Reducing Migraine Headaches
Recognizing the Problem
Migraines run on both sides of my family, men and
women. If you get them, you know. Pain so severe you vomit. I
started having them in high school. Fortunately, family members
recognized right away I was one of them. So, I have followed
remedies and research on migraines almost all my life. Migraines are
complex from a science standpoint. There may be more than one kind.
Different remedies work for different people. Some prescription
remedies work for a few years, only to become less effective. I will
assume you are familiar with all the standard information and
standard prescriptions. If this hasn’t worked for you, here are
ideas that are not as widely circulated.
It is worth noting both of these suggestions are
exclusively preventative. Neither will help an attack on progress.
Both need to be taken over a period of weeks to observe results.
Neither of them entirely prevented migraines. Migraines were only
reduced in frequency and/or severity. A statistically significant
number of sufferers reported improvement over the placebo-takers,
but not everyone benefited. (That is a Migraine for you!) Still,
less pain is our objective. Especially if we are doing something our
body may be crying out for, such as feeding mitochondrial energy
production.
New Alternatives
There is new research that suggests that impaired
energy production in the mitochondria may set the stage for a
migraine. If you are a migraine sufferer, you may be asking
yourself, "Hmm, perhaps I have been feeling a lack of energy
in my mitochondria. What do I do to perk up my mitochondrial energy
production?"
As reported in the magazine, Delicious Living,
there are two alternatives that have been studied for increasing
mitochondrial energy production: Coenzyme Q10, popularly known as
Co-Q10, and Magnesium. The first report was on the use of Co-Q10 to
increase mitochondrial energy, which was in Neurology, 2005, vol.64,
no. 4. The second, on the use of Magnesium, was in Cephalalgia,
1996, vol. 16, no. 4.
Both reports showed a statistically significant drop
in the frequency of migraine attacks resulting from taking either
Co-Q10 or Magnesium. Of course, I wonder, what about taking both?
Sorry, that research has yet to be funded. Both the enzyme which is
manufactured by the body, and the mineral which is a part of our
diet exist in the body together. The amounts that each of us have
can vary due to a range of factors. Presumably, taking both body
building blocks to higher levels would be effective and safe.
However, we don’t know that.
Using CoQ10
In the study, participants took 150 to 300 mg of
CoQ-10 per day. The effects of the CoQ-10 were charted over several
months. You might want to track your Migraines, if you don’t
already, for both frequency and severity to see if this approach is
helpful for you.
Significantly, one of the reported results was a
reduction in the episodes with nausea! Even if it just reduces the
severity of the attack, this could be helpful. I have seen migraine
sufferers get dehydrated due to severe vomiting and end up in the
hospital.
Using Magnesium
The study suggested taking 600 mg of Magnesium per
day. I notice that one of my favorite multi-vitamins, Trader Joes
Pantheon Pack, comes with 500 mg of Magnesium, which it identifies
as 125% of the daily requirement. First, check your multi-vitamin to
see how much Magnesium you are currently supplementing. The study
measured results after three months, so your results may not be
immediate.
A relevant effect of Magnesium is that it relaxes
muscles. This could be a helpful side effect for migraine sufferers!
Considerations
I have used CoQ10 for the last 15 years for various
things. It has been used in Europe to boost the immune system to
fight breast cancer. The Japanese use it to treat heart attack
survivors. In this country it has been tested for successfully
reducing gum disease. I used it to rebuild my immune system after
chemical exposure.
CoQ-10 is a powerful antioxidant. Based on this you
can wonder if the side effects would include less susceptibility to
colds and cancer. However, I do not know of any long-term studies on
the daily use of CoQ10. I have not heard of anyone having side
effects, but this supplement has only been in circulation for the
last 15 years or so. It is an enzyme that is naturally produced in
the body. However, if it works for you, know that prolonged use is
an experiment at this point.
Magnesium is a mineral that is part of our diet. The
study referred to above found that at the levels recommended (600
mg), some people experienced Diarrhea. Apparently reducing this
supplement to 200 to 300 mg per day provided benefits with out the
side effects. One thing to be aware of is the Magnesium also helps
in blood clotting, so check with your Doctor if clots or stroke are
risks for you.
Another observation I have from long experience with
migraines is that the people who have them tend to be very creative,
often this creativity is in a technical field. Creativity is also
intuitive. We live in a culture that discourages the use of
intuition in scientific fields, even as it rewards the results. My
migraines correlate with trying to solve a complex problem, and
feeling stressed about it. I have found when I am willing to trust
the process and let the answer come to me rather than fighting to
find, my headache abates. Who knows, my experience may be perfectly
consistent with the mitochondrial energy theory, as migraine
sufferers may need more mitochondrial energy for the work we do, or
perhaps we just burn through it faster!
Migraine Headaches Guide
Download "Complete Guide To Migraine Headaches"
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Suddenly, and without warning,
bright, jagged edged lights appear in your line of vision.
There's no pain, yet, but you know it's coming. Over the next few
minutes or even hours, the image will slowly move across your field
of vision until it disappears off the field. When it does, the
excruciating pain strikes along with nausea and intense sensitivity
to light.
Chances are that you are getting
another migraine headache.
"The Complete Guide To Migraine Headaches" will not only teach you
what migraine is and how to watch for the symptoms, you will also
learn tips about how to avoid migraine, as well as more than 18
treatments.
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