I have treated Migraine Headaches quite successfully since 1983. I have used a combination of acupuncture, homeopathy, nutrtional counseling, and anti-inflammatory herbs and supplements, such as feverfew and enzymes. The treatment really works.
Yet I still see many patients who did not realize there are safe, natural treatments for preventing and treating migraine headaches. Other patients did not realize that their insurance often covers much of the cost of acupuncture office visits for migraines. Still other people didn’t realize they could safely continue to take their prescription Migraine medications from they Medical Doctor, while at the same time “experimenting” with some complementary approaches. In fact, I love working with patients who have a trusted Medical doctor with whom we can develop an effective “teamwork approach” type of relationship.
Migraines are caused by an expansion of blood vessels in the brain and inflammation of the surrounding tissues. Research points to the cause as electronic changes that occur in the body. These are most likely caused either by emotional stress or allergies to various foods. Other causes can be climate changes affecting the pressure of the fluids in the body, a full or new moon, and environmental allergies, such as allergies to chlorine, detergents, perfume, or other chemicals in the environment. Of course, hormonal changes during a woman’s normal menstrual cycle will also commonly trigger the migraine. But men will often experience hormonal changes as well, which can set off a migraine attack.
Often, just adding a homepathic remedy such as Natrum Mur, or Mag phos, to a patient’s daily regimen will reduce the migraines by as much as 80%. Another easy cure has been the addition of Magnesium to the diet. Often it is only a matter of balancing the electrolytes by adding a good multi-mineral supplement a product such as Emergen-C.
The purpose of this short article is to introduce you to a relatively new product on the market today for preventing and treating migraines. It is called Butterbur Extract. This herb contains active chemicals that not only prevent the blood vessel expansion of a migraine, but also prevent the inflammation.
Compared to placebo, in a recent study, 74% of the patients who took the standardized Butterbur Extract stated that is successfully prevented their migraines. This was compared to only 27% in the placebo group.
This herb can also be combined with other migraine medications, but always check with your medical doctor before starting to take any new herbal or over the counter supplements. It also may take up to 4 weeks of taking the herb to see results, although some people see results immediately.
This herb, as with any herbal products, should not be taken for longer than 4 months at a time. Taking herbs for a long time period can often cause unintended side effects.