Migraines - natural pain relief please

[lavender27]

Migraines have attacked me all my life. I have tried a few different/alternatives to alleviate the pain, ie pressure band on hand, pegs on fingertips, drinking loads of water etc

Does anyone have any full proof natural prevention or cure to stop them happening. They are few and far between as I've got older but when they come on they come back with a vengeance.

Thank you in advance

I hope I don't get told off by admin for asking about this.

[titch juicy]

Not a dig, just a genuine interest- but why not use tablets?

[lavender27]

I would rather use natural remedies.

[vch]

Have you taking magnesium? Either in tablet form, bath salts, or sprays? You could also get referred by your GP to the acupuncture clinic in Kennington: http://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-services/community-acupuncture-clinic/overview.aspx

Migraines are awful. Hope you get some relief soon!

[IlonaM]

Have you looked at the Migraine Trust's website? - there is a page looking at natural remedies:

https://www.migrainetrust.org/living-with-migraine/treatments/supplements-and-herbs/

King's also has a Headache Clinic in their Neurology Department led by Professor Goadsby. You could check out the website to see if it might be helpful to get a referral.

[lavender27]

Thank you for reminding me vch, I have some magnesium, I don't always remember what to do when a migraine hits.

[Elphinstone's Army]

They need to be nipped in the bud - there is usually a warning, you will know, flashing lights or tunnel vision?

Really strong coffee helped mine, mega caffeine dose, and occasionally a little brandy in conjunction, plenty of water, and block out the light.

They can be so disabling, I do sympathise/empathise.

Remember we have Health Matters on Lordship Lane !?

[Sue]

My migraines were virtually completely sorted by a magnetic wriststrap.

I bought it originally for arthritic symptoms and it wasn't for several months that I suddenly realised I hadnt had a migraine for ages

I was so impressed I actually started selling the wristbands, but I don't any more and no longer have any connection with the company.

I don't know if it is still going but they were called Bioflow.

It needs to be a band with two magnets, a main one and (I think it's called) a relay. Don't get a cheap one.

Let me know if you want more info. It also sorted the arthritic symptoms.

Oh, and sceptics - they also work on animals (not for migraines obv) so no, it is not "all in the mind".

ETA: They don't work for everyone. I gave people their money back if they had no improvement after three months of wearing.

I only stopped selling them because the company was sold and the ethos completely changed.

I still wear one and I still have no symptoms. I think I've had maybe two migraines in over fifteen years, and I used to get them regularly. I used to get medication on prescription.

[TE44]

After trying feverfew (fresh herb) for migraines I didn't feel it helped until I was told it was a herb that needed time (2-4wks)before making a difference. I bought some at health shop and i took them for about 3 mths. They def helped me and if i'm bothered again i start taking them. Hope you find something that helps.

[Alan Medic]

Did you try anything that helped Lavender? I'm interested as my better half suffers from them.

[sandnot]

Try Jake cook at

http://backandneckpain.co.uk/contact-and-find-us/

He treated me for Labyrintitis and my headaches, he is worth every penny

[pop9770]

1. Dehydration is a huge factor in my experience

When you feel it starting two large glasses of water and more until your pee is clear

Avoid tea and coffee or any drinks such are high in caffeine

2. Lacking in salt and sugar for energy

Packet of crisps and a mars bar or a twix

Salt levels are important

3. Avoid bright Light

Have a lie down in a dark room

4. Kimchi

Great for its natural bacteria I find it really helpful with chemical balance in my body generally improved digestion.

Also meditation look at the excellent headspace app on ios and Android

It's horrible hope you find a way of dealing with it.

[lavender27]

thank you all, I drank gallons of water and rested, it has taken 3 weeks to get over it.

[ponderwoman]

Feeling bad for 3 weeks is dreadful. A McTimony chiropractor (but not local) adjusts my neck vertebra and my headaches stop. I need this done perhaps twice a year, but it is bliss being migraine free. I try all the other suggestions first, so visit the chiro as a last resort. Good luck.

[prit]

Not natural but if you're in pain, aspirin gets my vote everytime. I regularly get migraines and have been hospitalised with one before. There was some study (linked below I think) that showed a high dose of aspirin at onset can kill a migraine, but I've found a regular dose can control the pain as effectively. People also recommend 2 aspirin dissolved in coke but I haven't seen any difference vs in water.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2010/04April/Pages/Aspirin-and-migraine.aspx

[Saffron]

lavender27 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> thank you all, I drank gallons of water and

> rested, it has taken 3 weeks to get over it.

So sorry to hear that. :( As an occasional migraine sufferer, that sounds just awful!

Is that a one-off, or does it usually take you so long to recover? I'm usually better in 24 hours.

As a one-off, maybe you were unlucky to have a virus at the same time? But if that's a common effect, I wonder if it's worth having some further assessment?

It's not uncommon for other conditions to occur in tandem with migraine.

For example, migraine is sometimes co-morbid with other conditions, such as epilepsy. And it's not uncommon for absence seizures to go undiagnosed for some time.

(I'm not saying you have epilepsy btw, it's just an example.)

Clotting disorders and migraine sometimes go together as well... could explain the aspirin link for some people (though I have a clotting disorder, and aspirin doesn't help my migraines... hmmm). Some clotting disorders are very subtle in their early stages, such as changes to the megakaryocytes (the cells that make platelets). The link between vascular changes and electrical signals in the brain during migraine is not totally understood.

If you find something that works, report back to the Forum! Though I hope it's a long time before you need to test any migraine therapies. xx

[lavender27]

The migraine trust were calling out for volunteers to research into migraines, I would have put myself forward but it put me off as they said that they would induce a migraine on each volunteer and then give them pain relief afterwards, I did not go for it. Also they said that it would not help me with my migraines and I could not see the results, it would be a general thing to help others. I hate that, when they want to put you through that trauma to research a specific problem but it wouldn't help the person in front of them.