NaturalMedications

Home Medications and Treatments for Migraine

The pain of a migraine headache is often described as an intense pulsing or throbbing pain. A migraine is different from a normal headache in that it affects only one area of the head. It is often accompanied by extreme sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, and vomiting. Migraine is three times more common in women than in men. People with migraine tend to have recurring attacks triggered by a lack of food or sleep, exposure to light, or hormonal irregularities (only in women).  Anxiety, stress, or relaxation after stress can also be triggers.   A migraine comes on suddenly. The head and neck muscles, reacting from continuous stress, become overworked. The tight muscles squeeze the arteries and reduce the blow flow. Then, when the person relaxes suddenly, the constricted muscles expand, stretching the blood vessel walls. With each heartbeat, the blood pushes through these vessels and expands them further, causing intense pain.

Jump to - Symptoms, Causes , Treatment, Other suggestions

 Symptoms of Migraine

Symptoms vary from person to person and from migraine to migraine. Five phases of a migraine can often be identified:

1. Prodrome: A variety of warnings can come before a migraine. These may consist of a change in mood (for example, feeling “high,” irritable, or depressed) or a subtle change of sensation (for example, a funny taste or smell). Fatigue and muscle tension are also common
2. Aura: This is commonly a visual disturbance that precedes the headache phase. Some migraineurs develop blind spots (called scotomas); see geometric patterns or flashing, colorful lights; or lose vision on one side (hemianopsia).
3. Headache: Although migraine pain usually appears on one side of the head, 30-40% of migraines occur on both sides. Throbbing pain may be present. More than 80% of migraineurs feel nauseated, and some vomit. About 70% become sensitive to light (photophobia) and sound (phonophobia). This phase may last 4-72 hours.
4. Headache termination: Even if untreated, the pain usually goes away with sleep.
5. Postdrome: Other signs of the migraine (for example, inability to eat, problems with concentration, or fatigue) may linger after the pain has disappeared.

Causes of Migraine

Migraine Headache Causes The exact cause of migraine headaches is not clearly understood, though experts believe they are due to a combination of the expansion of blood vessels and the release of certain chemicals, which causes inflammation and pain.  Various triggers are thought to bring about migraine in certain people prone to developing migraine.

Common Migraine Triggers:

• Certain foods, especially chocolate, cheese, nuts, alcohol, excessive caffeine intake, and monosodium glutamate (MSG), bring on headaches in some people.
• Missing a meal may bring on a headache.
• Environmental changes: Weather change, change in altitude or barometric pressure, natural disaster, change in time zone, and jet lag can trigger migraines.
• Stress, anxiety and tension are also risk factors. People often have migraines during times of increased emotional or physical stress.
• Birth control pills are a common trigger. Women may have migraines at the end of the pill cycle as the estrogen component of the pill is stopped. This is called an estrogen-withdrawal headache.
• Smoking may cause migraines or interfere with treatment.

Treatment Of Migraine

Grapes:

Other effective Remedies for Migraine

During the initial two or three days of the juice fast, a warm-water enema may be taken daily to cleanse the bowels. A hot foot bath, fomentation over the stomach and spine, cold compresses (4.5degrees C to 15.6 degrees C) applied to the head, and towels wrung out of very hot water and frequently applied to the neck will go a long way in relieving migraine headaches. The patient should also take plenty of exercise and walk in the fresh air.

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