Discussions

Does anyone know of any migraine remedies?  
 
My son gets them so frequently, and I think he must have tried everything to make things better! He saw a chiropractor, which helped when he was younger, but isn't working now. He has migraine pills, which can work as a pain reliever, but they are more of a reactive solution than a preventative, and only work some of the time!  
 
He is getting them so frequently, that it is really affecting his quality of life!

There can be so many reasons for a migraine and the trick is figuring it out! I've found that magnesium is a great solution for migraines. We make magnesium oil in our home since it's a lot more absorbable than many pills, so if you do take a supplement and it hasn't worked for you, it may be the form or the brand and not that the magnesium isn't working. Hopefully this works for him. Could also be due to allergies, another vitamin or mineral deficiency, a reaction to chemicals he's exposed to, or a number of other reasons. But usually magnesium is a foolproof method, easy to try and inexpensive.

too bad he gets those. Migraine are caused so many reasons it will be time consuming but google all reasons for migraine and go through list and figure out.  
It may also be in food for instance a preservative. Thyroid imbalance or other thing in your body. You could try massage try asking questions to Radiance Wellness Center (no i do not work at all) located on currie blvd.  
Good luck

Just had 2 migraines since Friday. It really does affect ones quality of life. For the most part though, I have found nothing to alleviate them....just suffer through it.

also been out of commission since Saturday. He just lies in his room with the blinds closed. He has to miss work, he can barely open his eyes, is sensitive to sound, and nothing seems to work! It really is so hard on him! I hate seeing him in such pain!

Can you find out about a thyroid imbalance? How is this tested? And where do you get magnesium? Is there a particular brand you would recommend? Can anyone recommend a chiropractor, as the one he was seeing was ineffective, and started reducing treatment even though the issue was still very much present.

I used to get them frequently as a teen, usually caused by a caffeine deficiency. That being having drank a can of coke a day for five days and then stop, I'd get a wicked migraine. Also if I don't eat, I get them. So make sure he's eating throughout the day.  
 
Best remedy I find are Advil liquid gels, two of those and I'm good to go!

There is only one thing worse than suffering through a migraine - and that is the helpless feeling that goes along with the pain, the symptoms, and what happens when they start coming more frequently.  
 
I am suffering through an increase in frequency and severity myself right now. I had one on Saturday that took two of my pills to get rid of - then of course you feel tired and drowsy the rest of the day. I have had them since I was about 8 years old. Over the years I have had many periods of ups and downs. But even when they are at their best, I still get at least two in a month. My bad months - I have had more than a dozen.  
 
There is an issue with people like us that might have more than one trigger - the triggers can change and sometimes the triggers work together to make symptoms worse. Sometimes preventatives can help, when other times, they don't.  
 
Both my doc and the neurologist have said the same thing - sometimes we just cannot pinpoint one reason for our headaches. Never a good sign when they throw their hands up in the air and hand you pills....  
 
One preventative that the neurologist had me on was an off label use of Topomax( an epilepsy med). It did decrease the severity of my attacks the first time I used it. I went off it to have my second child and a couple of years later when I tried to go back on the drug it no longer worked. I was told that is not uncommon.  
 
I have tried numerous herbal remedies like fewer few and St Johns wort, nothing helped. I am right now suffering through a bout of them that are caused by a pinched nerve in my neck and shoulder, so I have begun physiotherapy and it seems to be helping reduce the severity. I too, went o the chiropractor for relief years back but it does stop working - and that I believe is when you need to add physio. At some point the muscles in your neck need retraining. One thing that did sow some improvement was an injection of lidocaine in my large shoulder muscle. Though it was temporary, I saw the doctor who works out of the Pan Am pain clinic and he said it if it worked I would have to come to Winnipeg for a few more injections to make the fix more permanent. Yeah, it worked, but did it work well enough for me to trapse into Winnipeg a few more times?? Not sure.  
 
I have also tried acupuncture - though only done by physio and not by naturalists, which is my next try. Physio acupuncture did nothing for me at all.  
 
The one food trigger for me is alcohol, so I try to stay away from it - red wine is particularly bad. One chiropractor told me if I had red wine as a trigger I absolutely would have red meat as a trigger as they share some of the same characteristics, but I found that to be bologne. I cut red meat completely out for six months and saw no change.  
 
Just let him know he is not alone. The problem is finding a health care provider that gets it, or even that has any empathy for the pain - and that makes it worse. He may even want to see a mental health care professional because I know how upsetting it can be when no one understands the pain.  

Accupunture is amazing! You have to get someone who knows what they r doing. I like Dr.Ye.  
 
Also keep a food journal to see if any foods are a trigger.

I found that soaking a couple cotton pads in a bowl full of a few drops each of peppermint and lavender essencial oil in 1/4 c cold water then applied directly to tge forehead and temple areas work for me.

I have had migraines for over 30 years, I sometimes find a hot shower and then putting a cold compress on work (laying in a dark room - hopefully getting some sleep). It's not consistent, but has worked more than it hasn't.

migraines since I was 10. Sometimes long periods go by without any. But I agree with the muscles in the neck being an issue. I have also had 2 injuries (whiplash) and some times contribute an episode with poor neck posture (ie reading on my lounge chair or on my phone for to long) As migraine sufferers, we can usually tell when one is coming on But to your question of the thyroid issue, its a simple blood test.  
 
Also, I would try an allergy pill too. I sometimes feel that they solve my problem when its more of a cluster of headaches that wont resolve after some sleep.

Triggered by barometric pressure. If it rises or falls to fast I get one. I try to watch the pressure so if I see changing to much I take Tylenol in advance. It helps them be more manageable. As a child red food dye was also a trigger.

