Natural Migraine Headache Treatment

Migraine headache natural treatments are usually harmless, as opposed to drugs, which usually have side effects (though note that natural
treatments are not always harmless). Therefore, depending on cost
and convenience, it can make sense to continue a natural
treatment even if you're not sure whether it's doing any good.
It often makes sense to apply several natural treatments at the
same time. If one treatment reduces the number of headaches or
the amount of pain, then several treatments used at once may
completely or almost completely eliminate them.

Different things work for different people. Some of the
treatments mentioned here may actually increase headache pain for
some people. In fact, many treatments which help in the aura
phase make the headache worse if used in the pain phase, and
vice versa. (Many drugs, including caffeine, work like this.)
Some treatments may have no effect on some people. You may
decide to try several things and choose the ones that help you.

Migraine headache natural treatments:
- Have a bath or shower.
- Lie down to rest in a dark room.
- Avoid bright or flashing light.
- Put something cold on the back of your neck, such as a cold, wet cloth; or alternate hot and cold cloths where the pain is.
- Put a cold compress on your forehead and your feet in a container of warm water.
- Have a drink of water or natural juice, especially tomato juice.
- Have some food, or a nutritious drink, if you haven't eaten for a while.
- Massage your own face, head, neck and shoulders, or get someone else to do those and your back. Relax your muscles.
- Press on two pressure points at the back of the neck. These points are about two inches apart, just below the base of the skull. Press for a minute or two. This releases endorphins that help against pain.
- Massage or press on the fleshy area between thumb and forefinger.
- Gently lean the head to left or right to stretch the neck muscles. Massage and relax any tense muscles.
- Avoid sources of stress. Cancel activities so there's less to worry about.
- Avoid exercise during a headache if it makes throbbing pain in the head and neck worse. On the other hand, generally exercise improves health, and it may help you relax during a headache.
- Take some niacin (a form of vitamin B3). Taking enough niacin to cause a flush (blood rushing to the skin) can provide relief from headache pain, but this much niacin can also have side effects (flush, nausea, heartburn, liver damage, etc.) Niacinamide doesn't have such bad side effects, but isn't as much use against migraines, either. Smaller, safer amounts of niacin are also helpful. Niacin can trigger a migraine, though.
- Take some vitamin C, vitamin B6, choline, tryptophan and niacin and/or magnesium.

Central Nervous System (CNS) disorder

One theory of the cause of migraine headache is a central nervous system (CNS) disorder. The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. In migraine, various stimuli may cause a series of neurologic and biochemical events which affect the brain's vascular system.

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. Disorders of this system are many, varied and frequently severe, affecting a large portion of the population. These debilitating disorders include diseases such as epilepsy and migraine; degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease; and psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. In addition, chronic pain is a neurological response to disease or injury; or it may have no readily apparent cause. Regardless of the cause, it can have devastating effects on those suffering from it.

The complexity and pervasiveness of the CNS in every aspect of people's lives make it a challenging and potentially very rewarding area for research. Treatments for CNS disorders vary in effectiveness, but there are many conditions for which there are few safe and effective drugs. It has been estimated that nearly $36 billion is spent annually on prescription CNS drug sales. Many of these drugs merely treat the symptoms and do not provide cures. Work in this area is thus particularly important. NPS is engaged in research that addresses treatments for CNS disorders in a number of different areas. Some of these CNS diseases and disorders are described below.

Migraine headache is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of headache. These headaches can last from several hours to several days and can be disabling for the people who suffer from them. Migraine affects 26 million people in the U.S. and can strike anyone at any age, but most often affects young women.

Research has established the role played in migraine by serotonin, a naturally occurring chemical that is found throughout the body, including the gastrointestinal tract, the platelets, and the brain. Changes in serotonin can result in the dilation of cerebral blood vessels and the local release of inflammatory substances. Some of the current drugs for treating migraine are serotonin agonists.