HEALTH: Alternatives can cure migraines (REMEDIES, HERBS)

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Alternatives can cure migraines

By SAMEH FAHMY

Gannett News Service

After a decade of suffering debilitating migraine headaches and

struggling with the side effects of the prescription drugs she was

taking, Sara Dennis Barton was ready to try anything.

" I was not getting better, " the 55-year-old said. " In fact, I was

getting worse. And I was getting very disheartened with my outlook with

all this pain and all the medications that I was having to take. "

On the advice of a friend, she saw a physician who took a holistic

perspective on her health and prescribed dietary changes, supplements,

stress reduction and exercise. The results weren't immediate, but they

were significant.

She says that over a period of about three years, she went from having

weekly -- sometimes twice weekly -- migraines to having migraines every

six weeks or so. Holistic medicine practitioners say addressing the

triggers of migraines and using supplements and herbs to minimize

symptoms can help others with the condition do the same.

About 19 percent of women and nearly 7 percent of men suffer a migraine

headache at least once a year. In addition to pain, people with

migraines experience nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light. Some

have visual disturbances that make them see a flashing or blinking light.

Prescription drugs aim to treat or prevent migraines, but they don't

work for everyone and have side effects ranging from liver damage to

hair loss to weight gain. Increasingly, people are looking for other

options.

Nearly 60 percent of headache sufferers had tried an alternative remedy,

according to a survey released in 2005 by the nonprofit National

Headache Foundation. Fifty-five percent of respondents turned to

alternative medicine because their medications were not effective, while

49 percent were concerned about side effects of prescription medicines.

The prescription drug Depakote -- a powerful drug used to treat seizures

and conditions such as bipolar disorder -- helped 12-year-old Cody

Hodges of Nashville, Tenn., manage his migraines for about three years.

But the drug became less effective as he grew older, despite the fact

that his physician doubled his dose to compensate for his growing size.

His doctor's solution was to add another drug to his regimen, which

Cody's mother, , refused. Her son had to have a blood test to check

for liver damage every six months to make sure the Depakote wasn't

poisoning him, and she wasn't about to put him on another drug with

another list of side effects.

" I thought, 'We need to be finding the cause,' " Hodges said, " not

just continually treating these symptoms. "

Like Barton, a friend referred her to Dr. Reisman, director of

the Mind-Body Medical Center in Nashville. Reisman prefers treating

migraines with dietary changes, stress reduction and supplements rather

than powerful prescription drugs.

" Migraine is pretty much what we call a disease of prevention, " Reisman

said. " The intelligent thing to do is to change the whole picture of

what is causing the migraine to happen in the first place. "

First, he works with patients to figure out what foods and other factors

might be triggering their migraines. Everything from caffeine to

avocados to citrus fruits can trigger migraines, depending on the

person. Stress can be a migraine trigger as well, so he works with

patients on stress management and relaxation techniques.

Next, he tries to get patients off prescription and over-the-counter

painkillers. He explains that the over-the-counter drugs such as Sudafed

and prescription drugs such as Imitrex might work in the short term, but

they cause what are called rebound headaches when overused. Over the

long term, he said, the drugs perpetuate the problem.

Reisman also uses vitamins, minerals and herbs to balance the body's

natural chemistry. People with migraines tend to have low magnesium

levels, for example, so Reisman prescribes high doses of the mineral for

them.

Other holistic medicine practitioners use a similar approach and tailor

the their treatments to the specific circumstances of each patient.

" I've had people that have had very frequent migraine headaches and the

results are they haven't gotten a headache in three months, " said

Lasner, a naturopathic physician.

Dr. Lavin, director of the Vanderbilt (University) Headache

Clinic, said placebo controlled studies demonstrate the effectiveness of

remedies including feverfew, riboflavin and coenzyme Q10. Melatonin is

helpful too, particularly if insomnia is a problem.

Because no remedy works for all patients, Lavin's advice for patients is

to find lifestyle modifications and remedies that work for them. He said

medicines are poisons in small doses, and that he likes to avoid them or

minimize their use if possible.

Source:

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060109/LIFESTYLE/601\

090336/1024

http://www.citizens.org/healthy-news/alternatives-can-cure-migraines

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