Herbs for Migraine Headaches: Achieving Total Relief Naturally

As one of the leading causes of pain and discomfort across all age groups, migraine headaches can lead to debilitating effects that may impact your day-to-day activities. These headaches are typically associated with abnormal sensitivity to pain, impaired regulation of blood vessels, and inflammation. Although many, the wide selection of allopathic treatment options available only provide temporary relief and may come with a hefty amount of side effects that will put your overall health at risk. This wide variety may put you in a dilemma on which medication is most effective in relieving your symptoms, diverting focus away from the main issue: over-the-counter and prescription medications only relieve your discomfort temporarily and do not target the root cause of the problem. Owing to such uncertainty, it is crucial to explore a different approach that is effective, cost-efficient, and without added risks to long-term health. Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), and ginger (Zingiber officinale), are a handful of herbs proven and tested throughout history to manage and prevent migraine headaches. 

Understanding Migraines

Migraine attacks are long-term and recurrent causes of moderate to severe headaches typically occurring on one side of the head, which has been attributed to reduced productivity and well-being. Migraines are believed to have been caused by the activation of the trigeminovascular pathway, which sends signals to the brain. When activated, peptides which dilate blood vessels, cause inflammation to the outer covering of your brain, and modulate pain are released, ultimately triggering a migraine attack. Allopathic treatment options are set to provide quick relief from pain and other migraine-related symptoms, restore functional capability, and prevent recurrence of your migraine attacks. Despite such claims, this treatment approach may impose detrimental effects on your overall health in the long run as its use has been associated with vision changes, cognitive decline, organ damage, and relapse within 48 hours after experiencing relief! 
​

Herbs in History

Botanical medicine has been used for centuries across cultures to manage mild and severe forms of ailments, relying on the healing power of nature for optimal health. Various plants with healing properties have been used by the oldest civilizations to effectively manage different conditions and symptoms. Various Asian traditional medicine systems have used ginger for over 5000 years to manage disease! When properly integrated with the identification and elimination of your personal triggers, butterbur, ginger, and feverfew are effective in not only preventing and managing acute attacks, but also in totally relieving your burden of migraine headaches.

Mechanism of Action

1. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a staple spice used in many countries to enhance flavors of food. As a medicinal plant, ginger is used in managing stomachache, diarrhea, dizziness, breathing problems, arthritis, and toothache.1 The healing properties of ginger come from its bioactive components which include gingerols and shogaols, as these help prevent nausea, act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, prevent blood clots, and protect nerve cells. As a safer and cost-efficient alternative, ginger acts similarly to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (good old aspirin or ibuprofen) in preventing the formation of inflammatory mediators and decreasing your perception of pain without the added trouble of experiencing unpleasant side effects.1 
2. Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a safe and effective alternative to prevent and manage migraine attacks. With healing properties due to the anti-inflammatory effects of its active components, such as sesquiterpenes (petasin and isopetasin), butterbur powerfully relieves pain.2 Additionally, this special herb helps keep your blood vessels from constricting and neurons from getting over-excited, effectively stopping the activation of the pathway which can cause your migraine attacks.
3. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) has been used for centuries to relieve fever, problems with women’s health, inflammation, toothache, insect bites, asthma, stomachache, and skin problems.3 Native to Asian countries, feverfew prevents migraine attacks and alleviates associated symptoms through inhibiting the production of prostaglandins which can cause inflammation, as well as regulate constriction and relaxation of blood vessels, through its bioactive component parthenolide. ​

​Safety and Considerations

Herbal remedies should not be considered one-time pain relievers, just as how you typically would with over-the-counter drugs, because they focus on managing the root cause of your problem rather than masking symptoms. To reach maximum therapeutic potential and alleviate the burden of having migraine headaches altogether, your body must be progressively and safely exposed to the healing properties of chosen herbs simply by taking them regularly under the guidance of your naturopathic doctor. You should start to experience fewer and less intense migraine attacks over time, but achieving total relief and healing typically takes several months with compliance to your personalized dose and schedule! 

Although effective in managing mild to moderate disease, self-medicating, not consulting with an expert, and lack of risk awareness when taking herbal medications can be harmful. Butterbur, feverfew, and ginger to manage migraine headaches is not safe for use when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. The safety and efficacy of the herbal remedies you take heavily depend on your understanding as to how they work, what they target, why you need to take them, and when you can expect improvements to your condition. Talking to your naturopathic medicine advisors at Natural Path to Wellness ensures that you are guided as you discover the benefits of herbal medicine according to your personal triggers and symptoms. 

Relieving Your Migraine Headaches

In addition to botanical medicine, identifying and avoiding triggers that can cause your migraine attacks are vital steps to take to help the body as it heals itself. Mindfully choosing what food you eat, following mind-body techniques, removing unhealthy lifestyle practices, and exploring other naturopathic practices help prevent migraine attacks while nourishing and healing your body. While taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat your migraine attacks can potentially cause stomach ulcers, the naturopathic approach positively influences other aspects of your health, with beneficial effects on intestinal health, cognition and memory, nails, skin, and hair, ultimately promoting optimal well-being. Talking with your naturopathic medicine advisors at Natural Path to Wellness fosters meaningful conversations and health-seeking behaviors aimed to assist you in exploring natural options and making conscious decisions to totally alleviate your migraine attacks and maintain optimal well-being.

To learn more about the healing power of nature for migraine relief, talk to us today! 

BECOME A CLIENT

​
​This article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your licensed naturopathic physician or other licensed healthcare provider before making changes to your medications or supplements. 

​Disclosures & Policies: This and other blog posts may contain affiliate links. Please view our disclosures page for more information.
​
REFERENCES:

1. Martins LB, Rodrigues AMDS, Rodrigues DF, Dos Santos LC, Teixeira AL, Ferreira AVM. Double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of ginger ( Zingiber officinale Rosc.) addition in migraine acute treatment. Cephalalgia. 2019;39(1):68-76. doi:10.1177/0333102418776016
2. Din L, Lui F. Butterbur. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; June 25, 2023.
3. Wider B, Pittler MH, Ernst E. Feverfew for preventing migraine. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;4(4):CD002286. Published 2015 Apr 20. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002286.pub3