Anyone who hasn't suffered a migraine really has no idea just how much pain and suffering this form of headache causes.
Having to lock yourself away in a darkened room, the nausea and vomiting are all part of a migraine sufferers life.
But there is hope.
Migraines are experienced more frequently by women than men.
Episodes typically last from 4 to 72 hours and are characterised by severe one sided pulsating headaches, nausea, vomiting and strong sensitivity to light and sound.
If this is your experience and you haven't been properly diagnosed then you may want to seek professional help.
Taking standard painkillers isn't the best way to manage migraines.
3 methods of treatment Medical.
A variety of pharmaceutical medications are being used as preventatives for migraines.
This includes medicines for high blood pressure and depression.
Pharmaceuticals can have unexpected effects in the body, as we know with side effects, but this line of preventative treatment gives some clues to the causes of migraines in certain individuals.
There are of course specifically prescribed medicines which come under different names in various parts of the world.
Your doctor will discuss this with you.
Natural remedies This group of remedies rarely come with any side effects.
Caffiene causes vasodilation of the arteries and can offer relief for some, as does Naicin-Vitamin B3.
This is suitable for some people during the onset of migraines.
Coffee is more fun as the Naicin flush can feel uncomfortable.
Chocolate is not suitable as the amines contribute to migraines, as does the tyramine in some cheeses.
The herbs fever and wood betony have a good reputation.
I have found them most useful as a preventative.
Maintaining good blood sugar levels with regular small meals is also helpful.
Sugar rich foods wont help.
Scenar and Enar treatments can be very effective; you will need to Google to find a local practitioner.
This combined with a proper slow detox of the gut and the liver is by far the most successful protocol I have used in clinic.
The process is firstly to weed out the bugs from the gut, then to replace the good bugs then cleanse the liver.
This process takes 4-6 weeks and does not cause any side effects.
You will need the guidance of a Naturopath and not rely on a detox in a box from your local health store.
Strategies for migraine prevention To me this is the most exciting area to explore.
This puts the power of your body back in your hands.
It is important for you to clearly understand the patterns of your migraines and the triggers.
You will need to keep a comprehensive migraine diary.
The best way is to use a large piece of paper divided up into days.
You need to mark down dietary patterns, work patterns, stress patterns, travel patterns and any other things that happen to you on a regular basis.
Of course your migraine days will be listed.
OK so this is a bit of work, but you have to become the migraine private investigator.
After you have kept it for a month or two look at the preceding days to your migraines.
Look for patterns.
It could be simple things such as food choices.
Increased work or increased stress, such as visitors.
I remember client who identified that if she had 4four busy days leading to some special event and if she ate a little more junk food than usual because she didn't have time for her usual diet then she would suffer the migraine.
It may be a complex series of events which take a while to identify.
This is why you need the chart.
You may even identify more than one pattern.
It can be a lot of effort but I can assure you that if you can reduce the frequency of your migraines it is well worth it.
Another tip is to have another person or two view your chart.
They may quickly identify a pattern that has eluded you.
Having to lock yourself away in a darkened room, the nausea and vomiting are all part of a migraine sufferers life.
But there is hope.
Migraines are experienced more frequently by women than men.
Episodes typically last from 4 to 72 hours and are characterised by severe one sided pulsating headaches, nausea, vomiting and strong sensitivity to light and sound.
If this is your experience and you haven't been properly diagnosed then you may want to seek professional help.
Taking standard painkillers isn't the best way to manage migraines.
3 methods of treatment Medical.
A variety of pharmaceutical medications are being used as preventatives for migraines.
This includes medicines for high blood pressure and depression.
Pharmaceuticals can have unexpected effects in the body, as we know with side effects, but this line of preventative treatment gives some clues to the causes of migraines in certain individuals.
There are of course specifically prescribed medicines which come under different names in various parts of the world.
Your doctor will discuss this with you.
Natural remedies This group of remedies rarely come with any side effects.
Caffiene causes vasodilation of the arteries and can offer relief for some, as does Naicin-Vitamin B3.
This is suitable for some people during the onset of migraines.
Coffee is more fun as the Naicin flush can feel uncomfortable.
Chocolate is not suitable as the amines contribute to migraines, as does the tyramine in some cheeses.
The herbs fever and wood betony have a good reputation.
I have found them most useful as a preventative.
Maintaining good blood sugar levels with regular small meals is also helpful.
Sugar rich foods wont help.
Scenar and Enar treatments can be very effective; you will need to Google to find a local practitioner.
This combined with a proper slow detox of the gut and the liver is by far the most successful protocol I have used in clinic.
The process is firstly to weed out the bugs from the gut, then to replace the good bugs then cleanse the liver.
This process takes 4-6 weeks and does not cause any side effects.
You will need the guidance of a Naturopath and not rely on a detox in a box from your local health store.
Strategies for migraine prevention To me this is the most exciting area to explore.
This puts the power of your body back in your hands.
It is important for you to clearly understand the patterns of your migraines and the triggers.
You will need to keep a comprehensive migraine diary.
The best way is to use a large piece of paper divided up into days.
You need to mark down dietary patterns, work patterns, stress patterns, travel patterns and any other things that happen to you on a regular basis.
Of course your migraine days will be listed.
OK so this is a bit of work, but you have to become the migraine private investigator.
After you have kept it for a month or two look at the preceding days to your migraines.
Look for patterns.
It could be simple things such as food choices.
Increased work or increased stress, such as visitors.
I remember client who identified that if she had 4four busy days leading to some special event and if she ate a little more junk food than usual because she didn't have time for her usual diet then she would suffer the migraine.
It may be a complex series of events which take a while to identify.
This is why you need the chart.
You may even identify more than one pattern.
It can be a lot of effort but I can assure you that if you can reduce the frequency of your migraines it is well worth it.
Another tip is to have another person or two view your chart.
They may quickly identify a pattern that has eluded you.