Tag: Home Remedies for Migraine

Natural Ayurvedic Treatment for Migraine and Headache

Introduction

Ever experienced throbbing, one-sided pain in the head that wouldn’t go for hours together? Migraine is a common disorder which according to WHO affects nearly 10 % people worldwide. [1] It is a type of primary headache, which means there is no underlying disease causing the headache. Upto two-thirds of those affected are women. [2] In Ayurveda, a disease named ‘Ardhavbhedaka’ bears resemblance to modern day description of migraine. It is a disease caused by the vitiated vata dosha, pitta dosha and kapha dosha according to Acharya Susruta. Avoiding triggers, lifestyle modifications, management of attacks and Ayurvedic regimen lessen the severity and frequency of attacks and improve the quality of living. Now we are going to explain Migraine in detail and its management with ayurveda.

Understanding Migraine-Modern and Ayurvedic aspect

Migraine is a complex disease which is characterized by overstimulation of the nervous system and changes in blood flow in the brain. It has genetic susceptibility and about 70 % of all people who suffer from migraine have at least one close relative who also suffers from it. [2] The disease peaks in persons aged 15-24 years.  Women are predominantly affected with their ratio to men being 3:1. [3]

Although a specific cause of migraine is not known, there are certain triggers that cause the onset and worsening of the disease. Hormonal changes, stress, certain medications, strong light, smell, noise and certain foods trigger the attacks. The triggers can be different for different individuals and can be identified by the person in subsequent attacks.

Ardhavbhedaka is described in Ayurveda as being a type of headache that affects one side of the head and is severe in nature. Faulty food(Ahara) and lifestyle(Vihara) such as Dry food, overeating, irregular sleep pattern, suppression of urges, stress, psychological imbalance, strenuous exercise, sexual activity etc.  disrupt the balance of the three doshas, namely vata, pitta and kapha with vata and pitta being predominant. The vitiated doshas then reach the head and obstruct the rasa and rakta strotas (blood vessels) thus producing ardhavbhedaka.

Causes of Migraine

Features of migraine – The presenting symptoms

A recurrent, pulsating or throbbing pain in one or both sides of the head presenting often with associated symptoms such as nausea and increased sensitivity to light and sound is Migraine. Migraine attacks initially affect the front, side and sometimes back of one side of head. The pain gradually increases and can persist upto 4 – 72 hours. The pain is moderate to severe in intensity sometimes severely affecting the overall quality of life.

Migraine may or may not present with the preceding symptoms also known as Aura. The Aura sometimes presents itself before the attack, along with the attack or sometimes skipping the main attack altogether. The stage of Aura generally goes for less than an hour. The Aura consists of visual disturbances like flashing lights, appearance of lines or defects in the field of vision. Light-headedness, ringing in the ear, weakness in the muscles can also occur.

Diagnosing Migraine – Evaluation and Testing

Diagnosing migraine is mainly dependent on history. Since there is no identifiable underlying cause of migraine, tests such as blood tests and scans are not definitive diagnostic tools in migraine. Therefore, keeping track of the frequency and duration of attacks of migraine, associating symptoms, and triggering factors help reach the diagnosis.

  • A blood test, brain and body scan and medical examination may help rule out any other condition that may be the cause of headache.
  • A psychological examination is also needed sometimes to identify stress factors.

Treating Migraine – The Approach

The short-term objective of the treatment is to provide relief during an acute migraine attack. And the long-term objective of the treatment is to reduce the severity and intensity of the attack. Acute attacks are treated symptomatically. Pain-relieving drugs are used to relieve pain and are most effective when the pain is mild. Drugs named ‘Triptans’ are useful in migraine. [2]

Ayurveda helps achieve long-term treatment goals. It helps reduce the severity and frequency of migraine attacks. Modification of lifestyle, avoiding the triggering factors, and treating with Ayurvedic medicines make for the main treatment of migraine.

Pacifying the vata and pitta dosha predominant tridoshas, improving the ‘Agni” or the digestive balance of the body and strengthening the brain and the nervous system are the goals to be achieved in an Ayurvedic treatment plan.

