Alternative Systems of Medicines for Migraines
There are many alternative systems of medicine that can be used to treat almost every medical condition. Migraine headaches can be treated using alternative medicines. These systems span a wide spectrum and most have been found to be effective in migraine treatment and treatment of tension headaches.
The better known alternative medicines are biofeedback, massage, cervical manipulation, natural supplements, and acupuncture. Each of these analyzes the causes of headache and provides migraine relief in different, but effective ways.
The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture therapy consists if inserting a very fine needle into some body parts. The needle is very fine and the prick very fast that it involves practically no pain at all. The therapy has been effective for migraine headaches and headaches of all types. However, the efficacy of the treatment has not been established enough to recommend it as a foolproof migraine treatment.
In Biofeedback, a patient’s body mechanics and responses are monitored and controlled by the patient himself. This has also been found to work reasonably well in certain cases of migraine headaches though migraine relief is typically achieved here when used in combination with other therapies.
Massage therapy has all along been used not just as a headache remedy but as a remedy for relieving muscular tension, stress, exhaustion etc. Tension headaches and migraine headaches have responded well to treatment by biofeedback. More studies have to be conducted to fully establish the power of the system as a migraine treatment.
Next is taking commonly available vitamin supplements like riboflavin, which is a B-12 supplement, oral magnesium sulfate, or coenzyme Q 10. The extracts of the plant feverfew belonging to the sunflower family, or another plant butterbur, have the ability to ward off migraine pain, and as such these herbs are popular in migraine treatment. Feverfew is believed to limit the inflammation of blood vessels in the head. The effectiveness of the herbs in migraine headaches are yet to be fully clinically established. Still, the testimonials of those who have used it as headache remedies support the argument that they could be useful in migraine treatment. Likewise, taking vitamin supplements have also helped many people in getting migraine relief.
Herbs like butterbur or feverfew is not recommended as migraine treatment for women who are pregnant or could become pregnant. And everybody is strongly recommended to consult their personal physician before using vitamin supplements or herbal remedies for headaches and migraines.
With all the efficacy of alternative medicines for headaches and migraines, they could sometimes become counterproductive if they negatively react with another medication that you could be taking on a regular basis, or your previous medical history. Hence the need to check with your doctor before opting for a new type of migraine treatment.
