Saturday, May 19, 2012

Remedies for Migraine

Remedies for migraines that really work
Written by Jessica Smith  
Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Feverfew is the main herb proven to have an effect on migraine. Oregano has also been reported to be effective-the dried leaf can be used as snuff to clear a blocked head, or simmer the fresh leaf in olive oil and use it to massage the temples.

A drink made from fresh ginger root has been shown to be almost as effective at preventing migraines (when taken daily) as powerful prescription drugs. Add ginger oil to almond oil and massage onto the temples during early warning signs. Or try soaking your feet in a footbath which has either fresh ginger or peppermint added, or their essential oil. The bath will draw the blood away from the head to the heat and provide some relief.

Eating a bowl of canned tomatoes simmered with basil and served with a dash of vinegar has been known to help migraine. Make up an ointment out of oregano oil and petroleum jelly and smooth onto the temples. If you can get hold of feverfew, make up a tea from the herb. If not, try peppermint and rosemary. Use tow parts peppermint leaves and one part rosemary and let them steep in a mug of hot water for at least 10 minutes.

MY THOUGHTS

Just the thought of ginger and peppermint makes me feel relaxed already.  I can already imagine how soothing it is - to drink, to soak in, to massage on my temples.

I love oregano on food.  And I love sniffing on the leaves.  So I guess that would work, too.

Do as search on feverfew and you'll be surprised.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Coffee and Migraine

Grumpy? Blame Joe
YOUR DAILY DIET TIP
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Special to Lifescript
Published September 15, 2011
www.lifescript.com

It’s true that skimping on sleep can have a negative impact on your morning. But sleepiness may not be the only explanation for your headache, lack of concentration and lingering fatigue. Caffeine withdrawal may also be to blame. Why? Simply put, many of us are addicted to our morning cup o' Joe. Whether you want to believe it or not, caffeine is a stimulant drug. So when you go without, you can experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Upwards of 90% of Americans drink at least one cup of fully caffeinated coffee daily, making caffeine the most used and socially acceptable stimulant drug of all. It’s up to you to decide if caffeine is OK for you. But if you decide to crush your coffee habit, take it slow.

Start by reducing the number of cups of coffee you have daily until you get down to just one cup. Then, partially dilute your cup of regular strength coffee with decaffeinated coffee, shifting the balance to more and more decaf as each day goes by. Within one or two weeks, your cup should be entirely decaffeinated.

Slowly easing into a caffeine-free lifestyle will help you avoid the pounding headaches and annoying withdrawal symptoms that will otherwise plague you. If you’re not ready to completely give up your caffeine habit, you should at least consider reducing your intake.


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MY THOUGHTS

Is that so?  Yes, I do remember the migraines when I was cutting back on my 4 grande cafe mochas a day.  I still have daily coffee.  Once a day.  At the most two.  And almost always black.  Come to think of it, my migraines have become less and less frequent. 

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Plastic Surgery for Migraines

Plastic Surgery For Migraines?
Brow Lift Cures Patients of Debilitating Headaches

POSTED: 4:19 pm MDT August 11, 2011
UPDATED: 4:33 pm MDT August 11, 2011

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/education/28840242/detail.html

PATERSON, New Jersey -- Susan Neuberger doesn't take any pain-free second for granted. She's suffered from migraines for 33 years.

"It felt like somebody stabbing me," said Neuberger. "I missed work at least once every two weeks, at least."

She took medications for years but never got real relief. Then she met Dr. Silvio Podda. He'd read an article about a plastic surgeon who performed brow-lift surgery on 40 migraine patients.

Click here to find out more!

"Out of those 40 patients, all of them that had done the procedure, they never had any more episodes of migraine," said Podda, medical director at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center.

Podda suggested Neuberger try it since there are few risks to the cosmetic procedure.

First, Neuberger received Botox injections to temporarily paralyze muscles and nerves in her forehead. Then she received the procedure.

Podda made two small incisions on the top of Neuberger's head and removed nerves and the glabellar muscle, the one that gives people a frown expression. That simple release reduces the pain.

A study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found the brow-lift procedure completely eliminated migraines in 57 percent of patients. Podda said that's huge.

Neuberger said on the day she had the surgery, it changed her life.

"I have not had a migraine since that day. That was Dec. 4, 2009," said Neuberger.

Now she doesn't miss out on anything.

"When people say they were given a new lease on life, I was, by Dr. Silvio Podda, and that was the best day of my life," said Neuberger.

