Have you ever had a throbbing pain in your head accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to lights and sounds? Yes? Then you have experienced a migraine. Over 37 million people in the United States are diagnosed with migraines and 47 percent of American adults suffer from headaches annually, according to the National Headache Foundation.
June is National Headache and Migraine Awareness Month. The theme for 2013 is “Help Make Migraines Visible” and the goal this year is to raise awareness that migraines and headaches are not an isolated problem and sufferers are not alone.
We get headaches because the blood flow to our head changes (example: alcohol), inflammation occurs, triggering pain. The difference between headaches and migraines is that migraines are more severe and come with all the side effects listed above.
Headaches are one of the most common medical complaints, with one in six Americans suffering from chronic headaches each year.
According to health.howstuffworks.com, there are three types of headaches:
Migraine- reduced blood flow to the head and serotonin causes pain
Tension headache- muscular strains in the head and neck cause pain, emotional stress and eye strain are also big factors
Cluster headache- these repeat over a period of weeks or months on one side of the head and around the eye.
Even though over the counter medications such as Advil, Motrin, Tylenol, or Excedrin can help, Huffington Post Healthy Living published the following list of “15 Natural Cures to Migraines”
- Feverfew- an herbal remedy used in tea or eaten raw
- Butterbur- a toxic herb unless taken as processed supplement; chemicals relieve spasms and inflammation
- Magnesium- studies show that daily supplements decreased migraines by 42 percent
- Riboflavin- a B vitamin found in milk, meat, nuts, and green veggies
- Omega 3s- fight inflammation; found in flax seeds, salmon, and fish oil supplements
- Peppermint- the smell reduces pain
- Ginger- is anti-inflammatory, eases pain
- Rubbing temples- just feels good, people’s instinct when headaches form
- Massage- study shows frequent sufferers has fewer migraines following six weekly massage sessions
- Meditation- reduces stress factor
- Drink more water- prevents dehydration, a main cause of headaches and migraines
- Acupuncture- needles trigger pain reducing chemicals in the body
- Caffeine- too much or too little can cause headaches, in small doses, caffeine can reduce the pain
- Regular exercise- relaxes and releases endorphins
- Cool down and warm up- use an ice pack to cool your head and a warm bath to warm up your body; this dilates blood vessels in the body
Every day 430,000 people can’t go to work because of a migraine. National Headache and Migraine Awareness Month encourages people to wear purple during June to raise awareness of this issue.
A4M is hosting a BHRT symposium and FAARM Modules conference in Boston, MA September 18-21, 2013. Some objectives for Module IV- Nutrition and Metabolism include the action of Butterbur as a remedy, treatment plans and options for the migraine patient, vitamin deficiencies, and symptoms of headaches, as well as several others. For more information on this event, please visit http://www.a4m.com/anti-aging-conference-boston-2013-sep.html.