Did you know that 18% of the world's population have suffered or suffer from migraine at some point in their lifetime, and that women are three times more prone to develop migrainous attacks than men?

Like Asthma, Migraine too has "triggers" that can set off attacks of violent headache. The key to treatment is not just to avoid triggers but to work on the susceptibility of the patient so that he/she does not get affected by migraine even if the triggers are present.

Homeopathy is a science of medicine which believes in working on the immunity of the patient rather than just the symptoms, so that recovery lasts for a longer time and the tendency to develop migraine reduces.

Symptoms of Migraine develop in phases which are described below:

Phases of Migraine

Migraine is a multi-phasic disease and occurs in progressive stages:

These are characteristic symptoms of migraine according to different phases.

The causes of Migraine have still not been completely understood. But it is now known that both genetic and environmental factors work together in the development of the disease.

Migraine is known to evolve from a change in the level of certain chemicals in the brain, the most notable being Serotonin.

When serotonin levels fall, the blood vessels in the brain suddenly narrow down. This contributes to the development of aura.

Later, the blood vessels widen and headache begins.

Migraine does not just restrict itself to headache. Because it is a disease involving the nervous system and circulatory system of the body, it can lead to dangerous consequences like:

• Stroke: A severe attack of migraine can lead to leakage of blood in the brain. This can result in an attack of stroke, which may prove dangerous.
• Seizure: Sometimes, migraine can be followed by an episode of fits or convulsions, called as Migraine Seizure.
• Status Migrainosus: Occasionally, the attack can be so severe as to last for more than 72 hours. This is called Status Migrainosus.
• Medication-Overuse Headache: If the patient is used to taking allopathic painkillers, his body may become habituated to them. When this happens, a headache of a more severe variety occurs when the effect of the medicine wears off.

Today, Homeopathy is the best method of treatment available, because Homeopathic treatment for Migraine takes into consideration not just the symptoms but also the causes, patient's individualistic symptoms and background of the attack, which is always unique to every individual.

Different individuals suffer through migraine differently, and so, Homeopathic treatment for migraine adopts different remedies on a specialized basis.

Homeopathic treatment for migraine is completely safe, without any side effects and treats through a holistic approach.

Homeopathic treatment for migraine has more than 220 effective remedies and its sequelae that have been clinically verified on thousands of patients, depending on the triggering factors and causation.

For example, for migraine associated with gastric symptoms there are more than 50 remedies, for attacks coming on with redness of eyes, the remedies are different in homeopathic treatment for migraine.

Do’s

• Keep a diary to record when your headache occurs, its symptoms, what you had eaten before the headache started, food cravings during that period, sleep patterns, menstrual cycle and other factors. This will help you to find out what triggers your migraine, so that you can avoid those factors and prevent further attacks.
• Consume plenty of water.
• During the attack, drink 3 glasses of very cold water (if this suits you) or warm water and lie down in a dark room with a cold pack on the head. Take complete bed rest.
• Get a regular massage around the neck and shoulders to relieve the tension in the muscles. Proper rest and sleep is needed for prevention of migraine attacks.
• Eat a proper balanced diet and maintain regular eating habits.
• Increase intake of omega 3 fatty acid-rich foods like flaxseeds, walnuts, soybeans and tofu. They have anti-inflammatory properties and help tremendously to reduce the intensity and frequency of attacks.
• Limit intake of simple carbohydrates like sugar, all sugary foods, alcohol, soda, etc. Take a high-fiber diet- whole grains, bran, oat, green leafy vegetables, peas, beans, potatoes, raw vegetables, salads, dried fruits and fresh fruits.

Don’ts

• Don't eat too many sweets or fat-rich items.
• Don't eat at odd times.
• Don't have long intervals between meals; eat healthy snacks at frequent intervals throughout the day, to maintain blood sugar levels.
• Don't overexert yourself. Do regular moderate exercise.
• Avoid going out in sun; when unavoidable, carry an umbrella and wear dark glasses.
• Avoid taking pain killers and oral contraceptives.
• Avoid strong smelling perfumes, deodorants and detergents.

There is no specific migraine diet but there are certain things which should be avoided.

• Avoid smoking or even being around a lit cigar or cigarette.
• Restrict your intake of alcohol, red wine and champagne.
• Restrict coffee and caffeinated drinks. The more caffeine you consume, the more chances are of having headaches.
• Do not drink or eat anything that has artificial sweeteners.
• Avoid canned foods and food with preservatives or artificial colors.
• Avoid monosodium glutamate (Ajinomoto) used in Chinese cooking.