Managing Migraines Naturally

Thursday, December 04, 2008 by: Jo Hartley
Tags: migraines, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) Anyone who suffers migraines will tell you that the intensity of this kind of attack is not like any ordinary headache. Most who suffer from these attacks will tell you that the very idea of a future migraine is enough to send them to bed in a dark room…and if you've never suffered one you should consider yourself very fortunate. There are, however, natural methods for dealing with the actual migraine attack and there are also natural methods for avoiding future attacks.

The migraine itself is usually described as a throbbing, very intense headache. Often there will be blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, nausea, vomiting, eye pain, and the intense head pain. Migraines are typically progressive over time and can sometimes even advance to the point of mumbling speech and disorientation. Over-the-counter pain relievers will usually not even come close to touching the pain associated with migraine attacks. The conventional coping strategy is complete silence and darkness for the duration of the attack.

Once a migraine sufferer realizes that the treatments offered by conventional healthcare providers usually will not help significantly, most begin to look for other alternatives. Not only are there effective holistic alternatives that can offer relief and control, there are also other ways to both prevent and survive migraine attacks.

Firstly, one thing that a migraine sufferer should try to do is become aware that they may be able to sense a migraine coming and may be able to prevent it or at least lessen its severity.

Often there are things that will trigger a migraine for people susceptible to them. Food triggers are common and include dairy, eggs, chocolate, coffee, and some food additives. Stress, anxiety, and fatigue may also be personal triggers for some people. For successful migraine avoidance, it is important to learn what your personal triggers are and do everything possible to avoid these.

As you learn what triggers your migraines, you can also learn how to build your defenses against future migraines.

Here are a few alternatives that may offer some relief:

•Amethyst crystals – amethyst has been found to lessen the pain to some extent and may make the migraine pain at least tolerable and less frequent.
•Feverfew – taken daily over several months, many sufferers will have a dramatic decrease of migraine activity. Can also be taken preventatively.
•Aromatherapy – several drops of lavender on a warm cloth and placed on the forehead. Will often take the edge off the pain on an attack.

It is important to keep in touch with your body and listen to the signals you may be receiving. If you suffer migraines, it is likely that your body is trying to tell you what you should be avoiding or limiting (both in diet and lifestyle). By listening and getting in touch with your body and its signals, you can achieve optimal health and well-being.

About the author

Jo Hartley
Wife, Mother of 8, and Grandmother of 2
Jo is a 41 year old home educator who has always gravitated toward a natural approach to life. She enjoys learning as much as possible about just about anything!
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