In addition to sensitivity to light and noise, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and visual disturbances, those who suffer from migraine attacks may have another, more serious, side effect to worry about: An increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
A study, which involved nearly 6000 participants provided a cardiovascular risk profile of those who suffer from migraine attacks and those who suffer from migraine with aura--referring to a visual or other form of hallucination prior to a migraine attack. One-third of the participants who suffered from migraines experienced aura symptoms before a headache arose.
The Study Results
People with migraines, particularly those with aura, may be more likely to present risk factors associated with cardiovascular conditions. In fact, it has been found that migraine with aura increases the risk of stroke before the age of 45; however, the reason for this statistic is not yet known. Findings showed:
Those with migraine were 43 percent more likely to be smokers, though less likely to consume alcohol
Those with migraine with aura symptoms were 43 percent more likely to suffer from high cholesterol; they were also 76 percent more likely to suffer from high blood pressure
People with migraine with aura were more likely to report a history of either stroke or heart disease before the age of 45
The Gender Role
Women with migraine were twice as likely to be using oral contraceptives; they were also more likely to report a history of high blood pressure during pregnancy than those without migraine.
Men with migraine, on the other hand, were almost twice as likely to have a father with a history of heart attack--though both men and women with migraine overall were nearly two times more likely to have a mother with a history of early heart attack.
Neurology February 22, 2005; 64(4): 614-20
Medical News Today February 22, 2005
Americans are dishing out more than $1 billion every year on harmful and useless medications that do absolutely nothing to address the underlying cause of the problem. The pain associated with migraines can be so severe that I have had a number of patients who have actually considered suicide as a reasonable alternative, so we are talking about a serious problem. However, just because it is a serious problem does not mean that you should throw caution to the wind when seeking to find a solution for the pain.
If you or someone you know suffers from headache pain it is useful to look at this as a giant clue that something isn't right in your life. I have found that changing one's diet and addressing the underlying emotional issues rapidly causes migraines to disappear in the vast majority of people who suffer with them.
Adopt a New Plan: Properly Treat Migraines
In my experience most migraines seem to be triggered by a food-based reaction to wheat, dairy, sugar, artificial preservatives or chemicals. Therefore, most migraines can be improved by eliminating these foods and incorporating the eating plan guidelines as spelled out in my nutrition plan (as well as eating foods better suited to your body's unique nutritional type).
Generally, there is a 70 percent to 80 percent reduction in the frequency and intensity of the pain after people begin following the eating plan that you can study in more detail in my Total Health Program.
There is typically not always a strong emotional connection with migraines. As you may already know, psychological acupuncture approaches can be incredibly effective in treating headaches and are also great tools for targeting emotional causes. I like to use the energy psychology tool called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which involves tapping on specific energy meridians and has been incredibly successful in providing permanent relief to many of my patients. This technique is similar to acupuncture, however is less invasive since it doesn't involve the use of needles. For mild conditions it can be performed without going to see a practitioner. The importance of emotional health is often overlooked and I can't express how essential it is to maintaining your optimal overall well-being.
Headaches are very common problems for many people who see me for the first visit, but the vast majority of people who return in one month for their follow-up visit who are compliant with their program, tell me that their headaches are gone.
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