Migraine Treatments That May Surprise You

A lot of migraine sufferers treat their headache symptoms with pain killers and prescription medications. Sometimes these work; but for many, these drugs leave them frustrated and still experiencing persistent attacks. If you are one in the latter group, there is good news. You may have more options than you think. After reviewing traditional treatments, let’s look at some alternative treatment options that may surprise you.

Traditional Medicinal Treatments

Anticonvulsants

Many people have opted for anticonvulsants, the most recent of which is pregabalin (Lyrica). The ways in which this category of medicine works is varied. Some anticonvulsants work by affecting sodium channels, important in neuropathic pain and important, likely, in lots of pain syndromes. Others affect calcium obliquely. Some affect transmitters which are the culprits. And if you inhibit the bad guys, you can help the good guys do a better job. All these drugs do come with their own side-effects, depending on the medicine at work.

Anti-depressants

There are several anti-depressant drugs that do well with migraine headache, although there is not one anti-depressant that is FDA approved for treating migraines. Some have been around for years like Elavil (amitriptyline), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Effexor (venlafaxine).  The new kid on the block is Cymbalta (duloxetine). These drugs work on two neurotransmitters, one being the serotonin system and the other one being the norepi (norepinephrine) system. Of course, the side effects are part of the consequences from these drugs as well.

Beta Blockers

This category of medicines has effects on a particular family of serotonin receptors, and there are seven or eight families of receptors. In migraine cases, the family of receptors that is most important is the type 2 receptor. If you block the type 2 receptor or antagonize it, that helps to suppress migraine frequency and severity. However, beta blockers do have side effects. Some may impede exercise tolerance. Others have produced weight gain, worsened asthma, produced nightmares, and worsened depression.

Non-Traditional Alternative Treatments

Magnesium

A lot of people are taking oral magnesium for their headaches. Typically, it will be in the form of magnesium oxide because that gets absorbed through the GI tract and gets into the bloodstream. Taking products like Milk of Magnesia will not help since, in this form, the magnesium does not get into the bloodstream. However, of what tests that were performed concerning this development, the evidence is not substantial to suggest that this supplement, taken orally, does actually help migraine headaches. Doctors have given IV Magnesium and in this form, they have seen improvements in migraine prevention. Magnesium levels are low in many migraine sufferers so this form of treatment may work for some people. But it can be expensive. You would need to check your medical coverage to see if this treatment would be covered. Also, there are no side effects to taking magnesium as a supplement. However, if you have renal disease (kidney problems), you should not take magnesium without speaking to your doctor.

Vitamin B-2

Vitamin B2 is known as riboflavin and is one of the B family of vitamins. It particularly has an effect in what is called the powerhouse of the cell, the mitochondrion, which manufacturers the energy that the cell needs to do its activities. Research is being conducted to see whether low mitochondrial energy levels have correlation to migraine headaches. Several clinical studies have been done that tend to support this and certain groups in Europe have done studies with high dose riboflavin (vitamin B2) being effective to suppress migraines. The dosage used is about 400 milligrams a day, which is probably a hundred times what the body needs on regular daily intake. So it is used in very high dosages. But B vitamins are water-soluble so there’s very little downside with this treatment. Then, too, you may have to take this supplement for two to four months or longer before you see a benefit.

Coenzyme Q10

This is another compound that is very important for the mitochondria and does seem to be quite effective for the prevention of migraines. The dose that has been studied is 300 milligrams a day, taken as 100 milligrams 3 times a day, or as 150 milligrams twice daily. There is little downside to this supplement; constipation seems to be the only drawback associated with it and the cost is moderate, about $50 a month.

Butterbur and Feverfew Herbs

Butterbur is extracted from a root, and the root contains alkaloids called petasins. These petasins can relax blood vessels and other smooth muscles in the body. This reaction has proven effective in migraine prevention.

Feverfew is a plant extract that inhibits certain blood cells called platelets from sticking to each other, and it was thought that feverfew somehow may play a role in the production or maintenance of headaches. A group in Germany has studied feverfew and found out it had a favorable benefit to risk ratio and decreased the number of migraine attacks per month.

In conclusion, many medications are available for migraine sufferers, but these are not the only options. If you are looking for some good alternative pain or preventive agents that are not traditional medicine, reflect on the alternative options provided here. As always, check with your doctor before beginning any supplements or vitamins. It is best to have his or her approval. Together, you can monitor the results and determine which ones are beneficial to you in your particular migraine situation.

Tags: alterantive natural treatment, herbal, migraine headaches, migraine treatment, nautral migraine treatment, supplements, vitamins