Natural Help for Migraines

There is no shortage of alternative therapies available for migraine sufferers. The question, of course, is if any of these alternative ideas actually work. While some may work for some people, others may find that they don't help. The tricks to using alternative therapies, therefore, are to be patient and to be willing to try out many remedies. For someone who doesn't want to be on medicine, particularly if it's a constant need, these alternative ideas just might do the trick.

Vitamin B2

Some researchers believe that people with migraines have low levels of energy in their brains. This, they believe, causes a hypersensitivity to light and noise. When you take Vitamin B2, which is riboflavin, it gives your brain energy and makes it less likely that you will be bothered by things that tend to trigger migraines.

Magnesium

Magnesium also combats hypersensitivity in the brain, making it less likely that migraine triggers will cause a reaction in your brain. Studies that have been performed on people with migraines who take magnesium have shown that those who took more magnesium had fewer migraines. Magnesium has also been found to decrease migraine pain - so even if you do get the migraine, the idea is that you'll get a milder one than you might otherwise have gotten. It is important to note that the use of both vitamin B2 and magnesium were not seen as being any more powerful than were placebo drugs in placebo-controlled trials. There is a very high placebo effect with migraine headache sufferers. If people feel that they are doing something to help their headaches, they will feel that their headaches are better - even if they aren't physically making a difference.

Coenzyme Q

Coenzyme Q gives the brain more energy, and it can be found in food items such as meat and nuts. It is supposed to cut down on the frequency of migraine attacks and to reduce nausea associated with migraines. This antioxidant can be found in health food stores. It is, however, expensive, so it probably won't be the first item to try on your list. Also, coenzyme Q hasn't been studied extensively in healthy people, but has rather been looked at as it connects with heart disease.

Botox

Interestingly, doctors started to notice a pattern in people who were taking Botox. Along with looking less wrinkled, they were experiencing less migraines! Botox basically deadens the area, thus blocking the pain. This is not a casual alternative treatment, however, as it is very expensive. If you have severe migraines, you might want to look into it as a last resort after trying other therapies.

Butterbur

This herb is readily available in health food stores and can help with allergies. It is now being considered as a new migraine treatment since it is an anti-inflammatory. Migraines are an inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain, and butterbur is said to help to decrease the inflammation. Studies have shown that people have to be taking butterbur for awhile before they will notice a decrease in their migraines.