Podda said there aren't many risks to a brow-lift procedure. However, a rare one can result in damage to the frontal nerve in the face.

MY THOUGHTS

No Way!  I'd be too scared to go under the knife to ease my migraine.  Avoiding my migraine triggers is enough.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

RECURRING MIGRAINES?

Recurring Migraines? Alternative Medicine Can Help
News by Granny Med
(March 16, 2011) in Health / Alternative Medicine

By Kate Wharmby Seldman
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/recurring-migraines-alternative-medicine-can-help

Migraine sufferers have long been caught between a rock and a hard place: they need painkillers to subdue their intense headaches, but if they take these medications too often, they run the risk of causing rebound headaches. Doctors say analgesics like ibuprofen should only be used for two days a week. So what can patients do the rest of the time? Alternative remedies may be the answer.

Migraine headaches leave sufferers in intense pain, often nauseous, and sensitive to light and sound. The pain is usually unilateral, or occurring on only one side of the head. Migraineurs, as sufferers are often called, might lose entire days to these intense headaches, which have been known to last up to 72 hours. It’s still unknown what causes migraines; it may have to do with serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, but as yet, there’s no conclusive evidence pointing to a definite link.

Traditionally, migraine treatment has involved pain medication – which, as previously mentioned, may exacerbate the problem if used too frequently; beta blockers, which have side effects like erectile dysfunction and fatigue; or tricyclic antidepressants, which have similar side effects to beta blockers. SSRI antidepressant medications haven’t been shown to be effective for migraines, even though it’s thought that serotonin plays a role in the problem. The last resort is migraine surgery, in which muscles and nerves are removed from the head and neck to prevent their causing pain during future headaches.

An article in Britain’s Guardian newspaper states that good sleep hygiene is an important part of natural treatment for migraines. This involves establishing a regular “window of sleep,” say, 11 PM to 7 AM, and sticking to that schedule. Exercise and nutrition also play a significant role in migraine prevention, as does avoiding caffeine – sometimes hard to do, as migraine medicines like Excedrin contain this substance.

Medical studies indicate that Coenzyme Q10, a vitaminlike substance used as a nutritional supplement, can reduce the intense pain of migraines when taken regularly. Riboflavin, or Vitamin B2, has also been shown to help soothe migraine intensity. Guardian reporter Naomi Alderman said these two supplements reduced the frequency of her migraines – she usually had six migraines a month, and after two months of taking Q10 and riboflavin, she experienced only one. They also cut the intensity of the pain.

Oddly, Botox could be considered an “alternative" solution for migraines: when the wrinkle-removing toxin is injected into certain muscles in the head and neck, it helps future headaches hurt less. This treatment was FDA-approved in 2010.

Read more at GrannyMed

MY THOUGHTS

If you're a migraine sufferer, you would do anything to ease the pain.  But I don't think I would go for Botox or migraine surgery. Enough sleep, good nutrition and exercise can really help.  The best for me is a hard message concentrated at the upper back and shoulder blades.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Migraine Headache Triggers

Pain Management: Migraine Headache Triggers
Original Content | January 01, 2006

Migraine Triggers
Migraines are often associated with triggers such as not eating, perfumes, eating certain cheeses, white or red wine and poor sleep quality. Migraine medications are unique in their action upon the nervous system. A headache specialist should be consulted whenever the treatment of more prolonged and difficult-to-manage headache syndromes is required.

Alcoholic beverages

Alcohol may be the most common dietary trigger. Red wine and beer are among the most likely to cause problems

Caffeine

Coffee, tea, iced tea and soft drinks have been the culprits for some migraine sufferers. Even decaf coffee and tea can be a problem.

Monosodium Glutamate

Many of us associate MSG with Chinese foods, but it is found in just about all processed foods—everything from frozen dinners, soups and gravy to salad dressings, bread crumbs, veggie burgers and protein concentrates. Read your labels to try to avoid: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, natural flavor or flavoring, and Kombu extract—since these are ways in which MSG may appear.

Processed meats

Aged, canned, cured, fermented, marinated, smoked, tenderized and/or preserved with nitrites can all be problematic. Foods like hotdogs, pepperoni, salami, bologna, beef jerky, bacon and smoked or pickled fish can all be triggers.

Stress

This is often a very strong trigger. Many migraine sufferers experience a bout immediately after a highly stressful situation.

Changes in barometric pressure

A change in the weather is often associated with the onset of a migraine. This also lends itself to the problem many migraine sufferers experience when trying to travel. The high altitude, dry air, motion and noise may all be triggers.

