11 Aug The Science behind Herbal Remedies for Migraine

Over 37 million men and women around the world experience painful headaches such as migraine headaches. Pain, a core symptom of migraine, can severely diminish a person’s ability to attend to tasks. Because of this debilitating pain, almost all of those individuals immediately ask their doctors to provide a prescription for one of the numerous medications to treat it. This medicine may work for some time, but may stop working after continued use. Many people frustrated with medications on the market turn to alternative approaches, but are these therapies valid?

1.Is there any scientific support for chiropractic therapy of migraine?
Spinal manipulation is actually a popular form of therapy for many conditions, including migraine headaches. The manipulation is performed by a chiropractor and is said to help with relieving pressure on joints, reducing inflammation, and even improving nerve function. Although this may sound like a great therapy option for migraine, there is no concrete scientific evidence to support it. Many studies conducted on the effects of spinal manipulation have yielded mixed results and therefore are inconclusive.

2. Is it true that a vitamin or mineral deficiency causes migraines?
Many researchers have speculated that migraine could be caused by a vitamin/mineral deficiency, and have tried treating it as such. Magnesium is the most popular, as it is recommended by websites such as WebMD. They recommend such an approach because researchers noticed that numerous migraine patients who suffered from severe attacks had lower than normal levels of magnesium in their body; therefore, researchers have speculated that by adding magnesium into the body, the attacks could lessen in severity and frequency. Three clinical trials have been conducted to determine if this is true, and they have yielded mixed results. In addition, none of the trials were double blind placebo-controlled (a design used by the FDA as a gold standard to approve drugs and medications). This means that this has not been approved by the FDA as an official remedy for migraine. In addition, these therapies can cause hypotension, also known as low blood pressure, and even reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics.

3. Does aromatherapy work to treat migraine headaches?
The term aromatherapy refers to the use of lathers and oils with strong scents to help treat disease. It is recommended by websites such as WebMD and Migraine.com. Some popular examples of aromatherapeutic therapies are lavender, ginger, peppermint oils, and other essential oils. Aromatherapy works by using items with a very strong scent, and the goal is to have you smell the powerful scents and in turn get better due to the smell. There needs to be more research conducted on this therapy, since no clinical trials, let alone double blind placebo-controlled ones, have been conducted yet.

4. Do Herbal Remedies treat migraine headaches?
Herbs and herbal remedies are a popular form of therapy and not just for migraine, but for other diseases as well. This approach is becoming more popular, but no herbal remedy for migraine has been approved by the FDA. One popular example of an herbal that is used to treat migraine is feverfew. Feverfew is used as a preventative therapy for migraine. A double blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted, but the results were disappointing. A total of two of those trials were conducted, and in those two, feverfew did not benefit migraine patients in any way.

If you are frustrated with your current migraine medication, there are experimental treatments available to you with more scientific data than herbals and chiropractic approaches. To learn more about your treatment options, feel free to call the Institute for Advanced Medical Research at 770-817-9200. Our on-site physician will ensure that your care is of the highest standard.