Natural Cures for Migraine Headaches

If you suffer from migraine headaches, you know all about the excruciating pain. They used to be called "sick headaches" because of the nausea and vomiting that are often associated with these kinds of severe headaches. This really unbearable pain can last for up to three days with little relief from taking plain aspirin or even stronger over-the-counter medicines. As a migraine sufferer you know that it gives warning before it strikes. You may experience blurry vision or see black spots or lines before your eyes.

Usually the headaches will be on one side of the head and often centered around one eye. Noise and light seem to be intolerable, and eating might be impossible. People sometimes will just go to bed with a migraine to try and lessen the pain. When the headache finally wears off, usually one to two days later, the sufferer will be pretty weak and shaken. After feeling normal again the person will usually feel alert and fine, until the next migraine strike occurs.

To understand about how to cure and lessen migraine pain, you first need to learn about what causes these terrific headaches. It has been said that migraines are associated with people who are perfectionists and drive themselves relentlessly in order to succeed. They will do this until they are totally exhausted, but they also feel triumphant from their work in the process. This is when many of the migraines will start up. Sometimes it just takes excitement, or even fright, to trigger the migraine.

A person with this type of high drive personality should be aware of what happens to their body when they push themselves beyond their physical capabilities. Before this person finally lets go to exhaustion, the migraine will already be starting to attack. The blood vessels start to shrink in the head, which doesn't let the blood circulate normally and leads to visual abnormalities. Then, when the person finally does let go of his exhaustion, the blood pressure rises. The blood vessels then start to dilate and the walls of the vessels swell. Then the brain produces and releases a stress enzyme. Soon the migraine headache starts with its unusually harsh throbbing and pain. Some time after, the digestive system starts to become upset. The migraine is full-fledged at this point.

There are several approaches to relieve a migraine, but the best one is to prevent it altogether. The high drive personality of a migraine sufferer is usually mostly to blame. This person should slow down in his stressful business and/or personal life. But when a migraine attack is inevitable, the person should not give into it by going to bed or abruptly slowing down his activities. If he or she gives into the headache slowly and not quickly, it will keep the blood vessels from over relaxing and therefore causing the first ebb and flow of the migraine. Fresh air, coffee, a massage and a heat lamp applied on the back of the neck can help to restore circulation and relieve the pain.

The nutritional approach can also help the sufferer. He or she should be eating a high vitamin, high mineral and high protein diet. Additional supplements should also be taken. The sufferer should check with his or her doctor before using any of these natural remedies for their migraine headache relief. Remember that migraines can be caused by lots of stress and also nutritional deficiencies. The sufferer needs to relax and start taking it easy (or easier!) and of course needs to eat a nutritional diet along with supplements. Prevention is the key for curing migraines!

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Migraine