Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.
This is a pretend photo of me with a headache. (I know...good actress!). Actually, Friday, I had a real migraine headache and if someone snapped a photo of it, I probably would have went crazy. I had sunglasses on in the house while laying in the floor and all the shades pulled. I don't usually get headaches. I have had a few migraines in my life, but that was years ago. I don't like taking medications and I don't think they help anyway. When I worked in ER, we had people in there on a daily basis suffering with migraines; seeking help after days of suffering. Our high powered injections didn't usually provide pain relief for very long.
I am not sure what happened on Friday. I think it was a combination of factors. Maybe it was stress, the way the light shined off the snow, the weather itself, who knows. But I walked outside, the sun was shinning off the snow at just the right angle to about blind me and then I saw them. I saw the squiggly lines out of my left eye to the point I couldn't see out of it and I knew what was coming next. This is known as a migrain aura. After 20 minutes of annoying vision came the severe headache and nausea. The kids were out of school, we were making negotiations on our house that just appraised below selling price, and it had snowed so much we lost power and spent the night in a hotel. So, I didn't have time for all this and probably all this caused my issue in the first place :D.
As soon as I could see to read again, I laid in the floor with the ipad and starting researching natural ways to cure migraines. I thought, at this point what could it hurt. Medications don't help me, so I am willing to try anything.
First to understand what cures a migraine headache, you must understand what it even is. A migraine headache is a common form of headache that is believed to occur as a result of complex interactions between the nervous system and the vascular system as well as alterations in brain chemicals.
During A Migraine
- Hormonal changes in women. Fluctuations in estrogen seem to trigger headaches in many women with known migraines. Women with a history of migraines often report headaches immediately before or during their periods, when they have a major drop in estrogen. Others have an increased tendency to develop migraines during pregnancy or menopause. Hormonal medications — such as oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy — also may worsen migraines, though some women find it's beneficial to take them.
- Foods. Some migraines appear to be triggered by certain foods. Common offenders include aged cheeses; chocolate; aspartame; overuse of caffeine; monosodium glutamate — a key ingredient in some Asian foods; salty foods; and processed foods. Skipping meals or fasting also can trigger migraine attacks.
- Stress. Stress at work or home can instigate migraines.
- Sensory stimuli. Bright lights and sun glare can induce migraines, as can loud sounds. Unusual smells — including pleasant scents, such as perfume, and unpleasant odors, such as paint thinner and secondhand smoke — can also trigger migraines.
- Changes in wake-sleep pattern. Either missing sleep or getting too much sleep may serve as a trigger for migraines in some individuals, as can jet lag.
- Physical factors. Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, may provoke migraines.
- Changes in the environment. A change of weather or barometric pressure can prompt a migraine.
- Medications. Certain medications can aggravate migraines, especially oral contraceptives and vasodilators, such as nitroglycerin.
So now that we know what it is and what causes it, we can learn how to fix it!!
I did the hydrotherapy below and while I was doing it and I got INSTANT relief! I also went with a friend later and got a massage and the headache never returned! I used lavendar, eucalyptus, and chamomile in the tub of water I had my feet in when I did the warm water.
Hydrotherapy is easy, and it works. Contrast showers or filling up the bath tub with your feet in will help with many ailments. Stand in water as hot as you can stand for two minutes (this increases blood flow to the skin), then as cold as you can stand for two minutes (this sends blood to the core of the body). Alternate back and forth for 20 minutes to increase blood flow and circulation, bringing nutrients to organs and carrying away toxins. Then..put your feet in very cold water and a hot rag on the back of your neck. ( I used my microwavable buckwheat pillow ). This helps bring the blood down out of your head, by sending it to your feet.
Herbs- Feverfew is effective at preventing migraines, but not stopping them once they've begun. The plant's active ingredient, parthenolide, inhibits the chemicals in the brain that cause the blood vessels to dilate.
Acupressure points such as pinching the soft tissue between your thumb and forefinger can help alleviate pain as well. Another technique is to put your thumb in your mouth on the same side as the migraine pain, reaching up to find the cheekbone. Press that bone up and out. Repeat on the other side. Then place both thumbs on the upper palate (inside the mouth) and press the sides out. Several repetitions may be necessary. Relax and breath deep. Slowly inhale and exhale all the way out.
Diet corrections Last but probably most important, make the necessary. There is no substitute for water. When you are thirsty, it is not for coffee or soda, but water and only water. When you drink anything else, you need more water to flush that out. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. Eating more vegetables is best ways to correct nutritional deficiencies and correct your body's pH. Supplements help. Low magnesium and Vitamin B are often linked to Migraines.
