Mind-Body Medicine

Migraines are a specific type of headache. Unlike "normal" headaches, migraines are usually quite painful and result in debilitating symptoms such as sensitivity to light and noise, impaired vision, weakness and the inability to perform normal functions. Lasting a few hours to several days, the pain is usually focused on one side of the head behind the eye, above the eyebrow, or around the temple. Generally speaking, the migraine is caused by blood vessels that have narrowed then enlarged to excess. In many instances, migraines are triggered by scents such as perfume and cologne, chemicals in processed and prepared foods such as MSG (monosodium glutamate), drugs such as the birth control pill, as well as changes in the weather or barometric pressure.

Migraine suffers have typically been prescribed demerol and other potent pain killers to subdue the pain, as well as new forms of drugs like sumatriptan (trade name Imitrex) which attempt to narrow the blood vessels around the brain and are administered once the migraine begins. But for many people, these options are not viable treatments. Therefore, migraine sufferers have turned to mind-body medicine to fight their attacks.

Biofeedback has become particularly useful in the treatment of migraines because the focus should be on preventing the attack and reducing the pain once it happens. Biofeedback enables the sufferer to see or recognize the symptoms when the the initial contraction begins. The blood vessels actually constrict and then later dilate which causes the pain. By knowing the signs, the person may take action to reduce the oncoming pain. In other words, he/she might begin relaxation or breathing exercises to reduce the amount of constriction, hoping to avoid the ensuing dilation. Aromatherapy may also help, as it has a calming effect on some people. And massage can be a stress reducer, too.

Simple changes in lifestyle and diet are also considered mind-body medicine for migraine sufferers. Although food is ingested, it is still a conscious act which makes it important to read labels and ask questions when eating out If one is not willing to take an active interest in the ingredients, even going as far as keeping a migraine diary of frequency and environment, then one cannot expect successful treatment. Lying down in a dark, quiet room and meditating may help both at the onset of a migraine, as well as later when the pain starts. For some women, exercise such as yoga, aerobics and body stretching have been beneficial in reducing the pain and severity. If you live health, you'll have a large amount of benefits, including cheaper health insurance quotes than you ever deemed possible.

Researchers have concluded that self-hypnosis can aid in reducing the number of migraine attacks. As early as 1986, doctors at The Departments of Pediatric Neurology, Behavioral Pediatrics and Research, and Pharmacy, Minneapolis Children's Medical Center, Minneapolis, found children were less likely to suffer as many migraines using self-hypnosis in a test comparing placebo, propranolol and self-hypnosis. Their results were: “The mean number of headaches per child for 3 months during the placebo period was 13.3 compared with 14.9 during the propranolol period and 5.8 during the self-hypnosis period” (Olness, MacDonald, & Uden, 1987).

Further, joining a support group might help from the point of view that many people have not understood their headaches to be migraines. While there is much more information today, many do not recognize the symptoms. Speaking with others helps the sufferer to look for warning signs, try treatments that have worked for others, and more adequately deal with the frustration from the disruption to everyday living that migraine attacks cause.