| Before you can understand how to manage | | | | remedies for migraine, and has been used for |
| migraines naturally, it is necessary to understand | | | | centuries in the treatment of fevers, headache, |
| exactly what they are and how certain | | | | migraine and other painful conditions such as |
| treatments could work. It is not generally known | | | | arthritis. The active ingredient is parthenolide, an |
| that the word migraine means half the head | | | | anti inflammatory that is also an anti hyperalgesic, |
| because it frequently hurts only on the right or | | | | and that would explain its effect on reducing the |
| the left of the head of sufferer. Some people | | | | pain. It also blocks lipolysaccharide induced |
| with migraines do feel pain on both sides at once, | | | | osteolysis by suppressing the activity of a |
| although this is not generally the case. | | | | eukaryotic transcription factor protein known as |
| A migraine occurs in stages which are activated | | | | NF kappaB that can cause a number of immune |
| by fluctuations in the hormone content of the | | | | response problems, including inflammatory |
| blood. The aura, when you see spots and flashing | | | | conditions such as arthritis, hence its use to |
| lights in front of your eyes, is the first stage of a | | | | relieve that condition. |
| migraine attack, and during this time the blood | | | | Its effect on migraines could be explained by this |
| vessels in your neck and head are contracting. | | | | activity in repressing the inflammatory response |
| You could also find it difficult to concentrate and | | | | to certain stimuli that could be brought about by |
| your fingers could feel cold. At this point they do | | | | hormonal activity. Because it must be taken for a |
| not have the headache that starts when the | | | | few weeks before the actual problem arises in |
| blood vessels begin to dilate. | | | | order to be effective against it, feverfew is not |
| Rather than the contracted blood vessels slowly | | | | effective to treat an existing attack, but to |
| returning to normal, your hormones have an | | | | prevent future attacks. Double blind studies have |
| excessively strong reaction, and cause them to | | | | proved its effectiveness in many tests, but not in |
| dilate rapidly and become much wider than they | | | | all. However, if you take feverfew as a regular |
| should be leading to a severe headache due to | | | | supplement in you diet, you might never have to |
| pressure on the nerves. Different hormones can | | | | try magnesium or vitamin B 2 supplements. |
| be involves with each attack, and the range of | | | | Some people swear by the leaves of feverfew, |
| effective natural treatments reflect this fact. | | | | eating one per day which is easy way to take it. |
| During this period, your brain could swell slightly, | | | | It is important, however, that you do so regularly, |
| your muscles can tense up and other things can | | | | since it can take for up to 6 to 8 weeks for you |
| happen to the chemical and hormonal balance of | | | | to notice a reduction in your attacks. Don't give |
| your body. That is why some herbal treatments | | | | up after 5 or 6 weeks, but continue, since the |
| work for some but not for others, and different | | | | results will be well worth it. If you stop for a |
| people find different treatments effective for | | | | week or two you will have to start all over again. |
| them. What works for you might not work for | | | | You might get a sore mouth and perhaps mouth |
| somebody else if their migraine has a different | | | | ulcers to start with, but these will eventually go |
| cause. Basically, though, migraines occur in two | | | | once your body is used to it. |
| phases, one being associated with an excess of | | | | You are probably best not to take if you are |
| hormones and the other with a shortage. | | | | pregnant since it could cause you to abort. |
| It is not easy to live with a migraine since it can | | | | Otherwise, however, it has been shown to be |
| be completely debilitating. Some just have a | | | | effective in many severe cases. Feverfew is |
| severe headache, while others are affected for | | | | bitter, and can be used as a tea with other herbs, |
| days at a time. The headache can become before | | | | such as rosemary, lavender and sage. If you are |
| and after the onset of the shimmering lights and | | | | taking warfarin, aspirin or other blood-thinning |
| other optical effects that are generated by the | | | | drugs, see your doctor first, and the same is true |
