It was a fall day in 2006. I was rushing from my job in the
Twin Cities to pick up my kids from their daycare.
I wanted to run to the chiropractor before
going home to make supper and do the usual household chores.
When I arrived at the daycare, I was overcome
with a sharp pain in my head.
It felt
like a vice was squeezing my head.
I was
somewhat overwhelmed with nausea and dizziness, and my vision seemed a little
fuzzy.
I thought I was just a little
dehydrated, so I asked for a drink of water and loaded the kids into our
SUV.
I didn’t want to be late for my
appointment.
Unfortunately, I never made
it there.
20 minutes later, I ended up
in the emergency room with my first diagnosed migraine headache.
WHAT ARE MIGRAINES?
Classic migraines are typically thought of as severe
headaches that become incapacitating because of excruciating pain, vision
changes, and nausea/vomiting. They can
last for hours or days at a time. The
migraine sufferer may need to lay down in a dark room while coping with these
strong symptoms. Migraine symptoms are
diverse and vary over a spectrum of severity.
Symptoms can include feelings of pressure, tightness, burning,
vibrating, tingling, pulsating, stiffness, soreness, etc. Migraine sufferers may experience auras of
light in their field of vision, dizziness, ringing in their ears, sinus
congestion, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light and/or sound.
Migraines are considered to be vascular in nature, and they
affect the blood vessels of the head.
Some doctors describe the vessels as swollen, inflamed, and/or
pulsating. Other sources suggest there
is an uneven distribution of swelling and constriction of blood vessels in the
head, and the migraine pain occurs as blood travels from wide spaces through
narrower places in the vessels. Some
migraine sufferers describe having neurological symptoms such as vertigo/balance
problems, numbness/tingling in the face, clumsiness of hands and/or legs, brain
fuzziness or fog, and in some cases memory loss and/or confusion.
WHAT CAUSES MIGRAINES?
There is some debate about what really causes these
headaches. Some people describe what is known as a “mechanism of a migraine.” Theoretically, our bodies carry a threshold for
migraine headaches. Varying factors as
well as genetic makeup will determine whether an individual has a high or low
threshold. When migraine triggers
surpass the threshold, the migraine mechanism is activated. Those who do not experience migraine
headaches would theoretically have higher thresholds. Anyone who has a
headache might be experiencing a partial activation of this mechanism. When the mechanism is fully activated, you
experience a migraine. The goal would be to remove enough triggers to get below
the migraine threshold.
MIGRAINE TRIGGERS
It is believed that various factors can trigger
migraines. I am not a doctor or an
expert on migraines, however I have done some research. These potential triggers are based on what I
have learned through research and have experienced myself. They include hormone imbalance, menstrual
cycle, stress, contraceptives and other prescription medications, dental
amalgams (mercury fillings), metal implants, certain foods, withdrawal from
caffeine and other addictive foods/beverages, hunger, sleep depravation, too
much sleep, rigorous exercise, changes in the barometric pressure, perfumes/air
fresheners, chemical exposures, exposure to mold, electromagnetic frequencies,
and fluorescent lights. Certain bacterial
infections, viruses, and other pathogens can also cause headaches.
DIETARY TRIGGERS
Some migraine triggers are easier to manage than
others. Dietary triggers often are one
of the first things that are addressed because they are easier to control than
environmental and physiological factors.
Common dietary triggers include chocolate, sugar, artificial sweeteners,
caffeine, carbohydrates, yeast, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate found in processed
foods, soy sauce, salty foods, soups, protein powder, etc.), foods with natural
glutamate (peas, corn, soy), processed meats (hot dogs, lunch meat, cured ham,
etc.), alcohol, vinegar, fermented foods, nuts, some citrus fruits, and some
types of cheese.
Over the years, I have consulted with 2 different nutritionists
to discuss nutritional factors that trigger migraines. It took me several years of half-hearted
efforts and trial and error before I decided to make a serious commitment to
change my eating habits. I started by
removing gluten and dairy products, and eventually went on what is called an
elimination diet. I did not have much
success with the diet, as the headaches didn’t go away when I eliminated the
foods on the list. It took a lot of
research and reading about various migraine prevention and holistic diets as
well as testing for food sensitivities before I came up what works for me.
After altering my diet, I shed a lot of weight and almost completely eliminated
my asthma symptoms. Unfortunately, the
dietary changes alone were not enough to manage my migraines. I needed to reduce more triggers.
EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS
As a result of bioresonance testing and adverse experiences
with certain chemicals, I have discovered that I am prone to multiple chemical
sensitivities. These sensitivities have
made a huge impact on my headaches, therefore my family and I decided to make
several adjustments to our home environment.
We use scent-free laundry detergent, laundry balls (instead of fabric
softener that is scented or fabric sheets that carry fire retardants), chemical-free
cleaning supplies, limited exposure to perfumes in the house, allergy-free dish
soap, etc. My husband, who is in the
construction business, is careful about what chemicals he may carry home on his
clothes. He used low-voc paint when he
re-painted one of our bathrooms. When we
have to use chemicals in the house, we isolate and ventilate that area as much
as possible by closing door the door, leaving a window open, and using fans
when needed. I have a special mask I can
wear to reduce exposure. I am also very
careful about what personal products I use—no fragrances and as little harmful
chemicals as possible. If you suspect
chemical sensitivities are triggering your headaches, I suggest paying
attention to how you react around household cleaners, air fresheners, perfumes,
and other common chemicals. You can
remove them from your home environment and see if it makes a difference in how
you feel.
EMF’S AND FLOURESCENT LIGHTS
Electromagnetic Frequencies or EMF’s (also referred to as
electro-smog) derive from the technologies that we have come to depend
on: microwaves, TV’s, computers, lap
tops, iPads, cell phones, and other wireless devices. There is new research about the negative
impact these technologies have on our overall health. I believe that they affect my headache
symptoms. Fluorescent lights also put off a frequency that can cause dizziness
and trigger headaches. Headache
sufferers may describe experiencing headaches and other symptoms when shopping
at stores with bright over-head fluorescent lights. We are in the process of replacing most of
the fluorescent lights in our house as I will react to them with dizziness and
headaches. I try to limit my cell phone and computer use to reduce
exposure.
CONVENTIONAL VS HOLISTIC MEDICINE
When choosing conventional medicine to treat migraines, it is
not recommended to use over-the counter painkillers or “rescue” medications
that quickly eliminate the migraines on a temporary basis. These tend to cause
rebound headaches. Dr. Buchholz
recommends attempting to reduce triggers prior to using prescription medications,
and only using certain medications for prevention when absolutely
necessary. In 2011, I started taking
Propanolol to prevent my migraines. I
did not like the side effects and discovered that use of the medication can
lead dependency on the drug, so my doctor tapered me off of it. I am cautious
about prescriptions because of the side effects and toxins in them. I prefer to detoxify my body and use holistic
approaches of finding root causes and removing triggers for headaches. I have a friend who uses a natural approach
to treating migraines through her holistic doctor, however also sees a
neurologist and takes a preventative medication. She plans to use it until they are able to
address the root causes of her headaches and manage them through removing
enough triggers. Her holistic doctor
recently conducted bioresonance testing on this medication and the tests
revealed that her body would respond well to it. I believe it should be a personal decision
whether or not you choose preventative medications, however you should be aware
of the side effects and potential problems that could arise with taking them.
Magnesium and other natural supplements are sometimes used
as a natural way to treat migraine headaches.
I have taken magnesium in the past as a part of my treatment regimen.
If you choose herbal remedies to help your
headaches, I recommend consulting a professional to assist you in determining
what would work best for you as each situation is unique.
HEALING FAITH
We live in a broken world with pain and sorrow. Headaches seem to be one of the many
fragmented paths of this broken world. As
I have pieced together the fragments of this journey, faith has played a
central role in my path toward healing.
I have trusted God to guide me through each step. Through the years, I have found comfort and
hope in the many promises that God has given me in his word.
Psalm 103:1-5: "Praise the Lord, O my soul, at my inmost being, praise his holy
name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and
forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your
diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and
compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so your youth is
renewed like the eagles."
RESOURCES
I am NOT a doctor or an expert on Migraine Headaches. This article is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you are experiencing migraines, I recommend you seek medical attention from a professional who specializes in headaches.
Other resources on migraines:
http://www.naturalnews.com/036793_migraines_natural_remedies_solutions.html
This website is very informative about the hidden sources of
MSG, a common migraine trigger:
http://www.msgtruth.org/avoid.htm
Other resources on chemical sensitivities and the harmful
effects of EMF’s:
http://www.multiplechemicalsensitivity.org/multiple-chemical-sensitivity-3.php
http://www.naturalnews.com/022926_EMF_cell_phone_home.html
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