Migraine: Causes and Therapy - Essay Example

Abstract The migraine is a neurological ailment affecting the nervous system. Migraine is the effect of unexpected variations in the patient’s internal and external environment. Medically, speaking, Migraine is the unstable trigeminovascular reflex that is accompanied by a defect in the patients’ pain control process. Genetics affects migraine frequencies. The environment contributes to migraine occurrences. Environment includes meals, alcohol and stress factors. Certain medicines, food and herb products alleviate migraine attacks. Alternative therapies like feverfew, ginger, garlic cloves, and butterbur are effective herbal remedies. Avoiding alcohol, caffeine and other foods reduce migraine frequencies. Alternative therapy aids in the reduction of migraine attacks. Introduction: Without intervention, the recurring migraine frequencies and occurrences create excruciating ache. Of the total medical consultations by neurologists, the migraine consultations represent 4/5 of the total consultations (Marcus, 2009). The ailment is most prevalent among the 30 to 49 age group (Daniel, 2010). The migraine attacks sometimes lead to nausea and vomiting (Sacks, 1992). The trigeminal nerve triggers release neuroptide releases, triggering painful meninge inflammations. In turn, the mind stimulates serotonin releases. The releases aggravate the migraine attacks. The symptoms include photophobia, vomiting and nausea (Hudson, 2013). Some medical doctors use antipyrin and phenacetin therapies. The Die Migraine reference included dangerous medical procedures. Alternative remedies include feverfew, garlic and butterbur. Some treatments introduce poisons into the patients’ bodies (Lane & Davies, 2006). Several alternative therapies alleviate migraine attacks. Literature Review: Causes of Migraine There are several causes of migraine. One of the proposed causes is genetics. When the parent has migraine, some of the children have higher migraine chances. A research of conducted showed an estimated 50 percent to 60 percent of migraine-suffering individuals have relatives who also suffer from migraine. Another researcher Dawn Marcus showed that there is higher chance that both twins suffer from migraine, compared to other siblings (2006). Next, the environmental factors cause migraine. Alcohol increases migraine attacks. Hormonal variations trigger migraines. Stress factors augment migraines. Wrong food consumption strategies increase migraine frequencies (Hudson, 2013). Refusing magnesium- rich foods may trigger migraine attacks (Rosanoff, 2012). Further, the migraine ailment is a neurovascular response to unexpected variations in the patient’s internal and external settings. Medically speaking, migraine is the unstable trigeminovascular reflex that is accompanied by a defect in the patients’ pain control processes. Consequently, the defect triggers an excess release of a percentage of the spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve and its thalamic parts. The excess afferent input or corribulbar drive precipitates to the excess release. Consequently, the reaction between the brain’s stem and cranial blood vessels produces cortical oligemia. Alternative Therapy To alleviate migraine attacks, most medical doctors prescribe medicines. Medical doctors often prescribe sedatives. The sedatives make the patients sleep. Sleep stops the serotonin pain path, removing migraine pain. The sedatives include the butalbital drugs Fiorinal and Fioricet (Marcus, 2006). Further, other health professionals offer alternative herbal remedies. Feverfew contains sesquiterpene lactone. The herb’s parthenolide prevents platelet aggregation and halts histamine release. Histamine triggers migraine pain. The herb stops the serotonin release, preventing the migraine pain from cropping up. A research migraine experiment showed 70 percent of the respondents showed improvements (Hudson, 2013). Additionally, the ginger herb alleviates the migraine symptoms. Ginger’s gingerol and shogaol ingredients prevent the aggregation of platelets. The aggregation triggers migraine episodes. A 42 year old patient shifted to the ginger therapy. Improvements occurred after 30 minutes of each ginger therapy. Regular ginger intake reduced the frequency and intensity of the migraine attacks (Hudson, 2013). Likewise, the butterbur herb alleviates migraine occurrences. An experiment proved butterbur generated a 45 percent migraine attack reduction. The herb reduced migraine frequencies. The same herb lessened migraine intensities (Hudson, 2013). The butterbur ingredients are petasin and isopetasin. The ingredients are zooactive plant lactones. The beneficial ingredients diffuse hypertension occurrences. The plant relieves the recurring headache pains (Grossinger, 2006). Moreover, lifestyle changes reduce migraine attacks. Avoiding alcohol is good. Reducing coffee drinks contributes (Hudson, 2013). Exercise helps. During the 17th and 18th Century, caffeine was accepted as one of the alternative migraine therapies. Thomas Willis was one of the forerunners of migraine treatment. During the 17th century, Thomas Willis successfully used caffeine, which was found in