Defining the migraine: An episodic, paroxysmal headache with debilitating pain and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sensory or visual impairment. They may be the result of tension, or stretching of the membranes around the brain and of the blood vessels and muscles of the scalp. The majority of migraines involve food allergies, such as wheat and chemical sensitivities. They have been known to last from three to 72 hours in length leaving the person frustrated and helpless, literally in the dark. Of the five phases, I want to highlight the aura phase: This is where the person experiences visual displays of color or light, soon after the migraine starts. We call these classic migraines, and people report different patterns, a loss of speech or vision during the peak of the episode. The common migraine sufferer will experience a longer lasting version, minus the flashing light or patterns.

Who is affected: Seventy percent of American get headaches, generating 50 million doctor visits a year. Of these, 23 million Americans, or 9 percent of the population, suffer from migraines, with three times as many women than men. Additionally, since it has been proved that migraine is a vascular disorder, there are some common trigger factors associated with behavior, which gives us a psychosomatic origin. Some behavior associated with migraines are heightened conscientiousness, fastidiousness, rigid or dogmatic views, high levels of personal or worker expectation and possible conflict with their environment. Identifying these traits, can lead to personal intervention and self-induced relief without medication.

Research: Recent studies conducted in Oslo, Norway, concluded that, through a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that “neurologists’ trial evaluation showed a statistically significant reduction in attack frequency in the homeopathy group and non-statistically significant trends in favor of homeopathy for pain intensity and overall evaluation. Further research, with improved trial design, on the possible role of homeopathy in migraine prophylaxis is justified.”

Prevention and reduction (diet and nutrition/hormonal balance): Of all the things that affect the migraine patient, I try to identify what the patient may be doing to them selves first. So I look at the No. 1 trigger and that is poor nutrition and irregular diet or diet-related issues. Clinical nutrition may be needed in order to identify what the patient is lacking in their diet or may not be absorbing adequately by the digestive system.

Most people think they are getting all the vitamins they need from a pill, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The body typically only absorbers 4 percent of pill form supplements. Get a quality liquid whole-food supplement. The body will absorb 99 percent of it before it even gets to the intestinal tract. Dehydration plays a large part in headaches, since the lowered blood volume reduces the size of the blood vessels in the brain as well.

Then there is hormonal issues. My biggest pet peeve is when a patient comes in and has polycystic ovaries, migraines or acne associated with birth control but are using it to control their periods. I can’t advise against the overuse of estrogen and progestin enough. Be aware of the side effects. There are several natural ways of balancing your hormones. If the migraine is worse around menstruation, avoid salty foods, eat protein rich or complex carbohydrates snacks rather than large meals.

Alternative therapies: When it comes to treatment methods, there are several that can reduce the severity or duration, once the patients has thoroughly identified the potential causes. Eliminate them, then complementary and alternative treatments will be significantly more effective.

Harvard Medical School has recommended magnesium supplements daily to reduce the frequency of migraines. Increasing daily intake of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) also reduces the frequency of attacks. Then there is yoga. Various breathing techniques associated with yoga will reduce stress and is routinely recommended for our migraine sufferers. Herbal mud wraps are effective in detoxing environmental toxins and medication residue.

If the patient has a history of a distended abdomen, irregular bowel movement, then a routine colonoscopy may be necessary, since it involves a good old-fashioned enema, thus flushing the bowel of any residual fermentation, poisoning the patient. It is common for a patient to use caffeine to reduce the symptoms of a migraine attack due to its vasodilation qualities, thus allowing the blood to flow easier.

Exercise 30 minutes a day, every day. Stop smoking and wearing perfume. Take evening primrose oil and vitamins B6, C and E. Add fresh ginger to cooking helps as well.

Complications associated with migraines: There are warning signs associated with headaches that should prompt to you see your doctor. A. Is it the worst headache in your life? B. Over the age of 50, if you don’t usually get them. C. Accompanied by fever, stiff neck, or rash. D. A change in headache symptoms in cancer cases. E. With numbness or weakness of a limb. F. Develops after a head injury. G. Abrupt, that peeks in five minutes. H. Persistent headache that worsens after exertion, coughing, or sudden movement.

It should also be noted that women that suffer from migraines may be more likely to have menorrhagia (heavy and long menstrual periods) and endometriosis (most common in 37-year-old women).

So, in closing, there are several avenues you can explore in self-treating your migraines. Just because your doctor said you have a genetic susceptibility doesn’t mean you have to suffer from them. Or many women believe that since their mother suffered from them, then it’s an inevitability, which is wrong. Learned behavior shouldn’t be confused with genetics. If you grew up shopping, eating, drinking, working the same, then you’re going to experience the same symptoms. So find out if it’s a food allergy, a chemical sensitivity or whatever. Then start reducing them systematically. You may discover your own cure on your own.

Dr. Thomas Coffman is the medical director of the British Clinic Health System, host of Integrative Medicine Radio, and author of four books on homeopathic psychology, ancient Egyptian medicine, and managing the spectrum. Coffman lectures for the British Institute of Homeopathy in the United States and England.