Migraines
February 2009
Gina has had intense headaches since her mid twenties. They wipe her out for three days no matter what she does. Sometimes they come with her period, sometimes after a very stressful workweek, and sometimes when she’s had too much red wine, chocolate, or caffeine. She didn’t know they were migraines until she read about them in a magazine one day. Someone suggested she try acupuncture when the advertised drugs didn’t work.
Many people are confused about migraines, because they are taught that there are always visual changes before the onset of a headache. This doesn’t always happen. A typical migraine is characterized by one-sided, intense throbbing pain. They are often accompanied by light or sound sensitivity, nausea and/or vomiting, and last anywhere from several hours to three days or more.
The difference between a migraine and a regular headache is difficult to determine. The International Headache Society lists twelve different categories and over 60 subtypes of headaches. You can look at their web site to learn more, www.i-h-s.org.
In order to prevent headaches whether they are migraines or another type, it is helpful to figure out what triggers them. Many women get headaches in association with their menstrual cycles or with menopause. One trigger for Gina was chocolate. Even a small amount of it led to a headache. John got headaches when he changed his caffeine dosage. I used to get migraines when I worked too many hours and got too fatigued. Once I figured that out, I learned to regulate my work hours.
Most western medicine only offers drugs to stop a headache after it starts. A few drugs seem to stop them as they are coming on but the results are never predictable.
I have found that people who have frequent headaches might actually have a thyroid deficiency. For these people, balancing their thyroid helps reduce headaches significantly.
Offering Gina acupuncture was a good idea. Chinese medicine offers a different perspective on migraines that I find to be more useful than the western approach. You can effectively prevent migraines from occurring or you can stop them once they have started with acupuncture and herbs. From Chinese medicine, headaches are diagnosed by where in the head they occur. Different parts of the head represent different organ systems. The forehead and front of the face represent the stomach meridian; the sides of the head represent the gallbladder. Headaches in the back of the skull represent the urinary bladder. Those at the top of the head and the temples represent the liver meridian. Treatment involves balancing the organs using herbs, diet, and acupuncture so the headaches don’t occur.
Gina received herbs to regulate her liver and gallbladder meridians and acupuncture to relax her neck. After three months, she no longer got headaches. Even her reaction to chocolate was not as severe. John reduced his headaches by taking herbs and controlling his caffeine intake.
Below is a list of supplements that can be taken to prevent or treat migraines:
- Keep caffeine intake regular, do not alter it.
- When you are really busy, make sure you rest or take supplements to support your adrenals
- Take an aspirin or Willow bark every day, it can help prevent them
- Make sure you take enough B vitamins, Magnesium, and Calcium daily
- Feverfew and Butterbur or Petadolex are migraine preventing herbs.
- Chinese herb formulas, may also help prevent migraine and balance your liver and gallbladder.
- 5HTP can raise serotonin levels and prevent migraines from happening, 2 caps per day.