herbals and migraines

Specialties Holistic

Published

I'm looking for information on the use of herbs to either prevent or ease migraine headaches. One reason I'm interested is that I suffer from them, the other is that I've found herbs to be a heck of a lot cheaper than most medicines and I do not have insurance. (I will when I graduate.)

I have mosby's little herbal guide and I found four things that are supposed to work: anise, feverfew, catnip and lemon balm. Put together in tea, these things aren't altogether nasty. Has anyone tried these? And do they work? If so, do they work only at the onset, or can you take them later? Migraines don't usually warn me that they're coming.

-Indy

Hanna Kroeger, the German-born herbalist, recommends one of the following »

» Vervain tea

» Guarana (at onset of headache)

» Lavender oil applied to forehead

Thankfully, I don't get migraines so I've not tried any of these remedies, but I have taken Ms. Kroeger's advice for other ailments and found them quite helpful.

In addition to avoiding MSG (often hidden in much processed food as free-forming glutamic acid), aspartame (should be considered a crime against humanity), try avoiding all soy products with the exception of soy sauce, which is fermented, and canola (or rapeseed) oil. Neither soy nor canola are fit for human or animal consumption - and I used to be a big tofu and edamame fan, but have stopped eating all soy.

Also, a heavy metals detox wouldn't be a bad idea either - there is so much airborne pollution, with studies showing a major increase in barium and aluminum in the soil, not to mention potassium perchlorates (as recently reported on the news - the FDA cautioned us against eating lettuce as unsafe levels of perchlorate, a component in rocket fuel, were found in organic lettuce).

Good luck!

robsta

:)

0 Votes
Specializes in OB.

My cousin who has studied herbal remedies recomended peppermint oil. You put a few drops in your hand, rub it together, take a big sniff of it and then place you hand where you feel the pain for a few minutes. It has worked everythime. And it works instantly for me. You do have to get the pure essential oil. She gave me some, but I guess you can get it in a health food store.

Good Luck!

0 Votes

Try using the inner bark of Red Willow...if in your area. Grind it up, and use 1/2 tsp in a glass of water. May taste nasty, so use honey.

This is an old Native American remedy for any/all headaches. Remember that Willow was the basis for ASA.

0 Votes

Hi Indy,

I read in your 2nd post that you used Splenda in your herbal teas....this might be a big contributor to your migraines. You might try avoiding all artificial sweeteners for a month or so and see if your migraines retreat.

When I was having migraines (9 - 10 a month) I got so desperate that I actually kept a food diary, and eliminated all but home cooked foods with natural ingredients (nothing boxed or canned - too much MSG in all of those foods). It did help, and now and then I'd "fall off the wagon" and eat something. When it bothered me (meaning I'd wake up with a migraine the next day) I'd put that food on my "watch out" list, and avoid that too. I did get some improvement from following this plan, but it wasn't until I had my hyst and went on HRT that my migraines reduced to a tolerable level (perhaps 2 a month, sometimes none a month).

I did see a neurologist who tried all sorts of different things for me. What worked(prior to the hyst.) was 1)kenalog injection at the base of the skull. This stopped all migraines for about a month and a half. (What joy!) and 2) Botox injections. This stopped migraines for 3 months. Of course these are not natural healing things, but I had tried all the others and I was a bad case I guess.

The most important thing (for me) was to get the hormone levels under control and then the migraines weren't so much of a problem. Also, my neuro started me out taking (daily) 1)100mg Co-Q10 to increase blood circulation, 2) 400mg B2 (helps mitochondia process energy in the cells) 3)Stop smoking 4)Stop coffee drinking 5) Do Yoga 6) Meditate. These helped me too, but nothing helped so much as going on HRT.

Hope you can find what works for you, but in the meantime, try using white sugar instead of the sugar substitutes. They are a migraine trigger for lots and lots of people!

0 Votes

Everyone is bringing up some interesting concepts, not just herbal remedies or preventions, but nutrition related.

I was just given an article by my nutritionist (also a biochemist) "An Innovative New Treatment for Migraine" by Dr. Sergey A. Dzugan, Life Extension, Sept., 2004.

I'll try to put the gist of it:

23 patients all w/ refractory migraines unresponsive to other treatments.

A 4 prong approach was taken.

- hormonorestorative therapy w/ bio-identical hormones that included a combo of oral pregnenolone, DHEA, triestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone gels

-simultaneous correction of the imbalance bet/ sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and the ratio of calcum to magnesium

-melatonin supplementation (to "reset" pineal gland"

and probiotics to improve intestinal absorption.

Article stressed all four must be done.

While the results seem to good to be true, the article reports no side effects and 100 % success rate. Remarkable.

I am a bit skeptical. (as always.)

