Migraines are severe headaches that
occur along with nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. The age at onset
is usually between 10 and 40 years, with women being 3 times as likely to
suffer from migraine as compared to men.
Duration of an attack may be between 4 to 72 hours; in a few
individuals, it may be longer. This medical condition is significant because of
its incapacitating nature and high prevalence; nearly 1 in 7 persons are
affected worldwide, and it is more common than diabetes, epilepsy, and asthma
combined. Nearly I billion people worldwide are estimated to be suffering from
this neurological disease. Migraines may aggravate with menstruation; some
women find that this condition improves or disappears by the age of 50.
Migraines tend to run in families;
even the trigger factors may be inherited. Stress, certain foods (such as aged
cheese, chocolate, alcohol, and certain food additives), caffeine, changes in
weather, bright light, menstruation, fatigue, skipping meals, and changes in
sleep, can trigger migraines. Triggers activate the trigeminal nerve, which
releases chemicals responsible for causing increased swelling in the blood
vessels lining the brain. This releases neurotransmitters which cause pain and
inflammation. Typical migraine symptoms
may also be accompanied by symptoms affecting the eyes and brain, which may be
severe enough to warrant hospital admission and intensive care.
The conservative management of
migraine includes over-the-counter pain killers, medicines to counter nausea
and vomiting, preventive medications (medicines to control blood pressure,
convulsions, antidepressants, and CGRP inhibitors), biofeedback, and
transcranial magnetic stimulation. Avoiding the known trigger factors, stress
management, relaxation training, regular meal schedule, and moderate exercise
can also help reduce the severity and frequency of migraines. Other than those
suffering from comorbid medical conditions, people affected with migraine
usually have normal blood and imaging reports.
The Ayurvedic management of people
with migraine involves taking a detailed medical history; including severity
and frequency of symptoms, trigger factors, diet and lifestyle. Lifestyle and
dietary modifications are suggested. Ayurvedic herbal medicines are given to
provide symptomatic relief from symptoms as well as to treat the known causes,
as determined by the clinical history. The treatment of hyperacidity,
indigestion, constipation, and stress, go a long way in successfully treating
migraine as well as preventing further episodes. It is important to treat
inflammation in cranial blood vessels in order to reduce the tendency for recurrent
migraine attacks, as well as to treat a hyper-reactive nervous system.
In addition to oral treatment,
medicated nose drops are used to treat inflammation of blood vessels and
involvement of the brain, which may – in individuals with severe migraine –
mimic symptoms of stroke, blindness, and glaucoma. Nose drops may be used both to alleviate an
acute attack as well as to prevent migraine. Regular courses of medicated
enemas are used to treat a hyper-reactive nervous system. A special treatment
modality known as Shirobasti is used to treat severe forms of stress which may
be causing recurrent attacks of migraine.
Refractory patients who do not
respond well to simple oral treatment are given courses of Panchkarma
detoxification treatments in the form of periodical blood-letting and induced purgation.
The treatment response varies widely from patient to patient; some individuals
with long-standing, severe symptoms respond dramatically to just one short
course of treatment, while others with milder symptoms may require a protracted
course of treatment with more medicines, that too, in higher doses.
Migraine is a chronic disease which
significantly affects the quality of life of affected individuals, and is a
public health issue with serious health and economic consequences. While modern
medicine can reduce the severity and frequency of migraine episodes, it
currently does not offer a cure. Ayurvedic herbal treatment can help provide
significant improvement in patients with migraine, and can bring about a cure
for most affected people.