MY THOUGHTS

i'm not sure if i've shared this already. but it's worth sharing again just to remind everyone of migraine triggers. i ate 5 measly pieces of casuy after xmas. i had migraine for 3 days.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Getting Rid of Headaches

You: Being Beautiful - Tips for Getting Rid of Headaches
By Dr. Mehmet Oz
Expert Content | November 11, 2008

Pull the Trigger
Some of the foods that are known to trigger migraines include coffee or caffeine, wines, cheese, smoked meats, sugar, chocolate and anything with the chemical MSG. If you're prone to headaches and regularly indulge in these foods, eliminate them one by one from your diet to see if you can find the link between what you put in your mouth and what you feel in your head.

Same goes for some of the other triggers. For example, if your migraines might be caused by fluctuations in estrogen, talk to your doc about stabilizing medications that have a lot of estrogen, such as birth control pills—several are available that cycle only four times a year; Seasonique and Seasonale are two common ones. For once-yearly periods, consider Lybrel.

While you can treat your headaches with pain meds, the better course of action is to find the cause and stop them from occurring in the first place.

MY THOUGHTS

i never learn. i ate about 5 pieces of casuy. and here i am. with the worst headeache ever. 2 days in a row. i've been taking mefenamic acid every 3 hours. i've had a 2 hour massage. and the migraine won't go away. blasted casuy!!!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Getting Help for Migraines

Getting Help for Migraines
By Margaret A. Caudill-Slosberg, MD
Original Content | July 15, 2003

If you feel you may be experiencing migraine headaches, you should start to keep a diary that tracks the process to help you understand your particular recipe for problems. You can create a printable journal online. You will want to track:

•When the migraine began, including both the day and the time.
•How long the headache lasted (be sure to include anything you noticed prior to the actual headache).
•How intense the pain was, as well as keeping track of whether you experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.
•What were you sensitive to during the headache? If you can make a determination, write that down as well.
•Did you take any medications within 48 hours of the start of the headache? If so, note them, being sure to include the name of the medication, what time you took it, what dose you took and the results.
•If you had foods that may have triggered your attack
•How was your sleep for the two days prior to getting the migraine?
•What was the weather like?
•Can you think of any other items you feel may have contributed? If so, don't be shy about including them.

If you feel you may be experiencing migraine headaches, you should start to keep a diary that tracks the process to help you understand your particular recipe for problems. You can create a printable journal online. You will want to track:

•When the migraine began, including both the day and the time.
•How long the headache lasted (be sure to include anything you noticed prior to the actual headache).
•How intense the pain was, as well as keeping track of whether you experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.
•What were you sensitive to during the headache? If you can make a determination, write that down as well.
•Did you take any medications within 48 hours of the start of the headache? If so, note them, being sure to include the name of the medication, what time you took it, what dose you took and the results.
•If you had foods that may have triggered your attack
•How was your sleep for the two days prior to getting the migraine?
•What was the weather like?
•Can you think of any other items you feel may have contributed? If so, don't be shy about including them.

Once you've tracked your migraines a few times, you may be able to see patterns emerging. This migraine diary will also be useful for your health care provider in determining what plan of action to pursue. If you have not sought help before, ask your family doctor if they have been successful in treating patients with migraine headaches, or if they feel you should see a specialist for this problem. Seeking help can feel somewhat overwhelming because many people may experience such a mixture of feelings about their headaches. Some are embarrassed, thinking they somehow cause the problem, or that they are overreacting. Others are frightened or worried that they may have something really serious going on. Regardless of your feelings and fears, talking to a doctor about your headaches is a positive first step in determining how to manage your pain.

•A migraine workup will help you to get a handle on your headaches. You definitely want to be sure what you are experiencing is migraine, so you need to rule out other causes.
•Your doctor will ask when you began having headaches, what triggers them, what they feel like, etc. This is where your migraine diary will come in very handy!
•You will want to get a physical exam. Checking your vital signs, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, throat, neck, head, general strength and reflexes is of great benefit in determining your health in general and beginning the process of diagnosing migraine.
•You will most likely have lab tests to look for changes in blood chemistry to rule out any underlying disorders. Although there is currently no blood test to prove someone suffers from migraine, these tests help to rule out other causes.

MY THOUGHTS

i've been having migraines since high school. the most delibitating wascaused by a combination of hunger, stress and lack of sleep. when this happens, i become useless for 1-2 days and have to take pain pills every 3-4 hours. when my migraine is recurring.and often, it's time for a 2-hour full body massage.