Spring into migraine relief

Spring has sprung, and if you suffer from migraines that may not be a good thing. A recent study conducted in London, England showed that for every 9-degree increase in temperature, the risk for headaches increased by 8%. The study, conducted by Kenneth Mukamal of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, cited air temperature, humidity and barometric pressure as a factor in the onset of severe headaches and migraines. His team studied the effects of both weather conditions and environmental factors using meteorological and pollutant monitors to analyze air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, fine particulate matter, black carbon and sulfur dioxides during the three days prior to the hospital visits and then later on. "In other words, our study design was able to directly compare weather and air pollution conditions right before an emergency room visit with those same factors measured earlier and later the same month," Mukamal said. The results of the study found that higher air temperatures and lower barometric pressure in the 24 hours before a hospital visit was the most closely associated with headache symptoms. Warm weather has been shown to lower blood pressure, and although researchers are unsure of the reasoning behind this correlation, it is now strongly suspected that migraines may be related to changes in blood flow around the brain.

If you suffer from migraines, there are alternative therapies available to you that can aid in the treatment of acute migraine symptoms as well as long-term prevention for chronic migraine sufferers. Before you reach for your medicine cabinet, try these safe, all-natural alternatives for migraine relief and spare your body the damaging effects of harmful pain killers.

1. Biofeedback: involves measuring quantifiable bodily functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature, sweat gland activity, and muscle tension, conveying the information to the patient in real-time. This raises the patient's awareness and conscious control of his or her unconscious physiological activities. The patient can later implement self-help techniques at the onset of a migraine to improve the underlying condition, such as deep breathing and relaxation techniques to lower blood pressure.

2.Acupuncture: A 2003 study in the Journal of Internal Medicine concluded that acupuncture was effective in preventing migraine. A typical acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine needles into acupuncture points on the body followed by gentle manipulation of the needles. This instantly increases blood flow in the tissues through a mechanism know as the "axon reflex", which dilates the small vessels around the needle area. An increase in circulation where blood flow is poor is called removal of "stagnation" in Asian medicine and is generally considered a very good response for most chronic conditions and for migraine prevention.

3. Shirodhara: This ancient Ayurvedic technique calms the nervous system to prevent and relieve migraines. The treatment, which takes place with the client face-up on a massage table, consists of a continuous stream of warm oil poured over the forehead and down the scalp, and induces a state of deep relaxation.

4. Butterbur: A 2004 study of butterbur in the journal Neurology showed promising results in migraine prevention for this herb: patients in the study showed a 48 percent reduction in migraines when given two 75 mg tablets of butterbur per day. One of the main ingredients in this herb, petasin, is said to reduce inflammation and may thereby prevent the swelling that leads to migraines.

5. Meditation: Meditation teaches us our true nature is not comprised of illness, but a state untouched by migraines and other disease. Reaching this level of awareness through meditation can be deeply healing. Studies show that meditation creates a physiological reaction in the body that is the exact opposite of stress.

6. Feverfew: Feverfew is an anti-inflammatory, and works much like Ibuprofen. It is also believed that the herb may inhibit chemicals that cause the blood vessels in your head to spasm. Migraine relief is supposed to be achieved by taking a controlled amount of feverfew on a daily basis.

7.Magnesium: Magnesium's role in the origins of migraine headaches has been demonstrated in a number of studies. It seems magnesium concentration affects serotonin receptors, nitric oxide synthesis and release, as well as other migraine-related receptors and neurotransmitters. In fact, evidence suggests some 50 percent of patients have low levels of ionized magnesium during an acute migraine attack. The RDA for magnesium is 400 milligrams—find yours in foods like whole grains, fresh green vegetables, Brazil nuts and almonds.

8. CoQ10: The mechanism behind Coenzyme Q10's anti-migraine action may have to do with the mitochondria. It is speculated that a decrease in mitochondrial energy reserve may cause activation of migraine triggers. Coenzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring substance and essential element of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. It has been the most extensively studied agent for the treatment of mitochondrial disorders and has been shown to have almost no identifiable side-effects in humans. There has been a recent interest in the role that mitochondria may play in migraine pathogenesis