coffee, to treat the migraine effects (Marcus, 2006). Another research shows caffeine alleviates migraine attacks (Dusitanond, 2009). During the same time period, other alternative migraine treatments arose. Oral contraceptives containing progestogen lessen migraine occurrences (Allais, 2011). Likewise, marijuana helped migraine sufferers. Choral doses were approved. Morphia was also injected to alleviate acute migraine attacks. Cannabis was a popular migraine alternative. Moreover, the rehabilitation of migraine focuses on relieving the pain and other related symptoms. Abortive pharmacologic treatment is a good therapy. Other therapy alternatives include the relaxation steps. The best relaxation is sleeping. . Further, preventive treatment is an acceptable curative migraine therapy. The preventive drugs include antidepresssants. Other drugs include serotonin antagonists. The anticonvulsants and calcium channel blockers are effective choices (Clarke, 2007). Likewise, nother popular alternative is the use of nontraditional medicine, including homeopathy. Some herbs are used to lessen the occurrences and severity of the migraine attacks. The herbs focus on increasing the body’s nutrition levels. The herbs offer energy to the human body. The herbs bring a healthy balance to the patient’s physical condition. Herbs are used in the homeopathic healing process. Another alternative therapy is relaxation. The patients must learn to relax during the migraine attacks. The relaxation usually takes 20 undisturbed exercise minutes. The exercise procedures include muscle relaxation. Dawn Marcus espoused that by constantly practicing this alternative, the patient is trained to reap the healthy benefits of the exercises (2006). Magnesium Deficiency The patients’ low body magnesium may increase the migraine episodes. Alcohol reduces the body’s magnesium levels. Colas, coffee and other caffeine-based products lessen the body’s magnesium levels. Marcus opines the ladies’ monthly menstruation diminishes the level In terms of body’s level of magnesium. Further, the patient’s optimum magnesium levels can be maintained. Eating green leafy vegetables increases the body’s magnesium levels. Eating nuts and wheat germ increases the body’s magnesium. Milk and soya products reduce the magnesium deficiency. Marcus insists bananas have significant magnesium content (2006). Supporting Evidences Specifically, the feverfew herb alleviates the migraine symptoms. The Feverfew herb contains the parthenolide ingredient. The herb stimulates the patients’ circulatory system. The stimulation improves the body’s flow of blood (Grossinger, 2006). In the same manner, the garlic cloves are effective migraine relievers. Garlic’s adenosine ingredient reduces the clumping of the blood’s platelets. The garlic clove is a blood purgative that stops blood clotting. The herb cleans the patients’ circulatory system, reducing the migraine attacks (Grossinger, 2006). Conclusion: Summarizing, the symptoms of recurring migraine include unbearable throbbing head pains. Migraine is a neurovascular response to changes in the patient’s internal and external environment. Medically speaking, migraine is the unstable trigeminovascular reflex that is accompanied by the patients’ faulty pain control process. The trigeminal nerve releases the neuroptides, cuasing painful meninge inflammations. Genetics contributes to the migraine attacks. Environment also triggers migraine attacks. Lack of magnesium rich foods precipitate to migraine attacks. Alcohol and. Further, there are several alternative therapies. Medical doctors use sedatives such as Fiorinal and Fioricet. The feverfew herb’s sesquiterpene lactone hinders the migraine attacks. Additionally, the ginger herb’s gingerol and shogaol ingredients reduce the migraine attacks. Likewise, another migraine research experiment showed the butterbur herb’s petasin and isopetasim ingredients generated a 45 percent migraine attack reduction. Moreover, lifestyle changes alleviate the attacks. Homeopathy is a proven alternative therapy. Overwhelmingly, alternative therapies lighten painful throbbing migraine attacks. References: Allais, G. (2011). Oral Contraceptives in Migraine Therapy. Neurological Sciences , 32 (1), 135 -139. Clarke, L. (2007). Migraine Disorders Research Trends. New York: Nova Press. Daniel, B. (2010). Migraine. New York: Authorhouse. Dusitanond, P. (2009). Neuroleptics and Migraine. Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry , 9 (1), 63-70. Grossinger, R. (2006). Migraine Auras. New York: North Atlantic Press. Rosanoff, A. (2012). Suboptima Magnesium Status in the U.S. Nutrition Reviews , 70 (3), 153 -164. Hudson, T. (2013). Botanical Strategies For Migraines and Depression. Diversified Business Communications, 1- 17 Lane, R., Davies, D. (2006). Migraine. New York: Taylor & Francies. Marcus, D. (2006). 10 Simple solutions to Migraines. New York: New Harbinger . Marcus, D. (2009). Effective Migraine Treatment in Pregnant and Lactating Women. New York: Springer . Rosanoff, A. (2012). Suboptima Magnesium Status in the U.S. Nutrition Reviews , 70 (3), 153 -164. Sacks, O. (1992). Migraine. Los Angeles: University of California Press. Read More