Alternative Therapy for Migraines
Anybody that has experienced a migraine knows first-hand how devastatingly painful they can be. During a migraine headache, blood vessels in the head go through a cycle of extreme constriction followed by rapid dilation. This process is thought to be due to nerve pathway changes that cause inflammation in the blood vessels. The end result is the extreme pain, visual disturbances, fatigue, confusion, sensitivity (to light, sound and/or odors), tenderness and other symptoms of a migraine headache.
Researchers and scientists have searched for years to determine what causes these changes to occur in the nerve pathways to create such a viscous cycle. Many common triggers have been identified, including environmental changes (e.g., weather, altitude, and time zone changes), interrupted sleep patterns, hunger, fasting and/or long periods without food, alcohol (especially red wine and beer), food additives (e.g., monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates), hormonal changes in women (i.e., menses, birth control, HRT) and stress, amongst others.
Interestingly, a common thread uniting these triggers has been identified, and that common thread is an alteration of key brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Fluctuations or imbalances in several important neurotransmitters – including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine – are known to cause many health conditions, including migraine headaches. This breakthrough in brain chemistry may hold the key for migraine sufferers to not only reduce, but eliminate their migraine headaches using an extremely effective alternative therapy for migraines.
Neurotransmitters 101
Neurotransmitters are a class of chemical messengers in the body that help regulate, either directly or indirectly, most of the other systems and functions in the body. You may have heard of one or more of the more common neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine (also known as adrenaline).
Whether you realize it or not, anyone taking a triptan medication (like those shown below) for the treatment of migraines is also taking a medication that acts to alter neurotransmission.
|
Triptan Medications |
|
| Generic name | Trade Names |
| Sumatriptan | Imitrex, Imigran, Migriptan |
| Rizatriptan | Maxalt |
| Naratriptan | Amerge, Naramig |
| Zolmitriptan | Zomig |
| Eletriptan | Relpax |
| Almotriptan | Axert, Almogran |
| Frovatriptan | Frova, Migard, Frovamig |
Triptans work by mimicking serotonin in the blood vessels of the brain (causing their constriction) and subsequently inhibit the inflammation that can cause or exacerbate a migraine. For most people suffering from migraines, these medications are the only way they can find any relief. Unfortunately, that relief is short-lived, because although these medications can mimic serotonin, they don’t do anything to help the body make or rebalance a person’s neurotransmitter levels over time. In other words, what triptan medications don’t do is address the cause of the problem.
Alternative Therapy for Migraines
Since neurotransmitter imbalance is the underlying cause of most migraine headaches, a common sense approach would be to (a) determine a person’s neurotransmitter imbalance(s) and (b) correct them. We have used this alternative therapy for migraines with thousands of people with an 85% success rate (i.e., elimination of migraine headaches). It is a remarkably successful approach because it gets to the root cause, which is neurotransmitter dysfunction.
Test, Don’t Guess
The chances of a person determining the correct combination and dose of amino acids they need to optimize neurotransmitter function are extremely low (i.e., approaching zero). Luckily, you don’t have to guess; clinician’s trained in the proper use of amino acid therapy have several specialized tests at their disposal to help them determine the exact combination of nutrients each individual needs to achieve optimal neurotransmitter function.
For some, the process can lead to the complete elimination of migraine headaches within days to weeks; others may take a few months to achieve the balance necessary to eliminate their migraines. No matter how long it takes, achieving proper neurotransmitter function through targeted amino acid therapy is the only known way to provide a long-term solution to migraine headaches.
To learn more about amino acid therapy or to find a practitioner near you visit:
www.naturalsolutionsformigraines.com
