Migraines

Let’s talk about migraines. I’m not an expert on them, though after some 35 years of living with them I should be. Over the years I’ve been on all sorts of medication and physical treatments, with little to no results. I’ve had a doctor tell me depression is the root of my migraines. I countered with “I’m depressed because I’m in pain”. Shortly after that a study came out that showed chronic pain lead to depression. I felt slightly vindicated but it still didn’t help me. I’ve had lots of things recommended to me that worked amazingly for other people. Not so much me, because like each migraine attack is different, our bodies react differently.

Some migraines start out with an aura, a visual disturbance. My auras have changed the way they present over the years. The patterns/blindness varies. Sometimes I get the aura and no headache. Sometimes I have a 30 minute window before the pain slams me. For a few years I wasn’t having auras, just the pain. What triggers my migraines varies too. It can be smells, foods, bright lights, changes in the weather, or just the fact that I woke up breathing.

I’ve become what I call a ‘functioning migraineur’. As long as I can see, I will work and do other activities. It’s no fun, but if I didn’t, things would never get done. I’d be locked in a dark room most of the month.

I’ve recently been introduced to the concept that some migraines respond to heat, while others respond to cold. I’m playing with that, trying to find my holy grail of pain relief. So far I’ve come across recommendations that cold should be applied to temples and forehead for migraines and heat to the neck and base of the skull. This may explain why I’ve never had much success with peppermint on the base of my neck, and why I find applying the warming salve to the base of neck feels so good.

Why would heat help migraines? It helps to stimulate blood circulation, reduce muscle spasms, and it changes the way we feel pain. Heat can come in different forms: heating pads, warm baths/showers, an over the counter product, hot water bottles, a moist, warm facecloth, or a salve/cream with cayenne in it. Cayenne contains capsaicin which is a natural anti-inflammatory and works to block pain.

Why would cold help migraines? Cold may have an analgesic affect, lowering your body’s ability to feel pain. Cold packs may decrease swelling. Cold can come in different forms: a cold compress, a cool shower, an over the counter product, ice packs, or salves, creams or oils containing peppermint. Peppermint is a go to for many people with migraines, because of its cooling, menthol effects. I love the smell of peppermint myself; it calms me and lifts my spirits when I’m in pain.

When using heat or cold therapy, always exercise caution when it comes to temperature. Too hot or too cold can be damaging to your skin. As with any health issue, if you experience significant changes in symptoms, seek medical help.

The best way to deal with migraines is to prevent them. Most of us have triggers that we try to avoid. Some just have migraines that come week after week with no apparent reason. This time last year I was one of those people. I was having weekly migraine attacks, lasting for days at a time. I ended up with four different medications, two for migraine attacks, one to protect my stomach against the medications meant to stop the migraines, and lastly a low dose antidepressant meant to reduce the amount of migraines. The medication did help to reduce the frequency of my attacks, though it made me tired and I gained weight. The medication I took when attacks occurred wasn't as effective as I would have liked and I stopped taking the low dose antidepressant. My migraines slowly began to increase in frequency. And then I made a tea. One cup of tea a day and I've had one migraine attack in three months, and that was because I missed drinking my tea a couple days in a row. For migraine attacks, I had prepared a tincture. One teaspoon at the beginning of the attack made all the difference and the attack didn't go beyond the aura, plus I didn't have the tiredness that medication can cause.

If you suffer from chronic migraines, a tea may work for you. What ingredients go into your tea depends on any other health concerns you may have, or medication that you may be on. For those with occasional migraines, a tincture may be the best option. All information given is held in the strictest of confidence.

Migraine tincture