Jan May said "I have had migraines for over 30 years, I sometimes find a hot shower and then putting a cold compress on work (laying in a dark room - hopefully getting some sleep). It's not consistent, but has worked more than it hasn't. "

I have those heat bags that you heat in the microwave. I use one on my neck while I put an ice pack on my forehead - this seems to make the migraine meds work faster.

I can sympathize, I have suffered from migraines since I was about 8. Some times worse, some times better.  
 
What has helped me:  
- Maxalt (like you said, it's a reactive solution, but it can at least help when you are suffering one, but it's ridiculously expensive, even the generic forms)  
- improving my posture. I get wicked muscle knots in my shoulders, back and neck. I see a physiotherapist for treatment, including deep acupuncture. If you want to investigate that, I would recommend talking to Merle Neufeld at Turtle Mountain Physiotherapy in Boissevain. I realize he's not in Brandon, but the other PTs I know of in Brandon said that nobody else uses the 'dry needling' technique with myofascial release that he uses. It won't work for everybody, and if muscle knots are part of the problem then it can be really painful, but if they are part of the problem, then it could be fantastically helpful. I was having bad migraines earlier in my pregnancy (and of course can take nothing but Tylenol, which doesn't help) from shoulder and back knots...haven't had one in 8 weeks since he first treated my shoulders.  
- Getting good, consistent rest  
- Being physically active (a good workout regimen may also help with the posture problems that contributed for me)  
 
 
Other things I know others have identified as migraine triggers:  
- barometric pressure changes (did affect me when I lived in Calgary, but not as noticeable here)  
- hormones (usually more a problem for women than men)  
- food triggers. He would need to keep a food diary, see if there was any patterns. Chocolate, MSG, cured meats are among the common food triggers.  
- Booze. I know red wine will do it for some, scotch for others. Something to do with either the tannins or the sulphites?  
 
See if you can get him in to WestFit Physio, they can do some forms of myofascial release that could help (not as effective as the dry needling that Merle does, but it could help and they are in Brandon).  
 
I wish him luck - migraines are miserable.

Has he talked to his MD or NP regarding his migraines? If someone is prescribing him a 'rescue' medication, he should make them aware of how often he is using them. A 'preventive' medication can be prescribed. Or his GP/NP can refer him to a neurologist for further management.

curlysister said "Has he talked to his MD or NP regarding his migraines? If someone is prescribing him a 'rescue' medication, he should make them aware of how often he is using them. A 'preventive' medication can be prescribed. Or his GP/NP can refer him to a neurologist for further management. "

And I am not sure if others have this same experience with one of the neurologists in Brandon - (are there more than one here? I have not looked into a second opinion)  
 
He seemed interested and empathetic at first, but once it was clear the course of treatment was not working he seemed to lose interest in my case - which I found odd.  
 
As I said, I am not sure if there is more than one in town. This was my experience and I have not spoken to my GP about seeing a different one. Was kind of waiting to see if that was all in my head first. Heck, if he was just having a couple of off days, I will give him another shot.  
 
He actually refused my requests for a physiotherapy referral (I needed one for insurance coverage to take effect), he refused to send me for an MRI (he said the CAT scan was enough - my own GP thought that was ridiculous and sent me for one which did confirm some degenerative disc issues starting) and he also refused to prescribe anything but Maxalt and a high dose ibuprofen (I can't take ibuprophen as it makes my stomach ill, and I find after a while Maxalt begins to take longer to work - so I wanted to try another rescue med to see if it would work better)

wild_roses said "Can you find out about a thyroid imbalance? How is this tested? And where do you get magnesium? Is there a particular brand you would recommend? Can anyone recommend a chiropractor, as the one he was seeing was ineffective, and started reducing treatment even though the issue was still very much present. "

I make my own magnesium oil using magnesium flakes from Hedleys. Or I'd also recommend the brand Natural Calm, you can get that at Two Farm Kids. Either works really well. I'm not sure if it will get rid of the migraine he has currently, but should ward off future migraines if that's his deficiency. Most people are deficient in magnesium, so either way it will be good for him. I would also recommend acupuncture, Dr. Lin is good, or working with someone in the natural medicine industry, but I'm sorry I have no recommendations for you there, I do most of my research myself. I follow Dr. sircus online, he also does consultations and I'd highly recommend him. I really hope something works for him! Unfortunately doctors usually just want to prescribe painkillers, which is ok for the immediate, but it won't cure anything.

Iodine is great for a thyroid imbalance. Dr. sircus has lots of info on that as well.

Of migraines. Mine get so bad I end up getting sick as well. I have tried all the tylenol, excedrine, etc and nothing really helped. I had a bad headache one day and just happened to read that tiger balm is good for headaches so I took a bit and rubbed it over my forehead and was shocked. In less then half an hr my headache was pretty well gone. It so far seems to work for me, or makes it much more manageable, and with an 8 yr old who's always going I need something quick and tiger balm seemed to work for me.

Twenty years ago I had a friend who suffered from migraines. He said the only thing that helped him was to lye in a dark, quiet room and to breathe oxygen from a air tank. Try that.

He has been trying to get in to see his GP, but the guy is on vacation right now, for the next 3 weeks, so he will likely head in to a walk-in service, to try to get some sort of referral, he is pretty convinced that something must be seriously wrong...I don't know what is normal for migraine pain, so I don't know when is the right time to get tested for things, but I figure it can't hurt to go see a neurologist.

I had suffered for years from migraines,My family doctor suggested what she referred to as a prophylactic(a medication that will prevent you from getting a migraine)that I was relactant to take at first.Finally after I couldnt take the pain any longer I tried the medication and it has been life changing!I hardly ever get migraines or headaches now and if I do they are manageable and nowhere near as severe.I only wish I would have tried it sooner.It could be another thing to consider discussing with your family doctor.