Natural/home remedies for migraines?

Has he seen a chiropractor?  My headaches, including the migraines, got much better after I had my neck adjusted.  I've also found, that when I do get a migraine, Advil and Dramamine take care of it.  Usually one "dose".  Your son might want to start keeping a headache diary.  Something in his environment coudl be triggering them- flourescent  or flickering lights will do it for me, as will perfumes and flowery scents.

Yes, he has seen a chiropractor since high school when he hurt his back playing basketball.  It has not helped his migraines. Some triggers are perfumes, incessant barking (neighbors' dogs), and some loud sounds.  There must be something else though because he still gets migraines when none of the previous are experienced.  Thank you for replying.

Callie sent me this minty stuff you drop on your head.

I also usually take naproxen, but whatever I take I do it with a lot of caffeine (like several glasses of Coca Cola), maybe that's considered natural! 

Pest control products make me light headed and stress played a huge role in my migraines/vertigo.  I also found that taking magnesium helped with frequent mini migraines I got in high school.

Had he considered acupuncture and/or homeopathy?  I have homeopathic meds for my vertigo and while I've not had to use them, I've heard of other people having good results with them. 

He has tried caffeinated sodas, which do not help.  Isn't Naproxen a drug?  I do not think he'd go the acupuncture route.  He just started researching and trying some different things for migraines so at this point it is too soon to see if they work.  Thank you both for your replies.

 I've had them for years and recently had an especially bad bout that resulted in being put on Keppra with good result.  Prior to that, I could keep them at bay with feverfew, B complex and magnesium.  I had to play with the dosage to find what worked with me, but it worked well for several years.  Yoga really helped me also, relaxation could prevent a bad attack.  For a while.  Unfortunately, I end up with a bad spell every 3-5 years and have to come up with all new tools to combat them, they become resistant to things that have worked in the past.

This site has been a big help also.  Help for Headaches 

Thank you for the info and the web site.

A headache diary needs to be a FOOD diary.  Most of the time it is either a food, spice, additive or environmental thing that *triggers* the migraine (and I've battled them successfully for years and used to have them regularly). 

Red wine, red meat, sugar, caffeine, various seafood items -- these can all cause migraines and are very typical.  But mostly it's very very individual and what may cause mine might not someone else's.  BUT a food diary will help. 

 You record ad nauseum what you eat, drink and consume -- and then every time you get a migraine you look back and eventually something will pop out at you. 

 I can tell you nutrasweet, preservatives, and *too much** caffeine will give me a migraine.  For me they are also tied to my cycle (obviously not your son) but ALSO to the phases of the moon.  (don't pooh pooh that -- think about it -- our bodies are over 90% water ... and the pull of the moon is so huge that it regulates the tides??? TELL ME that doesn't affect us!!)

 To treat?  I use essential oils a lot.  I sent Lies a little bottle of what?  Peppermint oil (Yee Tin oil?) or maybe White Flower Oil?  both are awesome for migraines -- and if I use it when I get the 'aura' (that 'feeling' you get before a migraine descends - you can tel it's 'coming';) -- you simply massage a drop of the oil on your temple.  (also works great above the sinuses for a sinus headache).

Homeopathy also can absolutely rock for migraines.  FAST ... no bad side effects -- no upset stomach, not hard on the liver.  But you need someone to sort of 'teach' you about homeopathics.  If you want to give him my email I'm happy to help -- they do help.

Mostly with migraines you learn to anticipate what's tripping them ... and then you learn to 'tell' when one is about to happen and you go into protect mode *then*.  You kick it before it kicks you. 

And yeah -- acupuncture is also awesome for migraines.  Can reduce the pain almost immediately.  Acupuncture does *not* hurt.  Not at all. 

It's actually about the most science-proven of almost any alternative things -- the brain and body are so largely electrical and actupuncture simply stimulates electrical impulses to travel better in the body.  There are particular points on the body that are known to correspond with certain things -- and when there is a problem in that area stimulating the electrical impulses in that area simply help healing take place and reduces inflammation. 

My dogs even get acupuncture and truly -- 2 of them just plain go to sleep!  After I get acupuncture mostly I just want to go take a nap!

If your son is interested in any of this holler -- and particularly I can tell him which oils are easy to find and which are most effective.

Naproxen is the generic name for Aleve. I am a migraine sufferer. It runs in my family--mom, sister, DS#2 and two of my nieces get them as well.

I use generic Excedrin when I need to and add some caffeine.  Acupuncture has made a world of difference for me.  I am down to one or two a month form one or two every ten days.

I can tell when I am going to get one because me tongue gets numb and my hands get cold. I feel for your son; they are horrible things to deal with. 

I agree with Callie - a food/stressors diary is a life saver.  I learned some oddball triggers which aren't in the books, that were my own.  Everyone has different ones.  I've eliminated many chemical cleaners from my home after noticing that I'd get a migraine after scrubbing crates or doing the dishes.

I can highly recommend my method of treatment - laying in a dark room with a warm hairless dog on the head!  Doesn't get much more natural than that.  I also use Excedrin but that screws me up pretty bad - I'm very sensitive to caffeine.  For very bad attacks I use a very small amount of Tramadol for the pain (I'm also highly sensitive to narcotics).  I can't use any of the other drugs, we found out last summer - they cause severe vertigo and/or mood problems.

Thankfully, simply avoiding my triggers (plus losing a bunch of weight) has  done me a world of good.  Now if I feel it coming on (before or right at the beginning of the aura stage), I can usually stop it or reduce the severity by simply taking some Excedrin and relaxing for an hour or so.  I get one about once a month now.  Late last summer I was getting them every few days - a few days on, a few days off - and we had no medical insurance so I was pretty much on my own.  I feel very blessed that that is over!

Good luck to your son - I feel his pain, literally.

 

 The only thing that works, for me, is acupuncture. Literally, I've had just about every legal painkiller there is. None of them work. I've done caffiene, essential oils, heat, cold, dark, light, everything in between. Lots of things help, but nothing makes it go away.

Haven't done the hairless dog route, yet, because I haven't had one since she's been here

jennie_c_d

Haven't done the hairless dog route, yet, because I haven't had one since she's been here

See how well it works?  Hee! 

Calliecritturs, lorib, brookcove, & jennie_c_d, thank you for your replies and suggestions.  I will give him the info and see what he will try next.  Yes, Callie, I do believe how the moon affects us.  When it is close to a full moon we all have a hard time sleeping UNLESS we sleep with our heads pointing north.  We learned that from our previous cairn terrier who ALWAYS slept that way close to full moon and full moon.  Our present one does this automatically as well. 

 Ok, which way is north?

I spoke waaaay too soon, and got to test out the hairless dog theory over the last few days. It works great, if the room is cool enough and not spinning.... Also, if the terrier on your chest won't allow the hairless dog near your head, it kind of makes things worse.... LOL