Natural Treatment for Migraine Headache

If you have been diagnosed with migraine headaches, holistic treatment can help. Dr. Hanson offers safe and effective migraine relief with holistic treatment, using non-toxic and non-invasive therapies such as herbs and nutritional supplements, which will reduce the frequency and severity of your migraine headaches.

Migraine: Symptoms and Diagnosis

The word migraine comes from the Greek "hemikranion", meaning half of the head. Migraines are typically felt on one-side of the head and may last from a few hours to a few days. The pain is often severe and associated with nausea or vomiting. Many patients also reported that bright light, sounds or smells aggravate the pain and that the pain is also worse when they move or exert themselves. Some migraine sufferers experience a "prodrome", which is a short period of restlessness, anxiety, depression or loss of appetite that precedes the headache. An "aura" can also occur before and during a migraine headache. An aura is a transient neurological anomaly, such as the perception of flashing lights or other characteristic visual disturbances.

While the exact biological mechanism that produces migraine headaches is not understood, it is known that abnormal blood flow in the brain and scalp plays a role in the migraine pain and pharmaceutical treatment of migraines focuses on interrupting these changes in blood flow. These drugs carry a significant risk of side effects and many drugs used to treat migraines can also cause headaches themselves.

Migraine: Holistic Treatment and Natural Remedies

A primary problem with conventional migraine treatment is that it does not address the underlying causes. A host of precipitating factors can contribute to migraine occurrence, frequency and severity. Among these are medications (as mentioned above), food allergens, environmental toxins, hormonal imbalances (migraines are particularly related to cyclical estrogen, one reason they are more common in women), blood sugar dysfunction, functional nutritional deficiencies, stress and fatigue, and musculoskeletal or postural imbalances.

Correcting for these precipitating factors can go a long way in providing migraine relief without the risks of side effects. Herbs are another very useful tool in treating migraines naturally. A properly chosen herb or herbal formula can eliminate the predisposition to migraine headaches, rather than simply numbing pain. Herbs work best when individualized to the patient. There is no herb or herbal formula that works for everybody with migraines but when the herb is matched to the individual patient with their specific constitution and health history, the propensity to get migraines can often be eliminated.

Finally, acupuncture for migraines is incredibly helpful. If you are in the middle of a migraine, an acupuncture treatment can stop the pain within several minutes. Regular acupuncture can also reduce the frequency of migraines and when done regularly can keep migraines from returning.

If you are suffering from migraine headaches and would like to get better, make an appointment today. If you do not live in the New York City tri-state area, but are still interested in migraine relief, phone consultations are available. Please call 917-267-WELL or email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .