Lavender for Migraine Headaches

[SeaBreeze]

Safer than using prescription medication for migraine headaches, you can try lavender essential oil...

Quote:

In 2012, for the first time, a placebo-controlled clinical trial confirmed that lavender essential oil aromatherapy is effective in relieving migraine headaches. The study was conducted by the Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Mashad University of Medical Sciences, Mashad, Iran. The trial included 47 participants diagnosed with migraines who were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group of migraine sufferers was instructed to apply "two to three drops of lavender essential oil onto their upper lip and inhale its vapor for a 15-min period, then score the severity of their headache for the next two hours." The control group followed the exact same protocol, but, instead of lavender essential oil, they rubbed drops of liquid wax on their upper lip. No other interventions were allowed. The lavender group not only reported a 74% improvement in the severity of their symptoms, they also reported significantly fewer migraines than the placebo group. In other words, lavender helped migraine sufferers about three quarters of the time. The researchers concluded that the inhalation of lavender essential oil may be a safe and effective treatment for acute migraine headache management. Although this was a small study and claims that more studies need to be done, others have been done. Lavender essential oil has been demonstrated in other scientific studies to have analgesic (pain-killing) properties, nervine properties (calming nerves), sedative properties for mood and anxiety disorders, and spasmolytic reduction properties (relieving spasms or convulsions) in addition to being antihypertensive (dilates blood vessels). Full story here: http://www.naturalnews.com/041730_la..._remedies.html

 

[SeaBreeze]

Powdered Ginger for Migraines

Powdered Ginger may help those who suffer with migraines, more here. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/07/03/ginger-for-migraines.aspx

Ginger Versus Sumatriptan and Other Rx Drugs

Against all odds, ginger can be considered the winner of the contest. It's a few billion dollars cheaper and has far fewer side effects, as sumatriptan is accompanied by a litany of side effects such as heartburn, vertigo, dizziness and sleepiness.

Oh, and death. In fact, the list of side effects from taking sumatriptan or Imitrex is too long and convoluted to get into, but you can read Drug Lib's account of the possibilities for yourself.[SUP]8[/SUP] Nutrition Facts further advises:

"An eighth of a teaspoon of ginger is not only up to 3,000 times cheaper than the drug, but you're also less likely to end up as a case report yourself of someone who had a heart attack or died after taking the drug — tragedies that have occurred due to sumatriptan."[SUP]9

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Despite such risks, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved sumatriptan in 2003[SUP]10[/SUP] and has never turned back on its decision. Conversely, about 1 in 25 of the study participants who took ginger reported an upset stomach, although it was an entire tablespoon, and taken on an empty stomach, which might cause an upset stomach in nearly anyone. More reasonable and effective amounts such as a quarter teaspoon or even half that returned no side effects at all.

Sumatriptan Complications

Unless sufferers get over-the-counter remedies (which are typically useless for severe migraines), the standard response by the majority of medical professionals is to hand patients a prescription. Typically, it will be for triptans, explained further by Dr. Michael Murray on his health website, Doctor Murray:

"These drugs work by constricting blood vessels as well as blocking pain pathways in the brain. Sumatriptan (Imitrex) is regarded as the gold standard of these drugs as it has the longest track record and is the most studied. It brings about almost immediate relief for many patients, but headache recurs in almost 40 percent of people within 24 hours after taking the drug.

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Minor side effects of triptans include nausea, dizziness, drowsiness and muscle weakness. But, these medications can also cause more serious side effects such as coronary artery spasms, heart attacks, stroke, abnormal heart beats and seizures."[SUP]11

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Drugs.com[SUP]12[/SUP] makes clear that sumatriptan won't prevent headaches, should only be used if it's actual migraines you're experiencing, and its effectiveness, as well as its safety, have not been established for cluster headaches. Dosages vary from 50 to 100 milligrams (mg), but higher doses carry "greater risk of adverse reactions."

 

[The alchemist]

Lavender is great for calming the mind. I didn't realize it could also help with migraines and headaches. White willow bark was used to isolate what we now know as advil (acetaminophen) it's amazing what you can find in the jungle if you look long enough!

 

[terry123]

I suffered with migraines since I was 12 years old. OTC meds don't touch them. Mine stopped when I had a brain aneurysm rupture and almost died. The aneurysm never showed on the mri's I had through the years. The migraines were caused by the aneurysm. My neuro docs said anyone with severe migraines should ask their neuro doc about the possibility. Both my daughters have severe migraines and their docs are aware of my history as my dad died of a sudden rupture also. I have problems with it twice since and now have a clip and 2 coils in my brain. Go for brain angios every 2 years to be sure everything is in place. Have not had any sort of headache since the rupture. Don't want to alarm anyone but if your migraines are severe enough to warrant overnight stays in hospital to get rid of them as mine were then please ask your doc about this.

 

[SeaBreeze]

Lavender is great for calming the mind. I didn't realize it could also help with migraines and headaches. White willow bark was used to isolate what we now know as advil (acetaminophen) it's amazing what you can find in the jungle if you look long enough!

I put a couple of drops of lavender oil on a cotton ball or tissue in my pillowcase to help relax at night. Thankfully I rarely have headaches and never had a migraine, but when I was working and got a headache, Niacin usually helped make it quickly go away. Have White Willow Bark in my medicine cabinet, I have it filled with vitamins and herbs, rather than prescription meds....so far I haven't needed the latter (knock on wood).

 

[SeaBreeze]

I suffered with migraines since I was 12 years old. OTC meds don't touch them. Mine stopped when I had a brain aneurysm rupture and almost died. The aneurysm never showed on the mri's I had through the years. The migraines were caused by the aneurysm. My neuro docs said anyone with severe migraines should ask their neuro doc about the possibility. Both my daughters have severe migraines and their docs are aware of my history as my dad died of a sudden rupture also. I have problems with it twice since and now have a clip and 2 coils in my brain. Go for brain angios every 2 years to be sure everything is in place. Have not had any sort of headache since the rupture. Don't want to alarm anyone but if your migraines are severe enough to warrant overnight stays in hospital to get rid of them as mine were then please ask your doc about this.

Sorry to hear that you've suffered so much with migraines, I know they are intense and painful. Glad you pulled through after that rupture Terry, hope you continue to do well.