Migraines

One of my clients had headaches DAILY and some were migraines. She had experienced them for YEARS and said she didn't remember NOT having a day she didn't have a headache.

These can be caused from a NUMBER of factors:
1. Lack of hydration (YES..this can cause headaches)
2. Reaction to certain chemicals (preservatives, MSG, artificial sweetners, dyes, etc)
3. Improper alignment (I put my clients in a position known as MODIFIED FLOOR BLOCK and it DOES make them go away or, as in some cases, they don't even get them the next day or the next, etc.
4. Lack of specific nutrients in the body. In the case of the client I first mentioned, we addressed it from each of the other angles. No change. THEN.......she started taking XOCAI healthy chocolate DAILY. In three days.....no headaches and hasn't experienced them since. That was a year ago! Lack of a specific nutrient that the healthy chocolate provides.

Prescription Topomax (Topamax) works very well. You take it every day. I noticed that my headaches stopped completely. It has some goofy side effects that afflicted me such as tingling fingers and toes, like they were partially asleep and the inability to drink carbonated beverages because they just taste flat. Weight loss is another side effect. Best of luck to you, migraines are misery!

You are gooing to think I am crazy but it works...try GATORADE. Most headaches are caused by an electrolyte imbalance. GOO LUCK

If you have a Wal-Mart close to you, they carry natural products made by Village Naturals. They have a lotion in a pump bottle called, "headache relief". You just take a little dab, about the size of a dime, and smooth it across your forehead and temples..it starts to feel cool and your headache will start to subside, it it doesn't take it away, it will at least relieve enough of it for you to rest comfortably until it passes. My son and I both suffer from migraines and we both used it and it worked. Good luck to you.

Try Excedrine with chocolate(any kind will do), and then rest with a hot cloth over your head (I microwave a damp cloth for 30 secs). Execedrine migrane also works wonders if you cath the headache when it first triggers.

If that doesn't work there are some great prescriptions out there (Zomig, Relpax, Midrin) that you can use as well.

I've heard about using lavender as aeromatherapy but haven't tried that one yet.

Sounds crazy but a chiropractor could do wonders for you! Good Luck
A. B

I get them too. Eating a peeled raw potato helps. I know it sounds weird. But I have had them since I was 11, and my step dad would give me a raw potato to eat, and it would work. So that's what I do know, and usually it works.

I am a migraine sufferer myself usually once a week and also pregnant with them (getting better with the hormones). My neurologist and OB suggested that I take magnesium as a preventative. I take 3 tablets a day which is about 1200mg. I used to take prescribed preventatives but couldn't while I was pregant with my first child and then started on the mag. I have been taking it now for 3 years. It works as long as I take it regularly, every meal. The downside for some people is that it causes loose bowels. I myself have never had this problem. So I was told to try it and see if I could handle it. But no problems at all for me. I have spoken to others who could not handle it. When I wasn't pregnant and I did get a migraine my doc prescribes Imitrex (pill form, no pain involved and not totally expensive if you are insured), which gets rid of the migraine as soon as you notice it coming on. I would suggest that you see your doctor in regards to your migraines if you haven't already just to rule out anything else and discuss your options. There are many preventatives or medications besides what I suggested that the doctor can prescribe. Side effects will vary for everyone. Good luck!

eating couple teaspoons of locally grown/made honey a day helps prevent migraines & also helps with allergy/sinus problems. Hopefully you get some relief.

Lavender Oil works as does Imitrex.(Sp) Just a drop or two of essential lavender oil on a cloth near your face or on your pillow will help. (Don't do this if you have scent triggered migraines.) Mine are light and climate triggered, so I can use the lavender. Keep a journal of what is around you when a migraine is triggered. Smells, sounds, lights, and environment are important to keep track of. Hopefully, you will be able to discern a pattern and avoid or limit those triggers. Even food can do it sometimes. You can try a cool, dark room to help alleviate the pain. Be sure to drink plenty of water and broth, if you can keep it down. A migraine is often exasperated or triggered by dehydration.
Do you know if your migraines come around that special time of month? That may be due to hormone fluctuation and can be helped by birth control pills. I am not a Dr., so you will have to ask yours if these are viable options for you.
I have found that when I can't control my triggers, Imitrex does work. It's pricey if you don't have decent prescription coverage, but it is worth every single penny! I think that Kroger offers it at a discounted rate and so does Walgreens. You can also buy one or two pills in a prescription at a time, if you need too. I usually have to take two; One at onset and another one an hour later for it to have any effect, but it does and it works.
I hope these suggestions help. ~ E.

someone told me that tylenol servere allergy helps with them. I haven't had a migraine since to try and see if this works.

