USAThis is from the November 13 issue of Woman's World magazine:
"A staggering one in four women get migraines! While the exact cause is still a mystery, doctors have not discovered four key pain triggers:
1. Skyrocketing stress- When migraine prone women are super-stressed, they're hit with up to seven mgaines monthly. But simply haveing a relaxing massage every week can reduce those attacks by 71%, plus cut the need for powerful migraine meds in half. Massage relaxes the entire body, cutting production of pain triggering stress hormones like cortisol.
2. Dips in estrogen- Almost 60% of women struggle with 'menstrual migraines', headaches triggered by monthly drops in estrogen production. A quick fix: 'Ask your doctor about taking birth control pills continuously- skipping the placebo pills- to keep your estrogen levels super steady. Or ask your doctor about an estrogen patch or gel to use during your PMS week.
3. Weather changes- half of all migraine sufferers are sensitive to changes in termperature, humidity or air pressure. According to research at the Cleveland Clinic, their brains don't produce enough coenzyme Q 10 (CoQ10), a compond that helps the nervous sytem handle environmental changes. The good news: taking 150 mg. to 300 mg of CoQ10 daily cuts weather-triggered headache flare-ups in half for 67% of women. As always check with your doctor before trying a new supplement.
4. Diet shortfalls- Wome who eat lots of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains have 71% fewer migraines. EAting more complex carbs effortlessly lowers the ammount of inflammation triggering fat in your diet."
I just heard on the news last night that doctors doing research on migraines found that those who suffer them have thicker brains in the pain control portion and memory part. My husband said, "That explains a lot" (chuckle). So they are working on meds that will block the formation of migraines without horrendous side effects.
My migraines right now are being caused totally by two of these factors: stress and weather changes. I cannot afford a massage very often as our finances is one of my causes of stress so I take the herb rhodiola that lowers levels of cortisol. I had cut down to one a day and am taking it back up to two a day because things went downhill when I lowered my dose.
I am also planning on taking 300 mg of CoQ10 as it is good for energy and the heart. I have been taking 100 mg daily due to cost, but Sam's Club has the 300 mg at a reasonable price so I am going to try it. I don't like using my Imitrex too often as it is hard on the heart.
As for the estrogen, I cut my migraines down temendously when I was started on bioidentical progesterone and the levels are lowered by stress. I will get my hormone bloodwork done the first of December and perhaps the progesterone is low again and I may need to up it.
sue in ohio