| brain. It would certainly be useful if those prone to | | | | of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). |
| migraines had one or more of the possible natural | | | | If you are taking these for arthritis, the feverfew |
| remedies to hand since there is rarely time to | | | | itself might be more effective! |
| seek to seek professional medical help once the | | | | If you are taking feverfew as a supplement using |
| migraine begins, and through the use of natural | | | | commercially available dried leaf then the |
| remedies a potentially bad attack could be nipped | | | | recommended dosage is around 125mg of the |
| in the bud, and at least its effect on you reduced. | | | | dried leaf. It should contain at least 0.2% of |
| Magnesium | | | | parthenolide (0.25mg/daily), although other studies |
| Magnesium is common in green leafy vegetables | | | | have indicated that a total of 0.7 mg parthenolide |
| such as spinach and cabbage, whole grains, nuts | | | | a day should be taken (100mg at 0.7%). |
| and seeds. It is an essential mineral for human | | | | Parthenolide is unstable so don't take it after its |
| biochemistry, and is also needed with calcium for | | | | sell by or best by date. |
| healthy bone development and maintenance. | | | | Butterbur |
| Magnesium is a muscle relaxant, and relaxes the | | | | Butterbur is also useful in the treatment of |
| muscles of the blood vessels helping them to | | | | migraines. The active ingredient here is petasin, a |
| relax their dilatancy that cause the migraine pain. | | | | sesquiterpene ester that also has |
| It is also useful to help the immune function, | | | | anti-inflammatory properties, all though it works in |
| reduces blood pressure (by the same blood | | | | a different manner to feverfew. Here, it inhibits |
| vessel relaxing mechanism) and also the rhythm | | | | the activities of leukotriene generation in |
| of your heart. Magnesium therefore provides you | | | | neutrophils and eosinophils, which indicates that it |
| with many health benefits, and though the | | | | also possesses anti-allergenic properties that could |
| western diet is not generally deficient in | | | | help asthmatics that also suffer from migraines. It |
| magnesium, some areas can be and a | | | | does not prevent the release of histamine, but |
| magnesium-containing supplement will not do you | | | | does appear to reduce smooth muscle spasm. |
| harm. | | | | You should never take the raw herb, only the |
| However, particularly high dose of magnesium can | | | | extract, because it contains alkaloids that can |
| lead to nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure and | | | | harm you. The butterbur extract, however, is a |
| many other unpleasant side effects, so do not | | | | perfectly safe supplement and found effective by |
| take more than the RDA (recommended daily | | | | many people in the treatment of migraine. |
| allowance) in your supplement. Many studies have | | | | Ginger |
| confirmed its effectiveness in reducing the | | | | If your migraine is at the front of the head, then |
| symptoms of migraine, but not all studies have | | | | you should try ginger. Unlike feverfew, ginger |
| been successful. However, the condition is so | | | | works on a migraine as it is occurring, and |
| debilitating to so many people, that it should be | | | | improvement can be achieved for a bad migraine |
| tried although not in excess. Make sure, however, | | | | within half an hour. In fact if, like many people, |
| that your doctor is informed since it could | | | | you can feel a migraine coming on, half a |
| interfere with other medication you are taking for | | | | teaspoon of freshly ground ginger can stop the |
| your migraine. | | | | pain before it starts. |
| Riboflavin, vitamin B 2, is also believed to useful in | | | | Many herbal treatments for migraine include a |
| reducing the duration and frequency of migraine | | | | combination of some of the above remedies, and |
| attacks, working in much the same way as | | | | many people swear by them. However, migraine |
| magnesium. It is known that there are many | | | | treatment is very personal, and you should use |
| cases of people who suffer from vitamin B 2 | | | | what works best for you. If you are also taking |
| deficiency also suffering from migraines, and a | | | | other medical treatments however, please make |
| riboflavin supplement is also worth trying if you | | | | sure that you refer to your physician before using |
| are a consistent victim of this condition. | | | | any others, and that includes herbal remedies or |
| Feverfew | | | | supplements. |
| Feverfew is the best known of the herbal | | | | |