Did you know that only 50% of patients with migraines benefit from medication? So what to do if you’re in the wrong 1/2? Here are some suggestions from Dr. Mauskop, director of the New York Headache Clinic. (If you’d like to try any of these, especially the recommended supplements, talk first with your doctor! See also my disclaimer about recommendations found on this site.)
- Eliminate food triggers
- Get proper sleep
- Eat regularly
- Drink enough water
Decrease stress by:
- Getting regular aerobic exercise
- Practicing relaxation techniques
And his recommendations for supplements:
- Magnesium (Dr. Mauskop reports that up to 50% of patients with migraine have a magnesium deficiency)
- Feverfew
- Coenzyme Q 10
- Riboflavin (similar effect in your body as CoQ10)
- Butterbur extract (has anti-inflammatory properties)
- Alpha lipoic acid
In Dr. Mauskop’s clinical experience, taking a combination of these supplements can help decrease migraine frequency and severity, as well as make migraines more responsive to prescription drug treatment.
What’s been most helpful for your migraines? Have you tried supplements? Let me know in the comments.
4 responses so far ↓
Ann Teliczan // Sep 19, 2007 at 5:52 am
Ironically, not getting too much sleep and disrupting my sleep schedule helps prevent migraines too.
How to Cope with Pain // Sep 19, 2007 at 9:27 am
Yes, finding what balance works best for you is important.
jeisea // Sep 19, 2007 at 10:15 pm
One of my specialists told me about the studies done on Riboflavin (B2) to prevent migraine. You can Google “B2 prevents migraine research”. I use about half the amount suggested in the research and it works well for me to prevent migraine and if I do have a migraine it is less severe. If I forget to take it I have a migraine within 48 hours.
Kell Brigan // Oct 2, 2007 at 5:14 pm
How about a nice guillotine?
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