Migraines:: A pain in the head!
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Migraines and headaches are one of the biggest symptoms that lead a client to book in for a treatment to balance their body. In this article, we take a look at what a migraine is, what the possible causes are and some techniques to prevent migraines.
What is a Migraine headache?
Migraines are headaches that typically last from 4-72 hours and may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting as well as sensitivity to light or sound. Migraine sufferers frequently report throbbing pain that worsens with normal activity. A migraine headache is a form of vascular headache and is caused by vasodilatation (in layman's terms, enlargement of blood vessels). This enlargement causes the release of chemicals from nerve fibers that coil around the large arteries of the brain. Enlargement of these blood vessels stretches the nerves that coil around them and causes the nerves to release chemicals. The chemicals cause inflammation, pain, and further enlargement of the artery. The increasing enlargement of the arteries magnifies the pain. (Medicinenet, 2010)
Symptoms can vary from person to person but some of the most common symptoms are:
- Blurring of vison or affected vision, such as an aura
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Pain characterised with throbbing or pounding sharp pain on one side of the head.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to light, sound, smell and touch
Migraines can vary greatly from person to person and so does the treatment. If you are a migraine sufferer, you should work out the best combination for getting your body in to balance. Body work is one tool that can be helpful, but at All Creatures Healing there are plenty of others we can recommend.
Some main known triggers for Migraines:
- Low serotonin levels
- Food allergies - eg. cheese, nuts, tomatoes
- Alcohol, especially red wine
- Chemicals - eg. nitrates
- Caffeine
- Stress
- Emotional & Hormonal changes
- Poor posture & Muscle tension
Some preventative techniques:
- Natural & non-drug therapies - including Bowen therapy, Myopractic muscular skeletal therapy, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, exclusion diets, relaxation, yoga, meditation, herbal or homeopathic remedies
- Avoid the trigger factors - this can be difficult, since migraines are often triggered by a combination of factors but the elimination of known food allergens is a great start.
- Nutrional treatment - should be taken under the care of a natural care therapist & dosage should be tailored to each individual - daily doses of Magnesium, Vitamin C, chromium, Omega 3 fatty acids and complex B vitamins
- Drug treatment - these should be taken under a doctor's care and include pain killers and drugs to alter pressure on blood vessels.
Are you a migraine sufferer? All Creatures Healing can help - book a consultation.
References
- http://www.medicinenet.com/migraine_headache/article.htm#tocb
- http://www.headacheaustralia.org.au/migraine_prevention
- http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Headache_migraines