I have suffered from this for many years. Two things I have learned about them is some of the older remedies work best. 1.) Strong coffee (and they tell us to avoid caffiene today) actually helps reduce the pain because it opens the blood vessels allowing the blood to flow better. If I feel one coming on I will drink several cups of strong coffee or take No Doze!!! This does help, a lot.
2.) I also drink calming teas because I have realized stress, frustration, and tension can bring one on.
And yes, chocolate which I can't do any more because my blood sugar is up.
Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, dehydration can cause one.
If you feel the slightest twinge of a headache coming on take up to 600 mgs of Aleve or other headache remedy immediately, do not wait!!! This can be any type of pain reliever you currently have in the house. (I have a script for 600 mg Ibuprofen and take 2 of them.)
I currently have Tyleonel 4(sp, sorry) on hand from my physician and Fioaset (again spelling) which is for when I didn't try to off set it immediately and get a major blow out migraine.
I have several of the herbal packs you can heat (even in the microwave) filled with lavender, thyme, etc., which I keep handy. I have several types of herbs and herbal scented room freshner type things that are always out in the house. These seem to help me from having them so often because of the calming properties.
I also use a heating pad on the back of my neck and an ice pack on my forehead when I have one.
Unfortunately I have found the best way to get rid of it is to sleep it off which isn't always possible if you have children!!!

Please, please, please see a homeopath, someone who uses classical Hahnemann Homeopathy. They will help get rid of your migraines permenantly. Also, do you have metal fillings in your teeth? See a cosmetic dentist and have them redone in resin. My husband did both of these and his migraines are gone.

I was told to stay away from sodium sulfite. Check the nutrition labels. You'll find it in things such as diet soda, flavored oatmeal, etc.

I was also told to stay away from nitrates. They can be found in cured meats like bacon and salami.

I hope this helps!

I get migraines as well. Mine are typically sinus related and really spike when there are a lot of weather changes, high pressure systems coming in. I use Flonase (prescription nasal spray) daily and this has drastically reduced my migrains. Now I only get one every couple of months. When I do get one I take a prescription pill, Relpax. It works very well for me.

Good luck,

C.

I know someone else has already mentioned this, but I wanted to reiterate it to you. If you've not seen a chiropractor yet, I'd definetly to that. My husband was a migraine sufferer and his doctors put him on Imitrex and other medications and all that did was relieve the pain somewhat. However, based on recommendations from a lot of other previous migraine sufferers, he went to a chiropractor. After just a few visits, he was cured from them! Now I know it doesn't take care of all kinds of migraines, but it took care of his (and later we found out other relatives and friends). Hope this helps. If you need a recommendation of a great chiropractor, please let me know! My husband speaks SO highly of the one he went to.
Hope this helps!

I was recently diagnosed with migraines as well. My doctor put me on Propranalol, a beta blocker, as a preventative measure. Once I was on it I hardly had any headaches at all. He also gave me a prescription for Maxalt for if I had one, but I never had to use it. As for home remedies it really depends on what is triggering them as some others have mentioned. Have you been diagnosed? Your doctor should have some advice for you.

I used to get them all the time and what you need to do if keep a diary to figure out what triggers them. Once you figure that out, there are steps you can take that when once one does come on you can take medication. Have you visited a doctor? My doctor put me on relpax and it works so much better.

I have suffered from migraines from the time I was 12 years old. I have tried just about everything over the years. I would definitely recommend the chiropractor. Also make sure you are drinking enough fluids, dehydration is the number one cause of migraines. I have also had good luck with lavender. Just don't use too much because too much of the smell of it can aggravate the headache. I have to have someone else rub the lavender on my temples so I can concentrate on relaxing my entire body, but it works miraculously!! Hope this helps!

I have heard that topamax? works well. I am on imitrex (taken when I get one) its really expensive thought and its a shot.. so it can be painful and makes the migraine 10x worse before it gets better but it works fast! I have found that switching from dark pop to mountain dew has helped significantly.. even my aunt w/ migraines said the exact thing, I have noticed I get it from garlic bread sticks, diet pop and italian subs?, full moon and menstral.. so like almost all the time..lol. Ice cold rag over the eyes and a back rub from the husband can help alot!

The medication Topomax is the best thing in the world for me as far as changing my bad days with migraines....it is a daily pill and it is quite expensive (even with what insurance pays), but most Dr.'s will give you coupons, etc. I rarely get a migraine now, so I highly recommend it!

Gatorade works sometimes and I take Excedrin Migraine and that helps me as well.

I used to get them a few times per month & almost always 1 the day before my menstral. However, I have been going to a chiropractor which had always helped me a bit. I started on birth control pills a year ago & for some reason, I have not had nearly as many as I used to. I may get one or two a month if that. I think the pill has helped. Although BC pills do have other side effects. You just have to weigh the pro's & con's I suppose. Other than that, I just use Aleve or a pain killer. I don't drink much caffiene either. Best of luck!