I have a copy of the reprint and the nutritionist also gave me the name of a doctor that practices holistic/naturalistic medicine - one that would be willing to work w/ me in on this.

I have suffered migraines for yrs and nothing works - sometimes have 10-15 per months and have to use narcotics to tx as the imitrex class of drugs disrupt my heart rhythm.

SJ

BTW - same nutritionist says to stay away from all artificle sweeteners. She has given me info on stevia, an herbal sweetener from Paraguay that is used in Japan (no apartame there) and a few other countries. Available online and at health food stores.

0 Votes

SusanJean, did you ever get your hormone levels checked? I use vivelle dot, a bioidentical in a teeny teeny dose patch. As long as I stick mine on on schedule I'm good (usually no migraines). If I am late in putting a new one on, Istart getting a migraine.

If I had any idea that estrogen deficiency was such a major contributor to my migraines, I would have supplemented years ago, and saved myself countless hours of suffering, and my life being put on hold for YEARS.

0 Votes
SusanJean, did you ever get your hormone levels checked? I use vivelle dot, a bioidentical in a teeny teeny dose patch. As long as I stick mine on on schedule I'm good (usually no migraines). If I am late in putting a new one on, Istart getting a migraine.

If I had any idea that estrogen deficiency was such a major contributor to my migraines, I would have supplemented years ago, and saved myself countless hours of suffering, and my life being put on hold for YEARS.

No, but would like to.

Funny, for all the probs I've had w/ infertility and migraines and PMS, you would have thought that hormone levels would have been cked. Honestly, until the last few semesters of school, I did not realize the impact hormones can have on things other than what they are suppose to impact.

I see my dr soon and plan to discuss workup on this issue.

SJ

0 Votes

There is a supplement juice that has been documented to be quite effective against migraines. It contains mangosteen fruit puree and the product is called Xango.. It really works for many problems.

0 Votes

There is now a new product that has Feverfew in it, Gelstat migraine. Works well.

0 Votes

Hi,

I recently found this forum. I am an RN, and am Dr. Dzugan's assiatant at LEF where we work. I would be happy to give you any detailed info about his Migraine Program. You can e-mail me at work: [email protected], or call: 1-800-226-2370; ext: #7510. I work M-F 9-5:30 EST. If I'm not available, leave a message and I will return your call ;-}

Regards, Gail Harries, RN, BSN

Everyone is bringing up some interesting concepts, not just herbal remedies or preventions, but nutrition related.

I was just given an article by my nutritionist (also a biochemist) "An Innovative New Treatment for Migraine" by Dr. Sergey A. Dzugan, Life Extension, Sept., 2004.

I'll try to put the gist of it:

23 patients all w/ refractory migraines unresponsive to other treatments.

A 4 prong approach was taken.

- hormonorestorative therapy w/ bio-identical hormones that included a combo of oral pregnenolone, DHEA, triestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone gels

-simultaneous correction of the imbalance bet/ sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and the ratio of calcum to magnesium

-melatonin supplementation (to "reset" pineal gland"

and probiotics to improve intestinal absorption.

Article stressed all four must be done.

While the results seem to good to be true, the article reports no side effects and 100 % success rate. Remarkable.

I am a bit skeptical. (as always.)

I have a copy of the reprint and the nutritionist also gave me the name of a doctor that practices holistic/naturalistic medicine - one that would be willing to work w/ me in on this.

I have suffered migraines for yrs and nothing works - sometimes have 10-15 per months and have to use narcotics to tx as the imitrex class of drugs disrupt my heart rhythm.

SJ

BTW - same nutritionist says to stay away from all artificle sweeteners. She has given me info on stevia, an herbal sweetener from Paraguay that is used in Japan (no apartame there) and a few other countries. Available online and at health food stores.

0 Votes

I know this isn't a natural suggestion...

You might want to try 550mg of Naproxen (Alieve). That was our neurology groups first line treatment to abort migraines before all the triptans were out. If it works for you, you can get 60 pills w/ a script for about $15.00.

0 Votes

I once worked on a unit where we treated recalcitrent (sp?) migraines with a "coden's cocktail", compazine, valium, and sodium amytol delivered IV push. The pt had better be in bed when it is delivered because unconsciousness is immediate. Also it is necessary to have them be at least lightly restrained. Sometimes they have a paradocical response to the meds and come up swinging. After administration they will sleep 6 to 10 hrs and wake migraine free. Clearly this is far from a risk free procedure. I believe imitrex is much safer and at least nearly as effective.

I suffered migraines myself while I was in college. They started when midterms exams were on and coincided with the ingestion of either chocolate or canned fish. So I avoided tuna and chocolate for a few years.

As a preventative I would look into the level of stress in the environment and any food or other allergen/irritants.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment