Migraines and Feverfew

Migraine Headaches

Best Single Herb: Feverfew

Best Combinations: Feverfew; rose hips, barberry, dandelion, fennel, red beet, horseradish, parsley (supports liver and digestion)

Other Helpful Supplements: B-complex with extra niacin; food enzymes

Possible Cause: Dehydration; poor digestion; food allergies; constipation; spinal misalignment; hormonal imbalance; stressed liver

Complementary Help: Support digestion; cleanse the bowel; seek chiropractic care; undergo acupuncture; drink water; avoid trigger foods (red wine, cheese, caffeine, MSG)

Migraines do not need to be explained to you if you have ever had one; these excruciating headaches can incapacitate an individual. When a migraine occurs, blood vessels in the head that were normally constricted open up, and the pressure of the blood in the vessels causes pain. Loss of vision, hallucinations, and loss of motor control (such as speech) can also be inhibited or temporarily lost. You can usually tell when a migraine is developing because you may see a show of colored lights before your eyes, feel spaced out, and may experience sensitivity to bright light at the onset.

Migraines can be triggered by a host of factors, so it is good to learn which factors may be causing yours. A medical doctor told me years ago that a migraine is actually a virus, which is why they tend to come back again and again. I have found migraines to be associated with food allergies and imbalanced hormones. So, finding out what is triggering this virus in the first place will help you know what to do — or what not to do — to avoid them in the first place. Keep a daily diary of your foods, drinks, and whatever goes into your mouth, along with a record of when you experience migraines. This will help you understand what might be your triggering factors. Keeping your immune system strong is always a good idea to suppress a virus, too.

These are some possible causes or triggers of migraine headaches:

• Foods, in their order of most common triggers to less frequent include: dairy products, wheat, chocolate, eggs, oranges, tomatoes, corn, coffee. I have also noted yellow cheese, wine, cola, and alcohol to be triggers. (I know, all your favorites, right?)
• Poor digestion (due to food intolerance, food allergies, and other allergens or constipation).
• Hormonal imbalance (these tend to occur just before a period or during pregnancy).
• Liver stress (due to hormonal imbalance, other glandular problems, poor eating habits, or alcohol).
• Stress.
• Hypoglycemia.
• Dehydration.

Caffeine can trigger migraines because, with consistent use, this drug tightens the blood vessels. When the caffeine wears off, blood vessels may begin to relax to their normal position, causing pressure in the head — this pressure causes the migraine. Because of caffeine’s ability to restrict blood vessels, however, coffee is used therapeutically in hospital emergency rooms to counteract the pain of migraines.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

If you are a daily coffee drinker, slowly eliminate caffeine from your diet so that you can avoid a possible painful migraine.

Read the section “Headaches: It’s All in Your Head” if you are not sure whether your pain is a migraine or a headache. If you know what is triggering your migraines, you can herbally prevent them from coming on again. The first herb that comes to mind when dealing with migraines should be feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), a pretty little daisy-like flowering herb that has a wonderful reputation with past migraine suffers. Feverfew serves as an anti-inflammatory and an anti-spasmodic, and it even can serve as an insect repellent.

Apply an infusion made from feverfew to the head to help ease headaches, migraines, and fevers — in fact, feverfew got its name from its use for relieving fevers. Most migraines are accompanied by a slight rise in temperature, so feverfew may help in this area also.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

It is best to use feverfew in a pill form, although it may take consistent use for at least a week for it to work preventatively for you. In rare cases, feverfew taken in a tea can cause mouth sores if used over a long period or in large quantities.

Most of my clients have used one concentrated capsule or four to six regular capsules of feverfew daily for migraine prevention — and more if they suspect a migraine coming on. So far, I have heard only success stories when a quality product is used; the feverfew stopped the migraines before they came. The leaves of the feverfew plant are used medicinally to improve circulation, feed the nervous system, and help with tinnitus and dizziness. Feverfew seems to have an affinity for the head and is useful for ailments in this area.

For other causes of migraines, such as liver stress, constipation, food allergies, indigestion, and hormonal imbalances, see the remedies listed under these ailments elsewhere in this book. You also may want to try acupuncture, reflexology, and chiropractic work for relief. Add a daily B-complex vitamin, along with a calcium and magnesium supplement and 400 IUs of vitamin E to feed the circulatory and nervous systems.

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