Natural Migraine Treatments
Migraine patients almost never come to me as their first attempt at help. They usually start at their medical doctor and then, depending on the success (or lack thereof, sadly), they start looking for other natural migraine treatments.
I’ve noticed that today’s consumer is less interested in medication and more interested in natural or holistic options. I thought I’d share some of the different tools I used back when I had migraines.
Full disclosure, even though I tried many of these things, it wasn’t until I started chiropractic care that my migraines finally went away and stayed away. I’ve been headache free for over 20 years.
If you suffer from migraines, my first question is, “Were you in a car accident?”
Whiplash injuries change how your neck moves. The jerking motion from the impact can cause misalignments and those in turn lead to tight muscles. Those tight muscles at the base of your skull can bring on migraines, so if this is you, consider that car accident as a possible reason for your suffering.
If you haven’t been in an accident, then a migraine diary is a good way to start pinpointing what’s causing them.
- Write down what you eat and drink and when.
- Document physical and emotional stressors.
- Document your sleep patterns.
- Note any hormonal changes you may be experiencing.
- Write down when your headache starts and how long it lasts.
- If you take medication, document what you took, the dosage, and how much it helped you.
By writing these things down regularly and watching for patterns, you should start to see which things are bringing on your migraines. Then when you know that, you can start solving it.
The most common food triggers are:
- Aged cheeses
- Chocolate
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Citrus fruits
- Nuts, particularly peanuts
- Processed meats like salami and deli meat
- Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame
- Fermented or pickled foods
The next thing I want to bring up in regard to migraines is a tough conversation, but we need to have it.
How are your relationships?
If you are in a relationship with someone who is difficult to be around, you are more likely going to have headaches and other physical ailments.
Our emotional state is closely tied to our physical state. Think about when you’re stressed at work and realize your shoulders are tight or you are clenching your teeth. Tight muscles are attached to your bones, and chronic stress can lead to muscle imbalances that cause migraines.
If you’re around someone who treats you poorly, is rude or a jerk, or is generally unpleasant and negative, your body may literally be screaming for help through your migraines.
There are other, less common reasons for migraines. Things like hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disorders, and the like. These should always be co-managed by your medical doctor and your holistic practitioner.
Spinal health is closely tied to migraines and other headaches. By improving the health of your spine, you will probably help your migraines, too.
If you haven’t tried a chiropractor for your migraines, I would love to meet with you and see if I can help. I remember how bad my headaches were, and it is rewarding to see others respond the way I did. I love it when a patient says, “I can’t remember the last time I had a headache!”
If you’ve tried a chiropractor and it didn’t work, make sure you’re keeping a headache journal. You want to pinpoint every possible trigger. I want to mention that there are many different chiropractic techniques. Perhaps the technique you tried wasn’t the right one. Maybe you need a gentler adjustment or a different type of adjustment. If you aren’t getting anywhere with the migraine diary and can’t seem to figure out your triggers, I’d be happy to see if I can help.