Treating Your Migraine Headache

What treatments will help you with the pain of your migraine headache? There are many out there that will help ease the pain. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are...

What treatments will help you with the pain of your migraine headache? There are many out there that will help ease the pain. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen are effective in easing the pain caused by migraines. Lying down in a quiet and dark room may help those migraines that are light or sound sensitive.

Surprisingly, despite great strides in modern medicine there are few medical treatments for treatment of migraines. Serotonin-agnoist drugs have helped many migraine patients but they do have some side effects. 30 percent of patients that have taken these new drugs have had serious side effects.

Low magnesium levels are an important link to some migraines. Patients given an infusion of one gram of magnesium sulfate had a 40 percent success rate in treating their migraine. Magnesium is available as an oral treatment and some patients report their migraine responds to a 400-600 mg daily dose of magnesium oxide.

Riboflavin or vitamin B12 is reported to give relief to some migraine patients. Patients report showing a positive maximum effect with relief of their headaches after taking 400 mg of vitamin B12 for at least three months.

Alternative treatments for migraine made a significant difference in the lives of some patients. They include acupuncture; stress reducing therapy, and a change in diet. Biofeedback is just one of many alternate treatments for migraines although the results are not conclusive to their effectiveness. Biofeedback allows the patient to learn ways of self-monitoring the body and consciously learn to relax the different muscles in the body. Learning these techniques often allow a patient to stop a headache before they begin.

Another natural method of controlling and treating migraines are to change our dietary habits. Keeping a food diary will help determine foods that are triggering their migraine attacks. Foods known to trigger a migraine should be avoided and those foods are different with each patient. Alcoholic beverages (especially red wine), chocolate, and aged meats and cheeses are known triggers for migraine headaches. There are other foods that you would not think could cause a headache and it is important that you are aware of them. Many may be in your regular daily diet and you are unwittingly causing your migraines. Here is a list of some of those foods:

* Avocados
* Buttermilk
* Raisins
* Bananas
* Sauerkraut
* Fava and broad beans
* Plums
* Soy sauce

One important ingredient that can be found in many prepared foods and seasonings is MSG or monosodium glutamate. Check the ingredients in your foods if you find that one particular food triggers a migraine.

Keeping a food diary will help make you aware if you have any of these foods in your diet. Reading labels will help you stay away from foods that are known triggers. You may find a food that is not on the list that triggers your migraine that is why it is so important to note the food you eat and when you have a headache.

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