Top 4 Drug-free Ways to Fight Your Migraines

If you suffer from migraines, you are not alone. It is estimated that migraines is the third most prevalent disorder worldwide. Migraines are a chronic neurological disease that involve recurrent headaches with moderate-to-severe pain, usually occurring in a specific area of the head. While most headaches are minor and short-lived, migraines are more debilitating, often forcing the individual to miss work and/or  reschedule his or her activities.

Migraines are very complex and in most cases involve more than one trigger. Read Dr. Ellie’s previous post on Migraine Triggers, here. Often we find that most patients are prescribed medications that often come with side effects or over time stop working. A better solution is to first try one of the following drug-free ways to fight your migraines.

Here are Dr. Ellie’s Top 4 Drug-free Ways to Fight Your Migraines:

Nutrition: Using Food as Medicine

Foods can actually be a trigger for up to half of migraine sufferers. So how can you use nutrition to fight your migraines? The first step I recommend for my patients is to identify any food allergies or intolerances that maybe contributing to the migraine puzzle as a possible trigger. This will help to guide any nutrition plan and recommendations. Research shows that for dietary intervention for migraines should involve a diet that can help reduce oxidative stress, decrease inflammation, and is free from any known food triggers. Each person is different in their dietary needs but in general, diet philosophies such as a Paleo, ketogenic type diet, one that is low in carbohydrates, consist of good, high quality fats and proteins, has been reported to be beneficial in migraines and stimulates mitochondrial metabolism. Read more about Paleo diet, here in our previous post.

The goal in doing so is to identify a connection between a specific food and your migraines. Gluten, for instance, may trigger a migraine if you have celiac disease, or perhaps the presence of artificial food coloring is triggering your migraines.

Vitamin B2

Migraine triggers are quite complex. One of the associations with migraines is its link with oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can be related to poor functioning of the cells leading to energy deficiencies or the cells (in the brain and throughout the body) not functioning optimally. Proper nutrition and vitamins play a key role in migraine prevention and therapy due to helping combat oxidative stress. Previous studies have found that there were energy metabolism changes in brains of those suffering from migraines. Thus suggesting the important role of energy imbalances and cell energy (ATP) production in migraine.

One of the key vitamins that has been associated with migraines is, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin). B2 plays an important role for mitochondrial processes and even migraine prevention.

According to one study cited by Prevention, migraine sufferers who took 400 mg of riboflavin (a type of vitamin B2) reported fewer migraines after just 3 months. This water-soluble vitamin also plays a key role in maintaining energy levels and fighting fatigue.

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Changes in weather and barometric pressure are commonly associated with migraines. In addition to changes in weather, poor air quality and allergens have also been shown to be a potential risk factor for migraine onset. Not long ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced indoor air pollution as being one of the top five environmental hazards. A simple way to improve air quality at home or at work is to get a HEPA air filter to help clean the air from pollutants and even allergens. In addition, cleaning the ductwork, opening the windows, and adding air purifying house plants such as a spider plan, aloe vera, fiddle leaf fig, and peace lily.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been shown in numerous studies to be effective treatment option for migraine sufferers. The American Headache Society has even recommended the use of acupuncture for treating migraines, attesting to its positive effects for this condition. Acupuncture has been shown to help decrease pain, inflammation, as well as regulate hormones.

There is more research coming out using neuro-imaging studies to show exactly how acupuncture helps reduce pain and reduce migraines. These studies looked at the long-term efficiency of acupuncture for migraine as well as different point protocols in migraine outcomes.

If you suffer from migraines and have “tried everything else.” Give our office a call today (425) 686-4498 to learn more about our migraine program.

Sources:

Nutrients: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8707228/

Acupuncture and Neuroimaging studies: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8598357/

Air quality: : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7523027/

https://www.prevention.com/life/a20469123/migraine-causes-and-cures/