Why Migraine Strikes ?

• Migraine is one of the most common health conditions in the world—more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined. An estimated 13 percent of the world’s population suffer with migraines
• An observational study recently found that people who get migraines have a different blood vessel structure in their brains compared to those who do not get migraines, causing greater asymmetry in hemispheric cerebral blood flow
• Environmental factors appear to play a significant role in triggering a migraine attack. This includes certain foods and drinks, hormonal changes, stress, external stimuli like scents or lights, dehydration and changes in sleep cycle
• Both aspartame and MSG are notorious for causing headaches and triggering migraines. Aspartame can also trigger other neurological symptoms such as visual disturbances and tingling in the extremities

Preventing migraines begins by avoiding the triggers. Most often this means eating healthy whole foods (avoiding most processed ones) and managing your stress effectively. Following my approach seems to reduce migraines by about 80 percent.

My Alternative Approach

Dentists, DC, ND, will assist

A headache, like a fever or cold hands or feet is one of the many ways that your body is letting you know that something is wrong with it.

Let's imagine for a moment that your body is a house with a smoke detector. Upon sign of smoke it sounds an alarm giving you a chance to do something before you are engulfed in a full-blown fire.

Removing the batteries from a smoke detector because it alarms when what you are cooking starts to burn is like taking a pain reliever for your headache. It is similar to putting a band-aid on the headache and is not solving the cause of the problem. In time, the causes of the problem get worse and so does the headache.

According to some metaphysical beliefs, suffering from a headache might indicate an inability to express or receive unconditional love and acceptance, or their opposite, which are hate, anger and rejection. However, headaches or migraines could be that the sufferer is feeling pressured by factors that seem out of her control or that there is a pressure on one's self between "right" or "wrong".

Wheat Can Cause Severe Headaches

some people may experience migraine headaches due to an unexpected culprit: “ Wheat “.

limiting gluten -- a protein found in wheat, oats, barely, rye and spelt-

Reduce symptoms of severe headaches in seven out of nine  patients.

The only treatment is strict avoidance of gluten. These patients had a sensitivity to gluten, and magnetic resonance imaging scans suggested they had inflammation in the central nervous system.

Nine of the ten patients tried a gluten-free diet, and seven  stopped having headaches. Two other patients had some -- but not complete -- success by switching to a gluten-free diet.

Herbal Remedies

People around the world have used many herbs traditionally to treat headaches. For instance, a combination of feverfew and ginger helped to relieve migraine pain.

The Russian herb .. Rhodiola is helpful for someone with a tension headache, because it increases levels of serotonin; it makes you feel good. It helps you adapt — it's a plant adaptogen. It knows what your body needs. It knows how to raise certain hormones. In particular, it can help raise serotonin and reduce cortisol . 

Chamomile tea is another option, especially for the relief of tension headaches. Look for pure chamomile tea bags or make your own by steeping dried chamomile flower in hot water (filter before drinking).

If you can find fresh betel leaves, you can try grinding them into a fine paste, and applying it to your forehead and sides of your head (let it sit for 30 minutes or so before rinsing off).

Betel leaves have anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and stimulant properties, among others, which is why they’ve been valued for numerous health applications since ancient times.

Riboflavin, Curcumin, Peppers also help to control migraines.

Coriander is also known to have pain-relieving effects. Prevent Disease shared one simple remedy using coriander seeds that may relieve headache pain fast: “Boil water. Add a spoonful of coriander seeds. Let it boil for a while, till you are able to smell the coriander strongly. Switch off the stove and add half a spoon of tea leaves to the concoction.

Headache Medications: Causing More Harm Than Good

A debilitating headache may be one instance where you could justify popping a pill that would give you instant relief. But headache medications only work in 50 percent of people, half the time.

HOPE  For You

 I would absolutely suggest trying Feverfew. I think they  are caused by hormonal changes. They would start with tender eyes,mild head pain,then progress to being sensitive to lights and smells. Then sound would bother so bad . 

In my practice I've found that atmospheric changes often produce a subluxation of C1 (the first cervical vertebra) which can affect the hindbrain functions. This frequently results in symptoms including headaches, dizziness.s, confusion and emotional changes.

In my practice I have used a homeopathic preparation from for allergies, which often corrects the subluxation by itself and the symptoms subside or disappear.  

Chemically treated products in all cleaners, personal products, etc. The pervasiveness of chemical fragranced products is causing untold damage to those who use them and anyone around The best that you can do for this trigger is to avoid chemically based others that use them. 

I recommend that people need to focus on natural products and detoxing as much as possible through :

 regular sauna sweats and chelating supplements such as chlorella, glutathione enhancers, etc. Heavy metal toxicity for one messes with the electrical balance of the brain. Add all these other unhealthy factors and foods and additives such as aspartame and MSG derivatives and something is going to go haywire in the brain,is more than just a headache; it is intensely painful and has distinct phases. The disorder used to be considered vascular, but recent research has revealed it to be neurological in origin, related to a wave of nerve cell activity that sweeps across the brain.

The root of migraine may reside in brain stem malfunctioning. Debate still swirls about the precise cause of migraines, but new discoveries are already permitting the development of new treatments.

At the moment, only a few drugs can prevent migraines, all of them developed for other diseases such as hypertension, depression and epilepsy. But they work in only 50 percent of patients, and even then, only 50 percent of the time, and can also induce a range of potentially serious side effects.

New techniques are now being tested, such as drugs that work by preventing gap junctions, a form of ion channel, from opening, thereby halting the flow of calcium between brain cells. 

What Typically Triggers Migraine Headaches?

There are many potential triggers, and what triggers a migraine for one might not trigger it in another. However, here are several of the most commonly reported triggers:

·       Food and Drink: Many people experience migraines when they eat certain foods, especially wheat, dairy, sugar, artificial preservatives or chemical additives. FLUORIDE should be included on your list of triggers.  Fluoride-containing non-stick pans are also a trigger, along with even such foods as cocoa powder (tons of fluoride-based pesticides unless organic).  Cured or processed meats, alcohol, aspartame, caffeine, and MSG are common culprits.

·       Allergies: Including food allergies and food sensitivities, and chemical sensitivities.

·       Dehydration and/or Hunger

·       Changes in sleeping cycle: Both missing sleep and oversleeping can trigger a migraine.

·       Stress: Any kind of emotional trauma can trigger a migraine, even after the stress has passed.

·       Physical exertion: Extremely intense exercise or even sex has been known to bring on migraines.

·       Hormones: Some women experience migraines before, or during their periods, during pregnancy, or during menopause. Others may get migraines from hormonal medications like birth control pills, or hormone replacement therapy.

·       External stimuli: Bright lights, fluorescent lights, loud noises and strong smells (even pleasant ones) can trigger a migraine.

·       Weather changes, Seasonal changes, and changes in Altitude

Headache Medications: Causing More Harm Than Good

A debilitating headache may be one instance where you could justify popping a pill that would give you instant relief. But headache medications only work in 50 percent of people, half the time. 

Intense side effects,, you can also get rebound headaches that can be worse than the original !

 Footnote:

 I have recommended to a friend when having a migraine, visit a dentist, a full check up.

Use Magnesium, and progesterone cream.

So, is this a good class to  join in ?

Put the word out !