Could your migraines be hormone related? If so, I do have a suggestion for you.

L. L.

You can try imitrex which is prescribed by your doctor or I take aleve and go take a nap for a couple of hours and I feel better. Aleve I found works great for migraines. I even used that instead of my painkillers when I had kidneystones. I would talk to your doctor and see what he or she recommends for you.
D.

I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7, and 4.

I hate MIGRAINES!!! I take Excedrin Migraine when I get one. Lay down in a dark room and close my eyes when I can. If I'm at work and can't leave.. well I just keep a bottle of Excedrin at my desk and most usually have to suffer through it :(. Hot wash cloth over your face in a dark NO NOISE room.
Good Luck.

Drink LOTS of water!!!
Also try Lavender Oil, put it behind your ears and on your temples (one drop each place). Besides prescription drugs thats all that helps me.

I too get migraines often. What works best for me is Excedrin Migraine and take it with a sip of caffeine pop. Usually takes it away in 20 mins. tops. Give it a try!

lol aaahhh migraines....yes been there my pregnancy was a gift of 6 monthswith no migraines ( YAY!!) Since 7th grade I"ve had numerous Ct SCans, MRI's and other tests to find a cause and you know what we found??? NOTHING!! that's right my migraines are a total mistery. And completely dibiltating.Before I got pregnant Iwas on approximately 7 -10 pillsa day to prevent them and sti l got them from time to time. The topamax DOES help but here's a fair warning...it makes you STUPID while you adjust. I drove to cheerleading practice ( I used to coach pee wee ) in the middle of July, it was 95 degrees out and I was FREEZING. Got there, couldn't get my trunk to close and thought it was the FUNNIEST thing I had ever seen. Needless to say I haven't re started that since I had Isabella. I can't take care of her and take those pills at the same time. So consequesntly, I have EVERY migraine pill on the market. It seems like there are sometimes wehn differnt meds work better. There is a new oneout called treximet. It is a mix of Imitrex and Advil( or maybe it's aLeve) but your doctor should be able to get samples... I lost myinsurance a year ago an my doctor has sampled my meds to me. Also a large part of migraine pills ( like the Fioricet and imitrex) are caffiene based. I started drinkinga litre of Mountain Dew aa day. and they backed off considerably then!! Just a thought. Hope some of this helps. Another tip...DARK, sleep, and take amommy time out. Occasionally my B/f ( although he is NOT her daddy) takes the baby off of my hands and give me a break. he's good to both of us that way... I think sometimes we both need a break from each other.

Have you investigated toxins in your home? I have a friend whose daughter used to get horrible headaches at 10 am every day. Finally mom realized that was when she ran the dishwasher. The fumes from the dishwasher liquid were giving her daughter headaches! Once she switched stores and started shopping for safer products for her home, her daughter had no more headaches when she cleaned or ran the dishwasher. I never would have thought something as simple as dishwasher liquid could be harmful, but I was wrong.

J.
www.LiveTotalWellness.com/2requestinfo
www.ElijahsRetreat.com

Hi,
I too suffer from Migraines.
My doctor finally put me on a Migraine preventative - Topomax and it has been very nice. I started out on 100 mg. I would take 50 in the morning and 50 in the evening but it made me feel like a drunk. So we lowered my dose to 25-50 mg. a day and I still do well on it.
I've also been going to a Chiropractor for the pain which starts in my neck (maybe husband related? lol :)) Anyway, a friend of mine said she goes to get acupuncture too and gets good relief from that.
Good luck, I feel for all the migraine sufferer's out there!!!! They REALLY SUCK, especially when you get one in the daytime when your husband is at work and you have two little ones to take care of.
Good luck,
T.

I am so sorry that you get migraines so often!!! I have had the same experience! Have you seen your doctor- what are you taking for them? I just read an article that taking naproxen and immitrex at the same time is supposed to help. I have also done acupuncture, which really seems to help. Go to www.indyacu.com they are really great! Good luck!

Hi C. P, My brother suffered with horrible migraines at least once a week and sometimes twice...the throwing up, hot and cold showers, etc. He has been drinking Mona Vie and hasn't had one in over a year and a half! He had tried all the meds and nothing helped him. He also makes around $100,000 a year sharing with people. Let me know if you'd like to know more. God Bless N. L.

i have a friend that had severe migraines just like you about twice a month. found out she needed glasses. got the glasses, migraines stopped, started getting them again about 1.5 yrs later and ended up needing her rx stregth adjusted, once again no more migraines.