Information » Diseases » Migraine
If you suffer from migraine headaches, you have had to learn to be strong. They can be so debilitating for some people that normal life becomes impossible. The word migraine comes from the French for 'half the head', because they are usually one-sided. They are extremely common; it is estimated that they affect 18% of the population and cost society billions of dollars every year in medical care and lost productivity.
Prehistoric skulls have been discovered with large holes in them, possibly for the treatment of migraine. They were mentioned in ancient Egypt but Hippocrates, the Greek father of medicine, was the first to describe them fully in 400 BC. Medieval physicians used to treat them with bloodletting or by making an incision in the temple and placing a clove a garlic in it overnight. These therapies may seem ridiculous, but the truth is that we still do not fully understand what causes migraines.
Some people get a warning signal of a coming migraine - it is called an aura. They may see spots or flashing lights, get numbness, tingling or other strange sensations. These are caused by blood vessels constricting. The headache comes when those same blood vessels dilate and fill the head with blood, creating pressure on one side. In spite of decades of intense research into how this happens, why it happens is still a mystery.
Our approach to helping migraine sufferers involves three aspects. The most basic strategy is to make sure that you have proper treatment when a migraine strikes. For this purpose, one class of drugs called triptans has become the standard of medical care. They are quite expensive, at a cost of $12-20 per tablet, but they are more effective than anti-inflammatories or other painkillers.
In general, treating symptoms does not make as much sense as treating the problem, but anyone who gets migraines will agree that when you have this symptom, all that matters is making the pain go away.
Drugs are the most common method, but it is possible to treat migraines without them. Acupuncture can do the job quite impressively and dramatically. If you cannot get to an acupuncturist, try massaging the back of your skull or your temples using firm pressure with your thumbs. Breathing and relaxation have been effective in small studies. For those of you with a partner, research suggests that sex can get rid of a migraine.
The next important thing to consider is what might be triggering your migraines. Many people have identified food triggers - the most commonly talked about are chocolate, ice cream, aged cheese, red wine, aspartame and monosodium glutamate (MSG). For this reason, it is important to be tested for food allergies.
Skin prick testing of the arm does not identify most food allergies. It looks for specific antibodies called IgE. More commonly, food allergies are caused by a different kind of antibody called IgG. These can be identified with a blood test. Although muscle testing and electrical resistance machines can be useful, we feel more comfortable with blood tests.
Other triggers include menstrual periods, and some women have even used birth control pills to treat their migraines. We prefer natural progesterone cream. Stressful situations, changes in weather, bright lights or excessive noise are other common triggers. Many people get migraines because they clench their teeth at night, a condition called bruxism. A good way to identify your triggers is to record your migraines in a journal, taking note of everything you have been exposed to.
If you spend more than 3-4 days per month with a headaches, you should consider finding a way to make headaches come less often. Many people take drugs for this purpose, but there are better ways - and they are not as toxic.
Some of the options include the blood pressure drug propanolol, anti-seizure drugs like gabapentin, valproic acid, topiramate and carbamazepine, and certain antidepressant drugs. Many migraine sufferers take these every day. They are effective, but most have unpleasant side effects and many people would rather not take a drug if they didn't have to.
Fortunately, you don't have to. There are natural therapies supported by double-blind studies that can dramatically decrease the number of headaches you get, how long they last and how bad they get. Feverfew is the most popular herb, but butterbur is probably more effective. Coenzyme Q10 and riboflavin both work in similar ways, helping cells fight free radicals and produce energy more effectively. Try these therapies one by one, for 2-3 months at a time, to see if they work for you.
Supplements and natural medicines are not the only way to approach the problem. Acupuncture and yoga both normalize the autonomic nervous system, but yoga also relaxes tense muscles. If you need another reason to lose weight, look no further than your migraines. Research shows that obesity does not cause migraines, but it makes them worse. Up to six times worse.