Migraine Pain; Alternative Medicine Approaches
Suffered by more than 16 to 17% of the population, migraine headache pain is a debilitating condition which can be detrimental to the American society. Impairing job performance, daily living activities and impacting family and social relationships, migraine sufferers are on a never ending search to not only relieve symptoms but also to prevent migraines from even occurring.
While prescription medications, including serotonin agonists, vasoconstrictors, anti-depressants, calcium channel blockers and even basic prescription narcotics, are widely used, it seems the medical community is almost at a loss as to how to uniformly treat the migraine pain suffered by so many. As a result, migraine sufferers are turning to these alternative medicine approaches in both relief and prevention of migraine headache pain.
Acupuncture:
Although not widely accepted as a uniform treatment for migraine pain, many migraine sufferers find the effects of acupuncture, in key nerve sites, do provide some relief to the migraine pain and appears to attribute to a greater infrequency of migraine episodes.
Vitamins and Supplements:
In many research studies, the relationship between migraine pain and digestive health has been explored. What is interesting is the evidence that seems to support poor digestive health may lead to an increased incidence of migraine pain. As a result, migraine sufferers have begun to improve dietary levels and now include the use of magnesium and Riboflavin supplements in addition to the use the herb, Feverfew. Akeso Health Sciences has provided this triple therapy approach in a product called MigreLief, available without a prescription and recommended for daily use for prevention of migraine pain. Additionally, the use of the herb, Feverfew, in prevention, is found to inhibit the function of platelets in the bloodstream, reduce serotonin release and inhibit inflammation. These, alone, may work as a therapeutic approach to prevention of migraine pain. Feverfew can also be purchased at any health food store or vitamin supplier.
Cooling Gel Packs:
Long known to improve headache pain symptoms, the use of cool ice packs is a common approach to relieve migraine pain. Interesting enough, the old approach of placing ice in a bag and wrapping a towel around it, has taken a more modern and innovative turn. Two products, MigraCap and BeKool, can be purchased over the counter and provide the cool and soothing effect of the traditional ice pack method. While BeKool is a simple gel like pad that can be placed on the forehead or back of the neck, the MigraCap is far more intensive. MigraCap, available in a variety of colors, is a soft cap which is placed over the head during a migraine attack. Insulated by a black lining, the MigraCap not only blocks out light, it also contains cool gel packs, strategically positioned within the cap, to ensure optimal cooling and soothing relief to the areas most often affected by migraine pain.
Whatever the choice in migraine therapy treatment, the options for alternative medicine should not be ignored. While the attention of a medical practitioner offers a variety of treatments, in a form of prescription medication, utilizing these over the counter products may prove to further enhance the use of prescriptions and, in some cases, result in the discontinuation of prescription migraine medications altogether. Regardless of the path chosen, the end result could alleviate pain and improve daily living activities of the migraine sufferer.
