Natural Remedies for Migraines
More than one billion people worldwide suffer from migraines, with twice as many women suffering migraines than men. Migraine is a disorder that almost certainly has a genetic basis. An episode can be hugely crippling for those who suffer from them.
We are very excited to be introducing a new line of Wellness Relief Co. products to help stop migraines naturally. Here’s our guide to migraines, and what steps can be taken to help manage them.
What is a Migraine?
Migraine or Bad Headache? A migraine is a severe and painful headache that can be accompanied by sensory warning signs. These signs include:
Flashes of light
Tingling in the legs and arms
Blind spots
Vomiting
Raised sensitivity to sound and light
Nausea.
A migraine attack can last for hours and even days. It is a common condition that can occur anytime. The causes of a migraine are still unknown. It is believed that a migraine occurs because of abnormal brain activity. This action causes a temporary alteration in the nerve signals, blood flow and chemicals in the brain.
The diagnosis of migraine is determined based on clinical history, reported symptoms, and by ruling out other causes. The most common categories of migraine headaches (or attacks) are episodic versus chronic, and then those without aura and those with aura.
What are the Symptoms of Migraines?
Migraines can be very crippling and can make a person unwell for a number of hours or days. A migraine can go through the below four phases:
Prodromal– subtle changes to suggest a migraine is coming can include mood changes, yawning, constipation, a stiff neck and food cravings.
Aura – this can be another warning that a migraine is about to come - an aura can include visual disturbances (such as flashes of light, blind spots or patterns), numbness, tingling on one side of a face or in an arm or leg, and feeling dizzy or off-balance.
Attack or Pain – this phase can last from 2 – 72 hours including head pain and other symptoms such as nausea.
Postdromal or Hangover – after a migraine, where a person can feel drained, dizzy, weak, and may still have sensitivity to light and sound.
What Causes Migraines?
The exact cause of migraines is not completely known. It is likely that a number of processes in combination cause migraines, and that every migraine sufferer is affected by some more than others.
While early theories pointed to vascular causes, (i.e. blood vessels expanding and/or contracting in the brain), nowadays most researchers postulate that migraine-specific triggers cause brain dysfunction which then causes the trigeminal nerve to release chemicals (called neuropeptides and neurotransmitters) resulting in an inflammatory reaction and pain in the sensory fibres of the trigeminal nerve/s.
At the same time, the inflammatory response releases a cascade of other chemicals that bring on the pain.
Whatever the causes what is crucial for the migraineur is to try to identify their triggers and avoid them.
Typical headache triggers can include dehydration, skipped meals, lack of sleep, medication, alcohol, caffeine, hormonal changes and depression and anxiety. Particular migraine triggers can include certain foods (such as cheese and food additives), weather or barometric pressure, bright lights, strong smells, loud noise and stress, as well as menstruation, some medications and intense physical activity.
Can Migraine Disease be Prevented?
Migraine disease cannot be prevented or cured, but steps can be taken to prevent migraine attacks and other headaches.
Research into genetics continues at a pace never seen before in history and scientists are amassing mountains of data, much of it ground-breaking and highly complex, with more and more information pouring in every day.
Two important Genome Wide Association (GWA) migraine studies have been conducted.
The first was in 2010 where scientists studying the mapped genetic data of around 6,000 migraineurs declared that they had identified the first genetic risk factor for migraine.
This study established that a gene variant (also known as an allele) called rs1835740 had a strong association with migraineurs.
The gene is involved in controlling the levels of glutamate in the brain. Excess glutamate has long been postulated as being a major factor in migraines for some people. Glutamate is involved in almost all aspects of normal and abnormal brain activity, and brain tissue has a high propensity to accumulate glutamate.
In 2016 a massive worldwide study identified 38 loci (locations on the DNA map) for migraines, harbouring 44 independent association signals identified at levels of genome-wide significance, which supported current theories of migraine pathophysiology and also offered new insights into migraine.
Family and twin studies also point to a strong genetic link estimating a heritability of 42%.
How to Prevent Migraines Naturally?
There are a number of steps you can take to prevent migraines naturally.
Most migraine is caused by food sensitivities. Migraine-sensitive people are sensitive to more than one food allergen. Often ten or more, and often very common foods.
This is made worse by a myriad of other stimuli and inputs including stress, chemicals, injury, vitamin deficiencies, hormone deficiencies and such.
Find the foods, chemicals and triggers that are contributing to your migraines. Keep a diary or use an App like Migraine Buddy. Remove them from your diet. If not, then minimise them. Regular intermittent fasting, if you can cope, is one method that works for many, and allows time for your body to take a breather.
Stick to a sleep schedule – it’s best to create a regular sleep pattern. Aim to get up and go to bed at the same time each day if you can, and avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol later in the day. Wellness Relief Co’s liquid Magnesium supplementation can contribute to a more relaxing sleep pattern and help minimise stress.
Keep your hydration levels up – dehydration is related to migraine frequency and severity. We suggest regular water intake and limit caffeine.
Manage stress and anxiety – working to lower stress levels with relaxation and stress-reducing exercise can be a great help for migraine sufferers. Stress is one of the major factors in using up magnesium stores in the body.
Keep a diary – this will help you to learn your migraine triggers and work to avoid or limit these where you can.
Take a preventative headache solution – Wellness Relief Co. has a number of products to help naturally prevent migraines. HeadClear is a great product containing dried ginger and other vitamins and minerals to reduce inflammation and reduce pain in order to stop a migraine naturally.
Acupuncture for headaches and migraines – acupuncture works to restore the flow of positive energy through the body. It causes an immune and circulation system simulation to help relieve migraines and tension headaches.
Take magnesium – magnesium deficiency has been linked to migraine attacks. Wellness Relief Co. has a range of migraine support formulas containing magnesium that address inflammation and help to prevent headaches and migraine.
Natural Ways to Treat Migraines
Triptans and OTC NSAIDs, for example, ibuprofen are the most common pharmaceutical drugs used for migraines. Both come with their own side effects and overuse or reliance upon them can lead to rebound headaches.
Most pain, and migraines are no exception, is the result of inflammation happening somewhere in the body. Stop the inflammation...stop the pain.
Wellness Relief Co’s discovery in stopping migraines was a result of the founder looking for a more natural and effective way to reduce his younger sister’s chronic migraines. Ten years on, they have a dual approach to helping you eliminate migraines from your life. A daily supplementation program, Migraine Relief Pack for people with more frequent migraines or for less frequent sufferers, a roll-on preventative treatment, Migraine Escape® to stop the migraine progressing to the Pain stage.
When the standard commonly prescribed alternative approaches do not work;
Lie down in a dark and quiet room
Apply a warm or cold compress to your neck
Take a bath or shower
Practice yoga or meditation to reach a calm state;
It’s time to try a new migraine approach that is approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and was awarded a US Patent in October 2018 for the breakthrough in the Treatment of Pain. They are so confident in their product being able to stop your pain it comes with a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. It can be used with existing medication for those who want to reduce their reliance on existing triptans and eliminate rebound headaches.
When to See a Doctor for Your Migraines
Migraines are often undiagnosed and untreated. Migraines can be a sign of something more serious happening to your body. This is why it is especially important to keep a record of migraines and how you treat them. If you suffer from frequent severe migraines, it’s important to see a doctor to check for any underlying conditions. It’s also important to talk to your doctor about any new treatments to ensure it is safe for you.
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