Migraines can be debilitating headaches that rob you of your quality of life.  Migraine headaches are intensified by the nausea, light sensitivity and vomiting that can accompany them.  Affecting 1 out of 8 Americans, the severity of these headaches can vary based on the patient and each occurrence.  More often affecting women, the cause of migraines is still mostly unknown.  The throbbing pain of a migraine headache is mostly one sided but can move from one side to the other, and it is usually worsened with activity.

Anyone who has dealt with migraines knows that they are a complicated event and the symptoms change as the episode progresses through several stages.  In the early stages, one might feel more thirst, irritable or sleepy.  Some people may have an aura either before or with the headache.  Auras are visual changes including flickering light or loss of vision in an area and may include a tingling sensation in the skin.  During this phase, patients may also have difficulty expressing themselves verbally and be confused.

Migraines can last for hours to days and can make your day to day life hard to manage.  Recovery after a migraine can take up to a day, and patients generally feel tired.  Migraine symptoms are not necessarily consistent and your experience may vary.

Stress & Migraines

Chronic headaches and migraines are often associated with higher stress situations and anxiety and depression can contribute to them as well.  Stress management techniques can help reduce the disability that headaches can cause.  A regular meditation practice and relaxation therapies such as massage can help with managing stress in your life.  Getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet helps your body respond to and deal with stress in a better manner.

Aromatherapy

The use of essential oils to help the body heal dates back centuries.  Essential oils can be applied to the skin or they can be used by smelling them.  Lavender oil has traditionally been used to help treat headaches, ginger and peppermint oils may also be helpful.

Diet

Certain foods can be triggers to headaches and these trigger foods are different based on the patient.  Common foods include chocolate, aged cheese, red wine, beer, caffeine and aspartame.  Not having meals regularly can also trigger migraines.  Keeping a diet diary and recording symptoms can help clue you into trigger foods.

Supplementation

Studies have suggested that Omega-3 Fatty acids may be beneficial in patients with migraines.  Melatonin, Butterbur, CoEnzyme Q 10 and L-Arginine have been shown to be helpful in preventing migraines.  Two vitamins that I definitely consider in Migraine patients are Magnesium and Riboflavin, there is evidence correlating a deficiency in these two vitamins and migraine headaches.  Acute and recurrent migraine headaches are correlated with reduced magnesium levels in the brain.

Natural treatment for migraine headaches can include a multifaceted treatment plan that addresses diet, lifestyle and vitamin deficiencies.  A combination approach is sure to bring any migraine sufferer relief from these debilitating headaches.