Three Alternative Treatments For Migraine Sufferers
Migraines can be debilitating and strike suddenly, leaving you unable to work or socialise. Migraine sufferers know how discouraging it can be to spend a day or more at a time in a dark room while life continues for everyone else, but current migraine medications aren't always effective and come with a range of side effects such as rebound headaches and stomach upsets. If you'd like to try an alternative treatment for migraines, consider these three well-studied options:
Take Magnesium
It's been shown that generally, migraine sufferers tend not to have sufficient levels of magnesium for optimum health, and boosting your magnesium levels can reduce the severity and frequency of migraine attacks. It's not clearly understood why migraine sufferers tend to be deficient in magnesium, but deficiency can occur due to consuming too few magnesium rich foods or having an underlying illness that prevents you absorbing enough magnesium.
Magnesium supplementation in the form of tablets or intravenous infusions should only be taken under the supervision of your neurologist, as the high levels of magnesium present in supplements can impact on the effectiveness of some prescription drugs. If you want to increase the amount of magnesium in your diet, eat more spinach, quinoa, black beans and pumpkin seeds.
Have A Deep Tissue Massage
A deep tissue massage is unlikely to leave you feeling relaxed due to the pressure applied to your muscles by the massage therapist, but it's an effective way to ease muscle tension and improve your circulation. Massage can ease migraine attacks by increasing your serotonin levels, and boosting serotonin has been linked to migraine relief. In order to encourage your body to continue to release higher levels of serotonin, you'll need to have massages on a regular basis. Discuss the frequency and severity of your migraines with a registered massage therapist, and they'll be able to advise you on how often you should schedule a massage.
See A Chiropractor
Chiropractic adjustment is an effective treatment for migraines and can reduce the number of attacks you have that are caused by stress and subsequent muscle tension. The hands-on treatment works by gently realigning your spine, which can move out of alignment when you are tense, into the optimum position for health. Your chiropractor will use a range of manual manipulations such as thrusting and stretching to loosen tight muscles, free trapped nerves and promote improved blood flow.
Chiropractic treatment is suitable for pregnant women and children and is not associated with any serious side effects. However, in order to get the most out of the treatment, you should disclose any medical conditions to the chiropractor before being treated, as this will allow the chiropractor to work safely and ensure you get the full benefit available from the treatment.
These treatments can be used individually or together, so if you'd like to try a drug-free approach to treating your migraines, give these alternative remedies a go.