Home Remedies for Migraine

You can Include the Following Home Remedies

  1. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
  2. Include Mild to moderate exercise, yoga, and meditation in your daily regimen.
  3. Get adequate sleep and nutritious food.
  4. Identify triggering factors and avoid them.
  5. Drinking Ginger Tea a few times a day helps relieve the symptoms of migraine
  6. Take coriander powder and soak it overnight. Drink it in the morning to get relief from the pain.

Ayurvedic Medicines for Migraine

In ayurveda, below are the treatment protocol which should be followed

1. Restoring the balance of agni : In shodhana therapy of ayurveda , the toxins of the body are removed with the help of panchkarma and function of agni is restored. Agni or the digestive power needs to be restored before giving the curative medicines. Agni restoring herbs are haritaki, triphala, amalaki, chitrak etc. In polyherbal formulations, Arogyavardhini vati works very well on agni.

2. Balancing the tridosa : Shaman therapy follows the shodhana therapy. It targets the specific dosha, and dosha or disease specific medicines are given. In this vata dosha is balanced by giving vata-pacifying herbs such as ashwagandha and pitta dosha is pacified with the help of anti-pitta herbs such as Praval pishti, mukta shukti etc.

3. Nervine Strengthens : There are certain nervous systems strengthening herbs like brahmi, shankhpushpi, ashwagandha etc. Which help in boosting the health of the nervous system and brain.

Planet Ayurveda Migraine care pack

Treatment of Migraine and Headache

Treatment of Migraine

Planet Ayurveda is a trusted, famed and renowned GMP certified company offering herbal products across all over the world. These products are prepared using the standardized extract of herbs and are 100 % safe. Herbal formulations prepared in the house of Planet Ayurveda are free from additives, chemicals, preservatives and binders by following the strict ayurveda principles under the guidance of MD ayurveda experts. Planet Ayurveda brings forth a wholesome Migraine Care Pack which are as follows

  1. Arogyavardhini vati
  2. Ashwagandha churna
  3. Pitta balance
  4. Medhya churna
  5. Brahmi capsules

Products Description

1. Arogyavardhini vati

Ashwagandha capsules is a single herbal formulation in capsule form prepared using stanadardized extract of  Ashwagandha root (Withania somnifera). This capsule is very efficacious in sustaining nervous health and  a wonderful anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immune booster and a rejuvenator. It is considered as an antidepressant and adaptogenic tonic. Thus, it shows very good results in migraine.

Dosage– 1 capsule twice daily with plain water after meals.

2. Medhya churna

This is a polyherbal formulation in powder form prepared using Vacha (Acorus calamus), Ajmoda (Carum roxburghianum), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shwet Jeerak (Cuminum cyminum) etc. This enhances the memory and aids in reducing the associated symptoms of the disease like nausea, vomiting, pain in the head etc. This balances all the doshas and sustains normal health.

Dosage– 1/4 teaspoon once daily with 1 spoon of Cow Ghee (Clarified Butter).

3. Arogyavardhini vati

This is a classical herbal formulation prepared in the house of Planet Ayurveda in tablet form prepared using

  • Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellerica)
  • Haritaki (Terminalia chebula)
  • Chitrak mool (Plumbago zeylanica)
  • Amalaki (Emblica officinalis) and some other herbs

This formulation removes all the endotoxins from the body and sustains health cells. It also helps in reducing the pain in head, nausea, vertigo and other related symptoms of migraine.

Dosage– 2 tablets twice daily with plain water after meals.

4. Pitta Balance

As the name indicates, this formulation balances the pitta dosha and prepared using Praval Pishti (Coral compound), Akik Pishti (Agate compound), Mukta Pishti, giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) etc.This formulation assist in reducing the symptoms of migraine because of its pitta balancing property. It also keeps the mind and body calm and provides a soothing effect to them.

