With the up and rising natural approach to medical ailments many people have turned to herbal treatments to both prevent and treat their migraine headaches. Herbal treatments can be taken in the form of a pill, as a supplement, or many people will actually use fresh herbs to ensure that they are getting 100 percent of the product that they are taking.
One of the most common herbal treatments is an herb called Feverfew. In European folk medicine, this herb has been used for centuries to help headaches, arthritis and fevers. Although more recently, Feverfew has most commonly been used to treat migraine headaches. The plant is a member of the sunflower family and looks much like a daisy. Typically, Feverfew products contain dried leaves and can contain any part of the plant that grows above ground. It can be found fresh, freeze-dried, dried, in a capsule, tablet, or liquid extract form. It was originally thought that that parthenolide was what made Feverfew effective. Parthenolide assists to ease spasms in smooth muscle tissue. It is also thought to act as an anti-inflammatory and possibly reduce cancer cell growth. However, researchers are unsure of exactly which part of the plant actually assists in migraine headache relief.
The typical adult dose is 100-300 mg and can be taken up to four times each day. Feverfew should be standardized to contain 0.2-0.4 percent parthenolides.
Herbs should always be taken with care and under the supervision of a health care provider who is qualified in botanical medicine.
Side effects:
- Abdominal pain
- Indigestion
- Gas
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Nervousness
When raw leaves are chewed
- Mouth ulcers
- Swelling of the lips, tongue and mouth
Precautions
Feverfew should not be taken by someone with allergies to chamomile, ragweed or yarrow.
It can also increase the risk of bleeding. Many health care providers would suggest not taking Feverfew and a blood-thinner. Since it does thin blood patients should list notify their doctor if a surgery or procedure is necessary.
Feverfew also should not be taken by women who are pregnant or nursing. Feverfew is thought to cause the uterus to contract and can cause miscarriages and premature labor. Small studies have been performed and researchers need more information on whether Feverfew is safe for nursing babies. In the small studies, it appears safe, but research is limited.
Suddenly stopping Feverfew can cause massive rebound headaches, joint pain and muscle pain after taking it for a week or longer.
Tags: Feverfew, headache, herbal, migraine, migraine headaches, migraine relief, Migraine Support Formula, migraine symptoms, migraine treatment, Migraines, natural migraine treatment, natural treatment
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