triggers could be identified:

-- Foods: chocolate, red wine, cheese, smoked fish, chicken
livers, figs, fruits such as citrus, banana, avocado, nitrate-
containing foods such as salami, cured meats, hot dogs,
bacon, pickled foods

-- Smoking or tobacco smoke

-- Sleep duration too long or too short

-- Estrogen levels: related to a fall or change in sex
hormone levels associated with menstrual cycle or oral
contraceptives

-- Others: flashing lights, exercise, anxiety, and travel,
odors such as perfume, monosodium glutamate, loud
noises, and caffeine

The migraine headache has the following characteristics:
pounding headache; pain most intense around the side of
the forehead; begins on one side and then spreads to both
sides; and lasts anywhere from six to 48 hours.

The drugs most commonly used to treat migraine suffers
are triptans. After taking them, 20% to 50% of patients are
pain-free with recurrence in 25% to 45% of these patients.
It is not surprising that many migraine sufferers resort to
alternative treatment, including various dietary
supplements, acupuncture, and biofeedback. The purpose
of my article is to critically examine the proof or lack
thereof regarding natural medicines for migraine.

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