By Julie Carlson
A migraine attack can floor you, plaguing you with nausea and dizziness and confine you to bed. While over the counter pain relievers work well to stop many types of headache pain, they rarely put a dent in migraine pain. Prescription medications can be effective in treating migraines but all migraine drugs have potential risks and side effects, some of which are quite serious.
Fortunately, there are effective natural migraine relief options. Here are three commonly used migraine remedies;
Magnesium: Several studies place magnesium as an effective at reducing the frequency and severity of migraines. One such study showed compared on group taking 600 mg of oral magnesium daily against another group taking a placebo. The magnesium group experiences a 42 percent reduction in the frequency of migraines while the placebo group was at a16 percent reduction in the frequency of migraines. This mineral is found naturally in green leafy vegetables, whole grains, seeds and nuts and is also commonly found in nutritional supplements. High doses of magnesium may cause nausea, muscle weakness, diarrhea and digestive irritation and can also interact with certain medications. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before adding high doses of magnesium.
5-HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan): This compound is produced in the body tryptophan and is used to make the neurotransmitter serotonin and the sleep hormone melatonin. Studies indicate that this 5-HTP may also reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and even prevent migraines. In one study half of the people were given 600 mg of 5-HTP daily and the other half were the migraine drug methysergide. In this study 5-HTP was as effective as methysergide at reducing the severity and duration of migraines.
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium): This is an herb that has been used for migraine relief for more than a century. It is also used for headaches, arthritis and other pains. Scientific studies also back this folk remedy and show feverfew as effective in the treatment and prevention of migraine. Feverfew is a potent herb and it does have side effects; diarrhea, nervousness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain. It may increase bleeding time so people with bleeding disorders should not take feverfew. This herb may also interact with blood-thinning medications. As always, consult your doctor or pharmacist before adding supplements. Additionally, people with allergies to yarrow, ragweed or chamomile, ragweed should not take feverfew. Even though feverfew has more side effects than the other two natural migraine remedies, it still has fewer side effects than prescription drugs used to treat migraines.
Headaches top the list of common complaints, and migraines are by far the most painful and debilitating type of headache. Most people who suffer with migraines will use just about anything to make the pain go away. When deciding on migraine health plans and treatment, compare the results and the potential side effects of all options before making a decision.
Julie Carlson is a freelance writer who focuses on health-related topics. Carlson is a contributing author for thehealth411.com, a site dedicated to presenting health information in an unbiased format.
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