Naturopathic Care for Migraine Relief

Migraine attacks are widespread and long-term causes of headaches that can lead to disability and loss of productivity. According to the American Migraine Foundation, 1 in 4 Americans experiences migraine headaches, with over 90% of individuals reporting its terrible effects on their social, academic, and professional activities. The total indirect cost of migraines is estimated to be $19.3 billion in the United States, with 81% of this amount due to loss of productivity from being absent during migraine attacks. Despite being the second most common neurological problem all over the world, people with migraines are often undiagnosed and self-medicate.1 Hence, its impacts on daily activities and healthcare costs remain unrecognized and underestimated. While numerous allopathic treatments are available to alleviate migraine symptoms, these are commonly associated with serious side effects that may affect your overall health and well-being in the long run. Understanding the importance of avoiding triggers and incorporating natural approaches to assist your body as it maintains its inherent balance should take precedence to promote healing without having to compromise other valuable aspects of your health.

Understanding Migraines

Migraine is associated with episodes of mild-to-severe throbbing or pulsating headaches. About 1/3 of individuals with migraine experience a brief neurological disturbance called a migraine aura.1  The reason as to why migraines develop are not fully understood, but is currently believed to be associated with the release of powerful peptides that can cause blood vessels in the brain to expand, resulting in inflammation and activation of your pain receptors, eventually causing headache and pain. Risks of having migraine headaches are predominantly influenced by genetic predisposition to the condition, with environmental triggers, such as stress, hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, inadequate intake of food, lack of sleep, excessive sleep, certain odors, light exposure, alcohol use, and smoking, increasing your chances of experiencing migraine attacks.1

Migraine attacks typically present in phases:

1. Prodrome: early warning symptoms due to the activation of your hypothalamus. Changes in mood, weakness, light or sound sensitivity, vision problems, food cravings, sweating, hyperactivity, chills, and neck discomfort are common symptoms during this phase.
2. Aura: fully reversible symptoms which may happen before or during the headache. During this phase, you may experience tingling sensations on one side of your face, arms, or legs, see bright shapes, hear ringing noises, or have reduced or loss of senses. Symptoms are gradual and occur in a span of less than 60 minutes.
3. Headache: pulsatile or throbbing discomfort that commonly occurs on one side of the head which may last for hours or days. During this phase, you may experience stomach problems, vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound, runny nose, watery eyes, and sensitivity to touch or smell.
4. Postdrome: discomfort that worsens with movement occurring on the same side as the headache. During this phase, you may feel exhausted, dizzy, or have problems concentrating.

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Food Triggers 

Several foods may trigger migraine attacks within an hour of intake, while other people may experience headache up to 12 hours after intake.2

• Alcohol (wine and beer)
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Processed meats
• Nuts
• Dairy products (milk and cheese)
• Food containing monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Artificial sweeteners (aspartame)

 
It is important to note that food triggers for migraine attacks are associated with many factors and may be different for each person. Foods that may cause you to experience headaches may not cause migraine attacks to other people! Learning more about your personal food triggers and how these can precipitate migraine attacks are essential in reducing the duration, severity, or frequency of migraine attacks. At Natural Path to Wellness, we are committed to helping you make food and lifestyle decisions that will assist your body as it naturally heals itself to prevent future migraines. Through exploring the benefits of intuitive eating practices, we assist you in becoming more conscious in selecting foods that help your body thrive and eliminating ingredients that increase the severity and frequency of your migraine attacks. 

The Role of Stress

Stress is a natural phenomenon where your body responds physiologically and psychosocially to perceived dangers, challenges, or obstacles from your interaction with your environment. Did you know? Stress is the most common self-reported trigger for migraine headaches! Stress and migraines generally have a complex and collateral relationship, since frequent migraine attacks may also increase your stress levels.3 Identifying stressors which can trigger your migraine attacks and learning to avoid them through lifestyle adjustments and mind-body techniques with the guidance of your naturopathic medicine advisors not only prevents you from having migraine headaches, but also promotes positive mental outlook and well-being.  

