Relief for Migraine Headaches
Four causes of chronic headaches and how to heal them naturally
Recommendations and solutions to correct the causes of most migraine headaches: dehydration, allergies and chemical toxins, cranial/structural alignment, and stress
Headache and migraine sufferers know that there’s nothing like a headache. Whether you hate the terrifying aura, the pounding temples, extreme noise sensitivity, splitting skull, aching forehead, the dizziness, nausea, or the jaw, neck and joint pain that accompanies the headache, no one deserves to be in that kind of pain. Thankfully, there are natural solutions which are, in the long term, more effective for treating headaches than prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
For most migraine sufferers, the problem is chronic and “nothing really helps.” That’s because, although aspirin or natural treatments like peppermint essential oil or homeopathic remedies can make a difference, the causes of migraine headaches are usually chronic themselves, and deeply rooted. Eliminating migraines can require lifestyle changes to accommodate your body’s needs. The goods news is, however, once you’ve made the changes your body is asking for, the “alarm signal” of the migraines should depart for good.
There are four primary reasons that migraine headaches occur:
- Water
- Allergies / Toxic reactions
- Structural alignment
- Stress
1. Water
By the time a person feels thirst, they’re already mildly dehydrated. Dehydration affects the body in many ways: shortage of water it slows the release of toxins and other waste products, affecting weight gain; it can sometimes trick you into feeling hungry, when what your body really needs is liquids; and it can contribute to fatigue and headaches. It has been estimated that nearly 90% of headaches can be “cured” with a glass of water.
How much water does your body need? A good rule is:
(Your Body Weight in Pounds) divided by 2
= # of ounces of pure, clean water you need to drink per day
You might also want to learn more about water quality.
2. Allergies and Toxic Reactions
Migraine headaches can be an allergic reaction, either to a specific allergen or to a toxic buildup of chemicals in the body’s systems.
Migraine-inducing allergens include but are not limited to: pollen, pet hair and dander, mold, dust, car exhaust and smog, and foods such as wheat, corn, soy, eggs, dairy, refined and artificial sugars, MSG (sometimes disguised on ingredient lists as “natural flavours”), artificial flavours and colourings, red meat, chocolate and coffee (although the scent of coffee is well-known as a headache cure, the caffeine acts to dehydrate, so ingesting it can contribute to headaches).
Eliminating the appropriate allergen from your diet or your daily life can be a difficult process - especially if it’s something as common as sugar (although there are alternatives) - but it is well worth it. Avoiding the right allergen can be the most effective way to prevent future migraines, short of deep, long-term cleansing to release the allergy.
The body systems which are most readily loaded with toxic chemicals (such as lead, heavy metals, food bi-products, food preservatives, and wastes) are the respiratory, digestive and excretory systems. The lungs, colon, liver and skin are the most obviously affected organs. For this reason, an effective cleanse will target one or more of these areas.
3. Cranial and Structural Alignment
Occasionally, the cause of a chronic problem like neck pain or migraine headaches is purely structural.
The cranium, the vertebrae of the back and neck, or the positioning and mobility of the organs can become misaligned (by stress, a car accident, sports injuries, emotional factors, posture or genetic predisposition) and can cause pinched nerves or small energetic imbalances which cause headaches or migraines. Clogged or blocked chakras can also contribute to the problem.
These conditions can be treated by a proficient craniosacral therapist. Craniosacral is a massage-like technique which uses subtle energy as well as work done on the physical body to improve health and heal chronic illness.
Reflexology has also been shown to help.
4. Stress
Most headaches, migraine or otherwise, are at least partly due to the contributing factor in almost every physical illness: stress. Making a new habit of dealing with emotional concerns before they become physical symptoms and of getting a full night’s sleep can make all the difference to healing migraine headaches or any other chronic condition.