Dosage– 2 capsules twice daily with plains water after meals

5. Brahmi Capsules

Brahmi capsules are safe and prepared using the standardized extract of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri).Classically this is mentioned as Medhya (nervine tonic), thus reducing the pain in head occurring due to migraine. It is one of the best herbs to be used in nervous system disorders as it contains alkaloids like Bacopasides which aids in nourishing the neurons and improves retention ability.

Dosage–  2 capsules twice daily with plains water after meals

Conclusion

At last, we can console that the above mentioned herbal formulations are very much safe and effective in migraine. So use these formulations without any worry and keep yourself healthy. For more queries you can contact us on herbalremedies123@yahoo.com.

Refrences

  1. https://www.medscape.com/answers/1142556-170220/what-is-the-global-prevalence-of-migraine-headache
  2.  https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1142556-overview#a2
  3. AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF ARDHAVBHEDAKA ROGA (MIGRAINE) – A CASE REPORT; Gupta Asherfi Lal ewt al, World Journal of pharmaceutical research, 2019

How Migraine Can Be Managed At Home

Introduction

People are facing so many problems in their day to day life. Due to their stressful working life and personal problems, they are becoming more prone to several diseases. Migraine is also one of them. If they feel pain in the head, they often take it as simple headache, but it can be Migraine.

So now the question arises

  1. Do you know the difference between simple Headache and Migraine?
  2. Do you know that you are suffering from simple Headache or Migraine?

Natural Treatment for Migraine

WHAT IS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEADACHE AND MIGRAINE

Here I am going to tell you the difference between usual headache and Migraine. Headache mainly involves pain in head, but can involve face and neck muscles also, pain is not of severe type but Migraine mainly involves pain on the front of the head and one side of the head and it is characterized by severe, throbbing pain. Sometimes Migraine can be associated with nausea, vomiting, pain and burning in the eyes. People often do not take medicine for it and they avoid it.

CAUSES FOR MIGRAINE

What causes Migraine, this is very necessary to know.

Migraine mainly arisen when there is excessive stimulation of brain and blood vessels. It can occur due to a single factor or due to a combination of various factors.

ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA (SOORYAVARTA)

Sooryavarta means throbbing pain on one side of the head. It can arise due to a variety of causes which can –

  1. Stressful life
  2. Disturbed emotional life
  3. Unhygienic food
  4. Long time exposure to sunlight
  5. Too much salty and spicy food
  6. Any digestion problem
  7. Aggravates Pitta doshas
  8. Obstructs the vata doshas in brain
  9. Leads to pain on one side of the head (Sooryavarta)

AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE OF MIGRAINE

Ayurvedic treatment of migraine

Reference – Bhavprakash Chikitsaprakranam/ Chapter 62/Shlok no. 17 and 18

Meaning – It states that having dry food, again and again taking food, , excessive sex, walking and excessive weight lifting, affects our head and results in vitiated kapha which leads to pain on half side of head, eye brows, temporal region of head, ear, eye and half side of the forehead. This condition in Ayurveda is called Ardhavibhedhak. When this condition aggravates, it can lead to eye and ear damage.

TRIGGERING FACTORS FOR MIGRAINE

Migraine treatment in ayurveda

Triggering factors are those factors which initiate the condition, means the presence of those conditions, progresses the symptoms.

Triggering factors for migraine can be as follow

CLINICAL FEATURES FOR MIGRAINE

Migraine can sometimes be present with signs and symptoms and they can vary from person to person.

Migraine symptoms can be

1. Pain– Pain is mainly felt  in the front side of the head and on one side of the head. Pain mainly occurs on the half side of the head. Pain is very severe, throbbing and aggravates on exposure to light.

2. Other symptoms – Pain can be sometimes associated with nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, mild confusion and sensitivity to light.

TYPES OF MIGRAINE

TYPES OF MIGRAINE

Migraine can be of various types, depending upon its symptoms. It can be –

  1. Migraine Without Aura
  2. MIGRAINE WITH AURA                  
  3. ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE
  4. HEMIPLEGIC

WHAT IS AURA – Aura are mainly sensory disturbances which are felt  during or before the Migraine attack.