Screen Time and Migraines

Most of us have become accustomed to starting and ending our day by checking our smartphones and laptops for work, school, or entertainment. Especially with the growing number of people who use social media, it has become an undeniable reality that screens have become integral to  our daily lives. However, spending so much time looking at your screen may impose several negative health consequences, especially towards your mental health, metabolic health, and sleep. Looking at digital displays for long periods of time can cause digital eye strain and eye fatigue, which may precipitate a headache.4 Additionally, flickering lights emitted by screens can trigger migraine headaches because of how your eyes need to constantly adjust to changes in emitting light.4 Generally, the amount of time spent in front of your computer, tablet, or smartphone screens increases your frequency of experiencing migraine headaches! Taking charge of your health and controlling the amount of time spent on your screens in a given period of time are few practices that minimize your risk of experiencing migraine attacks.
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Allopathic Options for Migraine

Migraine attacks are conventionally treated based on the severity of your symptoms, with over-the-counter pain relievers (analgesics), such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin (Excedrin), diclofenac potassium (Cataflam), and ibuprofen (Advil) used for mild headaches.1 Severe headaches, on the other hand, are usually managed with prescription triptans. Using the allopathic approach, simple analgesics are initially taken with the possibility of shifting to stronger medications if symptoms are still present during the same migraine episode. Despite its effectiveness in relieving discomfort, analgesics only act to rewire how your brain perceives pain signals, tricking your body into believing there is no actual pain.

Take note: allopathic medications are used to temporarily alleviate migraine symptoms; these do not address the underlying triggers or causes of your migraine attacks. To avoid a cycle of recurrent headaches, it is important to identify and manage your personal triggers, rather than using medications to mask symptoms.

Allopathic approaches are not without safety risks. Chronic medication use has long-term effects that can cause liver or kidney damage, as these medications are extensively metabolized by the liver before reaching the bloodstream and filtered by the kidneys after use. Anti-seizure medications used to prevent chronic migraine in some patients may cause memory deficits and problems in cognitive function.6 Prescription triptans, in particular, may lead to temporary or permanent blindness or loss of vision. Some may have other health conditions that can be worsened by taking medications to manage migraine attacks, doing more harm than good. Additionally, you may have relapse of migraine attacks within 48 hours of experiencing relief after taking medications, which may increase the risk of overuse and overdose.

The Naturopathic Approach

Rather than masking symptoms of migraine attacks, the naturopathic approach to migraine headaches focuses on identifying solutions to the problem. Through targeting the root cause of your problem, we work towards lasting change, deep and personal healing, and non-drug preventative strategies that will assist your body’s healing journey without having to deal with the unwanted effects from medication use. Your personalized therapeutic plan is designed to help you achieve your health goals and make changes essential to assist your body as it heals itself. Through this strategy, we aim to improve your quality of life and achieve lasting health. Exploring herbal medicine options and adopting lifestyle changes may seem like a daunting process, but time passes by swiftly regardless, and we are here to help make every moment in your health journey count! In this naturopathic care journey, we make sure to help you in every meaningful progress towards achieving your health goals.

​The naturopathic approach focuses on:

1. Nutrition and Nutrient Supplementation: Planning and eating meals that encourage you to be conscious of which foods feel right for your body and avoid ingredients which can trigger migraine headaches, as well as maintaining adequate magnesium levels in the body through intake of magnesium supplements and magnesium-rich food help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.
2. Lifestyle Changes: Following an active and healthy lifestyle, in addition to avoiding triggers, reduces risks of experiencing migraine attacks since exercising regularly helps modulate your body’s response to stress and inflammation. 
3. Botanical Medicine: Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), and ginger (Zingiber officinale) are herbs with anti-inflammatory properties that help minimize the frequency of migraine attacks. 
4. Hydrotherapy: having a hot foot soak while applying cold compresses on the back of the neck causes local constriction of blood vessels followed by their reflexive dilation, facilitating blood flow and relieving migraine attacks caused by inflammation and blood vessel constriction.5

Talking to your naturopathic medicine advisors about your personal experience with migraine attacks will help guide you as you make conscious and informed choices for your health. With a wide variety of allopathic and naturopathic options to help in managing your condition, understanding what approach is best for your overall health is essential in making sure that your migraine attacks are alleviated without compromising other essential aspects of your health and well-being. To learn how to work with us to prevent and manage your migraines, talk to us today!

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​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.
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REFERENCES:

1. Eigenbrodt AK, Ashina H, Khan S, et al. Diagnosis and management of migraine in ten steps. Nat Rev Neurol. 2021;17(8):501-514. doi:10.1038/s41582-021-00509-5
   
2. Zaeem Z, Zhou L, Dilli E. Headaches: a Review of the Role of Dietary Factors. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2016;16(11):101. doi:10.1007/s11910-016-0702-1
   
3. Stubberud A, Buse DC, Kristoffersen ES, Linde M, Tronvik E. Is there a causal relationship between stress and migraine? Current evidence and implications for management. J Headache Pain. 2021;22(1):155. Published 2021 Dec 20. doi:10.1186/s10194-021-01369-6