Nutrition and Medications for Migraines

Migraine headaches can be very severe and usually last for several days. Migraines are often preceded by an "aura," which may consist of visual disturbances such as flashing lights. The headaches are often associated with nausea, sweats, dizziness, and light and sound sensitivity.

The cause is still controversial, with muscle contraction, low serotonin and the relaxation (dilation) of blood vessels all playing a role.

After three months of being on the supplement regimen below, continuing to use a good multivitamin powder alone may provide enough support to your overall health to help keep your migraines from recurring.

Nutritional Support

Below are nutritional supplements that support various functions within your bory that, if unhealthy, can contribute to migraines. Taking this regimen can provide support to your body to help keep your natural protection optimal.

• Multivitamin powder: Take a good multivitamin powder, such as the Fatigued to Fantastic™ Energy Revitalization Drink Mix.
• Vitamin B2: Take 300 mg of vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) in the morning decreased migraine frequency 69% after 6 weeks in 2 placebo controlled studies.
• Magnesium: Take 200 mg of magnesium at night (included in the vitamin powder above)
• Butterbur: Butterbur (Petadolex) can both prevent and eliminate migraines. Take 50 mg 3 times a day for 1 month and then 1 twice a day to prevent migraines. You can take 100 mg every 3 hours (for a maximum of 300 mg in a 24 hour period) to eliminate an acute migraine.
• Melatonin: Take 10 mg of a good melatonin at bedtime. Melatonin EP120™ is a sustained release tablet, so an excellent choice for this.

Medications for Migraine Headaches

During migraines, medications are also reasonable (and can be taken with the natural therapies). Though the tendency may be to wait to see if you really need it, the earlier the migraine is treated, the more successful the treatment is — and spending two days with a migraine is a lot less healthy than taking the medication!

Magnesium IVs

In the hospital emergency room or holistic doctor's office, research shows that 1 gram of intravenous magnesium over 15 minutes can usually effectively eliminate an acute migraine within 45 minutes.

Aspirin, Tylenol and Caffeine

In the U.S., medications in the Imitrex® family remain the go-to treatment prescribed by doctors for acute migraines. However, research highlighting the effectiveness of a simple combination of aspirin, Tylenol, and caffeine—available at a fraction of the cost—is not widely promoted to physicians. While a dose of Imitrex® can cost between $10 and $25, the alternative costs around 20 cents. If you feel a migraine coming on, consider trying the more affordable option first, such as 1-3 tablets of Excedrin Migraine or Excedrin Extra Strength. The recommended dosage on the bottle tends to be conservative, so be sure to follow the guidelines that work best for you.

Imitrex®

The Imitrex family of medications can be effective for treating migraines, but timing is crucial. A fascinating Harvard study offers guidance on when to use Imitrex versus other treatments. About 75% of migraine sufferers develop painful sensitivity to touch around their eyes—such as discomfort from wearing eyeglasses. If you take Imitrex before this sensitivity begins, it successfully stops the migraine 93% of the time. However, once the pain around the eyes has set in, Imitrex eliminates the migraine only 13% of the time, though it may still help reduce throbbing.

In short, if you don’t experience eye-area sensitivity, Imitrex can work at any stage of your migraine. But if you do, timing is everything—taking Imitrex early, before the pain starts, gives you the best chance of stopping the attack.

Other Therapies and Advice

Look for Hidden Food Allergies

Identifying and avoiding hidden food allergies can significantly reduce or even eliminate migraines in 30-85% of patients. One study found that the most common trigger foods were wheat (affecting 78% of participants), oranges (65%), eggs (45%), tea and coffee (40%), chocolate and milk (37%), beef (35%), and corn, cane sugar, and yeast (33%). Clinical experience also suggests that the artificial sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet®) may contribute to migraines and other headaches, though this remains a topic of debate.

The good news is that avoiding these trigger foods may not be a lifelong necessity. A simple yet highly effective acupressure technique called NAET may help eliminate food sensitivities altogether.

More Information Online

Learn more at the Articles on Migraines section at Dr. Teitelbaum's blog.