Trevor Price

Migraine Headaches - Recognized Alternative and Common Remedies

To learn about identifying migraines and migraine headache treatment, keep reading.

If you suffer from migraines and want to learn more about them along with information on choosing a migraine headache treatment, read on. 

About Migraines and Their Causes

Migraines affect approximately one in six people across the country and are defined essentially as a headache that prevents you from carrying on your day-to-day life. In general, women are more susceptible to migraines. It's also believed that migraines are genetic and may run in the family.

While the exact cause of migraines is unknown, it's believed to start when serotonin is released into the bloodstream. But, what triggers that serotonin release? Some experts chalk it up to stress, others to poor diet and still others to everything from environmental stimulants to hormones.

Diagnosing a Migraine

Symptoms of a migraine include intense throbbing pain on one side of the head, visual disturbances like distorted vision or flashing lights, nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light, smells or sounds, stiff neck and a lack of ability to concentrate.

Treating Migraines

Most migraines are treated on an as-needed basis, meaning once the pain occurs then a treatment is sought. Typically, migraine sufferers reach for an acetaminophen or strong pain killer.

Unfortunately, using drugs to address the pain of a migraine is not an effective treatment method. Instead, people suffering from them should focus on preventive care.

The most common triggers for migraines are actually certain foods such as coffee, alcohol, processed foods, fast food nitrites and even cheeses. While eliminating trigger foods, sufferers should also focus on improving their magnesium and Vitamin B levels.

After diet improvement, migraine sufferers should focus on stress reduction. Whether they practice meditative breathing or start taking yoga classes, these can all help to reduce stress levels and therefore reduce the instances of the headache attacks.

Butterbur Root

Butterbur root is an herb, but has been clinically demonstrated to be effective in preventing migraine headaches when taken daily. Sufferers are advised to take between 50-100 mg every day, twice a day. Possible side effects include itchy eyes, diarrhea, pruritis, and stomach upset. Butterbur root can be toxic to the liver and kidneys, so make sure you buy the kind approved for human consumption.

Feverfew

Though originally intended to treat colds and flus, feverfew has caught on as an effective migraine headache treatment. It's also used to help with menopausal symptoms.

Not only can feverfew prevent the instances of a migraine headache, but it can also alleviate the symptoms as they happen.

Article Tags: Migraine Headaches

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR