Naturopathic Migraine Treatment

Naturopathic Migraine Treatment

Naturopathic Migraine Treatment

By: - October 7, 2016

 

Migraine headaches are caused by excessive dilation of the cerebral blood vessels, though scientists do not fully understand what causes the dilation in the first place. Blood vessels don’t just dilate spontaneously—they are presumably responding to chemical changes that are occurring in the body. A Naturopathic physician or holistic medical doctor will want to take a complete medical, family, menstrual, and diet history before considering the cause of migraine. Some of the illnesses to be ruled out are bowel problems, mold allergies, vitamin deficiencies, hypertension, TMJ misalignment, food allergies or intolerances, dehydration, spinal subluxations, coffee/caffeine intoxication, and aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal) toxicity among others. All of these problems can cause migraine symptoms and usually can be treated very easily without the use of drugs. Paradoxical as it may seem, a surprising percentage of migraine headaches may be caused by migraine medication. The “rebound effect” of analgesic and ergotomine compounds has been implicated as a contributing factor for sufferers of daily headaches. Discuss this phenomenon with your prescribing doctor if you are taking more than 30 analgesic tablets a month or if you regularly use ergotamine derivatives. Withdrawal from these products can temporarily make headaches worse, but eliminating these products altogether may ultimately mean no more headaches —ever.

 

How & What You Eat Can Cause Migraines?

When exploring the causes of headaches, the easiest place to start is diet. Food reactions are a significant contributor to headaches and some improvement in symptoms, if not complete remission, can always be achieved by eliminating problematic dietary items. The elimination/challenge trial described below is a good way to identify food reactions that may be causing your headaches.

Foods that most commonly induce migraines:


Foods like cheese, beer, and wine induce migraines in some people because they contain histamines and/or vasoactive compounds that cause blood vessels to expand. Women tend to react to histamine-containing foods more frequently than men do, on account of a deficiency in an enzyme (diamine oxidase) that breaks histamine down. Taking supplemental B6 may be helpful in these situations, as it can increase diamine oxidase activity.Nitrites, which are common ingredients in lunch meats and smoked/cured meats, dilate blood vessels, and may trigger migraine.

 

Nutritional Supplements for the Relief of Migraines

Wobenzyme: 5 tablets 3 times a day between meals; or, if this dose causes loose stools, 3 tablets 5 times a day
Magnesium citrate: 250mg to 500mg 3 times a day with meals
Vitamin B6: 25mg 3 times a day with meals; vitamin B6 supports the enzymatic breakdown of histamine.
5-HTP (5- Hydroxytryptophan): 100mg to 200mg 3 times a day; 5-HTP increases seritonin and endorphin levels in the brain and has been shown to be as effective as commonly used migraine drugs and with none of the side effects.

 

Physical Medicine for Migraines