Migraine Headaches: Are Pain-Killing Drugs Worth the Risk?
One can ask himself/herself this question, “Is the possible benefit worth the risk of taking that drug?” when he/she is suffering with a migraine headache and takes an over-the-counter medication. Remember, all drugs are dangerous. “The person who takes medicine must recover twice; once from the disease and once from the medicine.” was said by Willian Osler, M.D. It’s sad but it can be all true.
Dr. William Bennett, head of nephrology at Oregon Health Sciences University, estimates that over-the-counter painkillers are responsible for as many as 20% of the 125,000 cases of end-stage kidney disease in the United States. Medications have side effects that can be serious. Like aspirin can cause internal hemorrhaging or taking Tylenol once every 4 days increases the chance of liver damage by more than 400%.
Acetaminophen is the main pain-relief in Tylenol which has been shown to cause liver disease. It was reported in the January 1998 issue of Forbes magazine that it can be very dangerous in doses not much greater than the recommended dose. Hundreds of fatalities and serious liver injuries attributed to acetaminophen. The reason if because people tend to use Tylenol in a casual fashion. For example, you have a migraine and it doesn’t go away when taking a small dose of medication then you take a few more. The difference between a proper dose and an overdose is so small that dangerous amounts can easily be ingested accidentally.
L.F. Kebler, M.D. once said "Why should a patient swallow a poison because he is ill, or take that which would make a well man sick?" And O.W. Holmes, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Harvard University said "If all the medicine in the world were thrown into the sea, it would be bad for the fish and good for humanity."
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Relieve Migraine Headaches the Naturally
Natural treatment methods for migraine headaches are usually harmless and cheaper than traditional pain medications. Sure, it is possible to have negative reactions to natural treatments, but the chances are much less than with medications.
Different things work for different people. No two people are alike and a headache treatment method that works for one person may not work for another. But on the contrary, just because one method does not work for someone else does not mean it will not relieve your migraine headaches. There are many alternatives to taking medications when it comes to migraine headache relief.
Chiropractic adjustments are surely the most popular form of natural headache relief. Patients with migraine headaches have been visiting chiropractors for decades, and with very good success, as many as 80% or more of headache patients find relief with chiropractic care. Spinal problems do cause headaches and chiropractors do an outstanding job of correcting spinal problems.
Biofeedback is a training program designed to help a person develop the ability to control their autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. After learning the technique it is then possible for a person to control their heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, and of course, the relaxation of their muscles.
Muscle tension can cause headaches and by relaxing muscles, especially in the neck, it is possible to relieve migraine headaches. Once the technique is learned there is no longer any need for the biofeedback equipment. The patient with migraine headaches can now produce the desired effect any time they wish.
Sometimes too much salt can cause headaches. And by simply lessening the salt intake headaches can sometimes be prevented.
Some migraine headaches are caused by food sensitivities. Certain foods can cause migraines and eliminating these foods can prevent migraine pain. Some common foods that can trigger migraine headaches are cheese, alcohol, monosodium glutamate (a food additive), nuts, beans, caffeine, chocolate, onions and others.
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Migraines and Hormones
Headaches are one of the leading causes of missed work or school. So why is it that so many of us suffer from such annoying and often debilitating pains in the head? Honestly, there are several reasons.
Some of the most common triggers of migraines are stress, food allergies, caffeine withdrawal, medications, lack of sleep, extreme weather conditions, blood sugar fluctuations, and hormone imbalances When suffering from chronic headaches, it is important to learn your triggers. Keep a diary that tells the date, time, weather conditions, foods eaten in the last 24 hours, emotional stressors, amount of sleep, drugs taken or, if you are a female, where you are in your menstrual cycle. Determining your triggers can take you a long way towards reducing the frequency and intensity of migraines.
Once you have eliminated many of the triggers (yes, through hard work and dedication), you may find your headaches arrive pre or post menstrual. You have just discovered that your migraines are triggered by hormones. Oh yes, the same lovely chemical that gives us mood swings, cramps, bloating, breast tenderness and those horrible chocolate cravings will also cause your migraine headaches.
If you fall into this category, there is hope beyond medication. It’s important to understand that this will require a commitment on your part. Balancing hormones can be a tedious and difficult prospect but the rewards are well worth the effort. Estrogen dominance is the most frequent cause of hormone imbalances.
You can beat hormone caused migraine headaches through good nutrition and supplementation as well as regular exercise. Here are some suggestions.
Start shopping for hormone free meats. These can be found in health food stores or ordered online.
Use non-toxic household cleaners and non-toxic pesticides whenever possible. Make sure you are getting at least 30 grams of fiber every day. If you aren’t eating enough to get this amount, be sure to supplement with a quality fiber product. Fiber binds to estrogen helping to remove it from the body. Vitamins A, C, B12 and E along with magnesium, selenium, calcium and anti-oxidants are essential to maintaining a healthy hormone balance. Supplement with DHEA. This hormone precursor promotes the development of progesterone which will keep estrogen in check. And, of course, there is progesterone cream. Be sure to select a high quality progesterone cream that offers no less than 500 mg of progesterone that is not synthetic.
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