Migraine-Free Life with Herbs
by Daniel Gagnon, Medical Herbalist
Anyone who experiences migraine headaches will tell you that they can be incredibly incapacitating. Migraine headaches affect between 15 to 20 percent of men and 25 to 30 percent of women. People of any age can have migraines but they usually begin for most people when they are between 10 and 30 years old. Fifty percent of the time migraine headaches run in the family. Some women report that they get more migraine headaches at the beginning or end of the menses or sometimes during ovulation. Migraine headaches for women can begin occurring after pregnancy, in connection with taking or ending oral contraceptives or at the onset of puberty.
We will take a look at what is thought to cause migraine headaches and how herbal remedies treat them.
Migraine symptoms include lightheadedness, throbbing pain on one side of the head, pain behind the eyes, dizziness, blurred vision, hot and cold flashes, cold body extremities, irritability, and hypersensitivity to light and sound. Usually the pain is so severe that the person must lay down and refrain from moving. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea even occur for some. Many migraine sufferers report that they experience warning signals, often referred to as an "aura," prior to actually getting a migraine. This may manifest as blurred vision, squiggles in front of the eyes, numbness or tingling on one side of the body, and/or smelling odors, such as smoke, that nobody else smells.
There are various theories on what causes migraine headaches. Extreme tiredness, worry and repressed anger can be part of what brings on a migraine. In terms of the actual physiological process that occurs in the head and brain, the most popular view right now is that migraines occur when the crebral brain vessels (brain blood vessels) dilate causing a pooling of blood. This pooling causes the blood flow to the brain to become sluggish, which in turn inhibits the proper flow of oxygen to the brain. Then an accumulation of waste products in the brain occurs and pain sets in. Fortunately there is herbal relief available. When you feel a migraine coming on, reach for these herbs:
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), which has been used traditionally for hundreds of years, is quite helpful in preventing migraine headaches. Current medical research, in fact, has shown feverfew to be effective 70 percent of the time, which is a good track record, considering no remedy is effective for everyone all of the time. Patients taking a feverfew extract that contains at least 400 mcg of parthenolides (feverfew's best known active ingredient) on a daily basis either stop having migraine headaches or experience less frequent and severe headaches.
Feverfew seems to work on three levels. First, it prevents the formation of compounds like prostaglandins, leukotienes and thromboxanes, which have been shown to cause overdilation or extreme contraction of brain blood vessels. Both overdilation and contraction can cause migraines. Second, feverfew prevents certain blood cells (platelets) from clumping which again reduces the possibility of a migraine. Third, feverfew helps tone the muscles of the brain blood vessles so that they aren't easily bent out of shape when they become overdilated or contracted.
Periwinkle (Vinca minor) is a delicate herb that is helpful for migraine headaches because it helps to stabilize the diameter of blood vessels, preventing them from either dilating or contracting beyond a healthy range. Periwinkle also increases the level of oxygen that reaches the brain. This is important because, although the brain only accounts for 2 percent of our body weight, it actually uses at least 10 percent of the body's total oxygen supply.
Ginko also aids in the prevention of migraine headaches because it helps tone blood vessel walls. It has a positive effect upon small blood vessel circulation and helps to decrease swelling due to water retention which can contribute to the onset of a migraine.
A formula contaiminimally at least these three herbs would be ideal in preventing or treating migraine headaches. If you wish to prevent yourself from getting migraine headaches on an ongoing basis, take 40 drops of an herbal formula containing feverfew with at least 400 mcg of parthenolides once a day. Take this for at least one month because it takes that long for tissue stabilization to occur.
If you feel those warning signs (the aura) of a migraine coming on and you want to cut it off at the pass, take one dropperful (about 30 to 40 drops) of a formula containing feverfew, periwinkle and ginko every half hour until all signs of your impending attack are gone. Such a formula can also be used for cluster headaches, as well as for many other types of recurring headaches.
In addition, if you really wish to prevent your migraines from occuring, it is important to identify foods you are allergic to and to stay away from them. Some of the major culprits that help create an environment conducive to migraines include beef, wine, tobacco, citrus fruits, and night-shade-family foods, such as tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Because ginger is a good general anti-inflammatory herb, consider adding two capsules or 40 drops of ginger extract in your diet every day.
Migraines are no fun. No one should have to just bear them, especially when herbal relief is available.