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Migraines
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:
- Brain tumor.
- Hemangioma.
- Carotid aneurysm.
- Meniere's disease.
- Seizure disease.
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:
- apply cold wet packs to head, forehead and back of neck. This creates
constriction of the blood vessels and reduces the rushing of blood into
the head, which is frequently a cause of migraines.
- rub finger tips on head, especially around the temples and the nape
of the neck, after dipping them in ice water.
- soak feet in a hot foot bath with apple cider vinegar and peppermint,
to draw blood down to the feet, cleanse the blood and cool it down (with
the mint).
- for a severe headache, alternate applications of hot and cold wet,
wrung out towels to the head and face. Always end with cold.
- hot hip bath, to draw the blood down from the head.
- alternating hot and cold hip baths
- ice pack to head
- some folks get instant relief by taking a cool enema, because often
migraines are created by toxic wate build-up in the digestive tract.
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:
- Atropa belladonna (the active ingridient, atropine, can be toxic
in not very high doses) is useful for cerebral congestion, occipital or
dull frontal ache with malaise, cool skin, mental sluggishness, and unpleasant
dreams.
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A graduate of Bastyr University in Seattle, she completed both the Naturopathic and Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine programs. Her preceptor work (similar to residencies) took place in Seattle, West Virginia and China, 
