The Use of Herbal Medicine or Herbs for Natural Migraine Treatment

Herbal medicne and herbs for migraine relief can be of great help to alleviate the pain of migraine headache as they work towards reducing the frequency and severity of migraines.

Herbal migraine treatment at its best focuses on the cause of migraine and the long term improvement of your health; as opposed to merely reducing the pain when you do get a migraine. Most herbal supplements for migraine combine with minerals and vitamins that come together to reduce the incidence and severity of this debilitating condition.

Medicianl Herbs for Natural Migraine Treatment

Feverfew (Tanactum parthenium)

Feverfew, as its name suggests has long been used to treat fever. Over the last few decades, this herb has gained a reputation for migraine relief, and when used over time, has shown to lessen the occurrence of migraines. One 2006 study that combined feverfew with white willow bark showed a 57% reduction in migraines at six weeks with a 67% reduction in migraines at ten weeks. Severity and duration of the migraine was markedly reduced in 90% of the study group.

The main active constituent in feverfew is thought to be a parthenolide, which acts as an anti-inflammatory and is being indicated in early studies as a treatment for leukaemia. Studies using just one compound from feverfew do not seem to have the same success as taking the whole herb, which leads to the question of what other, yet to be discovered, compounds give feverfew its reputation in the natural treatment of migraine headache?

Reducing the occurrence of migraines should be the goal of any sufferer; Feverfew appears to be an effective way to achieve this when taken in combination with whilte willow, magnesium and a quality B vitamin containing riboflavin. Remember that only the recommended dosage of any medication should be taken and side effects from even the mildest of herbs can occur when they are abused. While there has been studies that show great results by taking feverfew, there are others that question the efficacy of this plant and further investigation with larger groups of migraine sufferers is indicated.

White Willow Bark (Salix alba)

This herb should be avoided if you are allergic to aspirin. However, white willow does not cause stomach upsets that can occur when using aspirin. The active compound in White Willow is salicin, and reduces pain by inhibiting prostaglandins. One recent study indicated that feverfew and white willow had greater effect when used in combination than when taken on their own. Caution should be taken if you are using any blood thinning medications and consulting your health care provider before taking white willow is recommended.

Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)

This herb is controversial in that while it is recommended to reduce the frequency of migraines and is known to lessen the severity of migraine when it occurs; it does raise concerns due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids found in its raw state which can cause liver toxicity and are believed to be carcinogenic. Some suppliers of Butterbur medications state that these alkaloids have been removed, and further investigation is needed to confirm its safety. Butterbur is also prescribed for hayfever symptoms as it does not have the same sedative action as other hayfever medications.

The Use of Natural Supplements for Migraine Relief

In addition to using herbs for migraine relief, vitamins and minerals play an important role in managing migraine. Magnesium is a common deficiency in people suffering migraine and particularly important in maintaining the tone of blood vessel walls, reducing spasms that are believed to be associated with migraine. Vitamins B2 and B6 have also had considerable success in treating migraine along with CoEnzyme Q10 to reduce the pain and recurrence of migraine headaches.

Many herbal supplements for natural migraine treatment include these vitamins and minerals as part of a holistic approach to managed migraine. When investigating herbal migraine treatments, visiting your health care specialist to investigate the cause of any recurring headache is vital before commencing treatment.

source:www.americanchronicle.com