It is time again for “Ask the Doctor.” I particularly enjoy this monthly feature because it gives me an opportunity to answer your questions and help you on your path to health and wellness.
If you have a question or health concern that you would like me to address, please visit the Hotze Health & Wellness Facebook page and send me a private message. Mention Katy Christian Magazine in the subject line.
Help for Migraines
I’m 34 years old and I get unbearable migraines once or twice a month. They always make me miss work and I can’t be there for my kids. I’ve tried Imitrex, but it makes me feel groggy and doesn’t always get rid of the migraine. Is there a way to prevent them from happening in the first place?
Migraine headaches are very common and often can be debilitating. I’m going to share with you three very common causes of migraines so that you can learn to prevent them.
A migraine is more than just a bad headache. A migraine can cause severe throbbing pain that is usually on just one side of the head, but sometimes both sides are affected.
Migraines are often accompanied by one or more of these symptoms:
- nausea
- vomiting
- upset stomach
- abdominal pain
- dizziness
- extreme sensitivity to light, sound, touch and smell
- tingling or numbness in the extremities or face
- auras, a visual disturbance such as flashes of light and blinding spots, with or before a migraine
- moderate to severe pain (pounding, throbbing pain) that can affect the whole head or one side
- sensitivity to light, noise or odors
- blurred vision
- loss of appetite
- sensations of being very warm or cold
- fatigue
You may have tried some over-the-counter medications or been prescribed drugs such as Imitrex or Zomig, but these only mask the symptoms by providing temporary relief, and they don’t solve the problem or stop the migraines from reoccurring. These drugs also have negative side effects.
If you really want to get rid of migraines for good, then you need to identify and correct the underlying cause of the migraine.
Here are 3 common causes of migraine headaches:
- Low Progesterone/Estrogen Dominance in Women
Hormonal changes can cause migraines. If your migraine occurs before your menstrual cycle every month, then you know it is hormone related. Progesterone has been shown to relieve headaches and migraines. Migraine headaches are more severe, disabling, and frequent during the menstrual intervals of the female reproductive cycle. (1)
A high percentage of migraines in women is closely related to the menstrual cycle either at the time of ovulation or in the perimenstrual period. It can be assumed that fluctuations due to the decline of estrogens and or progesterone trigger this type of headache. Research shows that hormonal treatment is useful in order to avoid migraines. (2)
- Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism causes your metabolism to slow down, which slows your circulation and causes your body to retain water and mucin, a glue-like substance. The blood vessels and tissues in the brain swell and this causes a migraine. Fatigue, which is common with hypothyroidism, is often associated with migraines and can play an important role in initiating migraine attacks. Research suggests that patients with hypothyroidism have a higher risk of lifetime migraines than those without hypothyroidism. (3) Research demonstrated that after thyroid treatment, 78% reported a decrease in headache frequency. Hypothyroid patients reported a similar alleviation of their headaches. (4)
- Magnesium Deficiency
Estrogen dominance leads to depletion of the mineral magnesium, which is crucial for normal blood vessel tone. A magnesium deficiency can cause spasms of arteries in the brain and is very common and often overlooked as a cause of migraines. Fortunately this can be easily corrected by supplementing with magnesium.
Magnesium is essential in many intracellular processes and appears to play an important role in migraine development. Lack of magnesium may promote hyper aggregation of platelets. Migraine sufferers may develop magnesium deficiency due to genetic inability to absorb magnesium, inherited renal magnesium wasting, excretion of excessive amounts of magnesium due to stress, low nutritional intake, and several other reasons. (5)
There is strong evidence that a magnesium deficiency is much more prevalent in migraine sufferers. Both intravenous and oral magnesium are widely available, extremely safe, very inexpensive and for patients who are magnesium deficient. It can be highly effective. The fact that a magnesium deficiency may be present in up to half of migraine patients, treatment with at least oral magnesium is warranted in all migraine sufferers. (5)
Could hormone decline and imbalance be the cause of your migraines?
Do you think hormonal imbalance could be the cause of your migraines? Take our Symptom Checker Quiz to find out. Contact our Wellness Consultants today at 281-698-8698 for a complimentary consultation. Don’t wait, it’s time to conquer your migraines and get your life back!
Research
1. Defining the Relationship Between Ovarian Hormones and Migraine Headache
2. Treatment of Menstrual Cycle Associated Migraine
3. Prevalence of Migraine in Subclinical Hypothyroidism: A Case-Control Study
4. Headache in Recent Onset Hypothyroidism: Prevalence, Characteristics and Outcome After Treatment with Levothyroxine
5. Why all Migraine Patients Should be Treated with Magnesium
Keep Your Questions Coming
I hope these suggestions are helpful to you and to others who are dealing with these common problems. Keep your questions coming! Send me a private message on Hotze Health & Wellness Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HotzeHWC/. Don’t forget to mention Katy Christian Magazine in the subject line. And remember, there’s no such thing as a dumb question.
To learn more about the Hotze Health & Wellness Center and schedule a Free Wellness Consultation, call us at 281-698-8698 or visit hotzehwc.com.