1. MIGRAINE WITHOUT AURA – In this type of migraine,attack comes without any sensory disturbance.

2. MIGRAINE WITH AURA – In this type of migraine the person feels warning signals before the attack of migraine which tell him that soon he is going to get a migraine attack.

These warning signs can be

  • Confusion
  • Zig-zag lines in front of eyes
  • Difficulty in speaking
  • Blind spots in the vision

3. ABDOMINAL MIGRAINE – In this type of Migraine, Migraine attacks occur along with bowel disturbances. It is mainly seen in children.

4. HEMIPLEGIC MIGRAINE – Hemi stands for half and Plegic stands for weakness. In this type of Migraine weakness is felt on one side of the body. It is for short duration.

DIAGNOSIS  OF THE MIGRAINE

Diagnosis mainly depends upon the Signs and Symptoms of Migraine patient. Accurate diagnosis is must for the treatment which mainly depends upon the clinical features of the patient. Along with that some other tests can be done to confirm the diagnosis.

These tests can be

  1. Blood tests
  2. C.T Scan
  3. M.R.I scan

HOW MIGRAINE CAN BE MANAGED AT HOME

Migraine can be very serious if not treated on time. If we take pain killers, it can result in various complications due to its side effects. So to manage it, first of all, try to remove all those factors which trigger the attack, some preventive measures can be taken and some Home Remedies for Migraine can also be followed to decrease its signs and symptoms.

Management includes

  • Remove the trigger factors
  • Non medication measures
  • Home remedies

1. Remove the trigger factors

Following trigger factors should be avoided

  • Avoid citrus fruits, plum, spicy food, pickle, fast-food and cheese in your diet because it can aggravate the condition.
  • Avoid excessive exposure to light
  • Avoid alcohol, tea and coffee
  • Avoid stress, depression and anxiety
  • Avoid excessive noisy places

2. Non medication measures

Some lifestyle changes can be adapted.

They can be

  • Drink plenty of water, you can also take tea
  • During a Migraine attack sit in the room alone and try to sleep
  • Regular exercising, Yoga or Aasanas can be followed
  • Meditation can be done
  • Follow stress management techniques
  • Take diet excluding triggering factors

3. HOME REMEDIES

Certain home remedies can be followed which can be very helpful in migraine.

These home remedies can be

A. Asafetida – Take water and add asafetida powder in it, mix it well, Either inhale it or you can apply this paste over your head. It will help in relieving its symptoms.

B. Garlic – Make a paste of garlic and apply it over your head or you can instil the garlic juice in your both nostrils.

C. Lemon – Make a paste of the lemon peel and apply it over your head. It will be very helpful.

D. Cabbage – Make a paste of cabbage leaves and apply it over your head. It will be beneficial.

E. Saffron – Saffron has been proved to be very useful in Migraine. It gives very good results in treating Migraine. Take one pinch of Saffron powder and mix it with one teaspoon of Ghee, the resultant mixture should be instilled in both the nostrils. This gives good results.

F. Sesame oil/ Maha Narayana tail- Facial massage should be done with plain sesame oil. After that soak a towel in a little hot water and apply it on your face. This herbal remedy is also very useful.

G. Coriander – Take one cup of water and add one spoon coriander powder in it. Keep it for the whole night and take this mixture on the next morning. This mixture gives good results.

H.  Raisins and Almonds – Soak some raisins and almonds in the night and take it in the morning.

I. Jasmine and Pomegranate juice – Take tender leaves of jasmine and pomegranate, add a little salt to it and prepare fresh juices after crushing it. This mixture can be instilled in both the nostrils. This helps in relieving migraine.

J. Doorva grass (Cynodan dactylon) – Prepare the fresh juice using Doorva grass and add little licorice water to it and consume this solution regularly. It helps in reducing the severity of the disease.

CONCLUSION

Although Migraine is a Benign condition and you no need to worry about it due to its rare chances to leading to death, but its proper treatment is needed and taking painkillers in routine can lead to severe complications, because excessive consumption of painkillers may damage our body organs. So avoid to take painkillers and try to follow these home remedies.