Tension Headaches & Migraines – Help!

[Shirley BurnsStudent]

I’ve tried everything I can think of for tension headaches & migraines including: Doc’s HeadAke tincture, chamomile tea, valerian tincture, California poppy tincture,  poppy seeds, Passion flower tincture, Skullcap tincture, peppermint & spearmint teas, white willow bark tincture and/or capsules, essential oils: spearmint & peppermint.  I’ve taken the tinctures and/or teas up to 4 times a day but none of them seem to help.  I cannot tolerate the smell of lavender when I have a headache.  The peppermint & spearmint essential oils help a little.  Each time I get a headache I experimenting with all of the above for a few days but normally end up having to take a few Excedrine to knock it down or sometimes knock it out.  If it goes longer than a few days it typically will escalate into a migraine.  I HATE taking OTC.  I’ve suffered from tension headaches and migraines since I was 5 and (before I knew better) took boatloads of aspirin Tylenol, ibuprofen and Excedrine.  I get regular deep tissue massages and chiropractic work which helps keep them in check – usually.  Any recommendations of herbs I have not tried?  Thanks in advance!

[DawnStudent]

Hello Shirley, I’m a student here too 🙂  and I thought I would offer what helps my daughter’s migraines. She takes Feverfew capsules with Butterbur as a preventative. As Butterbur is not good for everyone or long term, I switched her to Feverfew capsules only once we had her migraines better managed. These work best when taken daily, as you have said, it is hard to stop a migraine after it gets going. And my daughter was having daily migraines so that a daily prevenatitive was a good thing.  If you are not in this boat, maybe you can try Ginger to abort the onset of a migraine but my understanding is that you must take the Ginger in water as you feel a migraine coming on, not after the fact. For my headaches, I use Meadowsweet tinc. which has salysilic acid like Willow but it has more interesting things too so I prefer it. If that doesn’t work for me, I grab Lemon Balm tinc.  Sometimes I must repeat them after a couple hrs and double check your dose to make sure you are using enough for the problem.  You can try liver cleansing/supporting herbs in the meantime as that seems to be a common underlying issue and, also, look into magnesium as it seems the majority of us are all low and that can cause chronic headaches/migraines too. Maybe if you work on those two possiblities, you might find that one of your earlier remedies now works when you get a headache going.

I hope that helps you. Headaches are very debilitating when they get rip roaring. Good luck and God bless.

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Nancy Smith, Lenka, ann peschges, Dylan Kingston, Shirley Burns

[Geneva BivensStudent]

Hi Shirley,

I’m sorry to hear that you’re suffering with tension headaches and migraines.

Have you combined the passion flower and chamomile to see if that helps you? I used to suffer from tension headaches regularly and the only thing that gave me relief was that combination; passion flower – chamomile tea.

Really hope that you find some relief!

 

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Nancy Smith

[Shirley BurnsStudentTopic Author]

Thanks, Geneva – I don’t think I’ve tried those 2 together before but I will today.  I only have passion flower tincture but I put a few squirts in my chamomile tea.

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Geneva Bivens

[Shirley BurnsStudentTopic Author]

Hi Geneva, I’ve tried this a few times and so far so good – but this round of headaches has been mild.  Can you expand on the protocol you typically follow?  I’ve been making about a quart of strong chamomile tea with 2-3 quirts of passionflower.  I drink it throughout the day when I have a tension headache.  Do you only use it while feeling the headache coming on or while having the headache or daily as preventative?  I take a lot of herbs and supplements for a variety of health issues so treating an approaching or beginning headache seems more sustainable for me at this particular time.  Is that your approach?  Thanks again for the input!

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Geneva Bivens

[Geneva BivensStudent]

Hi Shirley,

I drink the passionflower and chamomile tea when I feel a tension headache coming on to nip it in the bud asap. Other than that, I have chamomile tea almost every evening before bed. Since I’ve adopted the evening routine the tension headaches are farther apart than they used to be. Hope you’re still getting relief from tension headaches!

I apologize for such a delayed response, just saw your question. Have no idea how I missed it previously.

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Shirley Burns

[Joanne DelemareStudent]

I like a very large cup of strong peppermint tea with lemon balm and rosemary…find this is a good blend that helps me.

Not herbal, but if it’s migraine and triptans tend to help, try a large pinch of salt under the tongue, and observe headache over 10-15 mins. If improved, take 1/8tsp salt in a large glass of water. Sometimes this works well for me (sometimes need to do it a few times..)

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Shirley Burns, Nancy Smith

[Helen LangfordStudent]

I have had migraines most of my life. I can remember getting one everyday by noon when I was in high school. I seem to get them in spurts now. I think for me the source is a combination of stress level and not eating frequent enough. If I don’t eat soon enough, I will usually get one. What helps me is an essential oil blend of 20 drops Peppermint, 20 drops Rosemary and sometimes add 5 – 10 drops of lavender and fill a 10 ml roller bottle with fractionated coconut oil the rest of the way. I then roll it over my forehead from the left temple to the right and add just a light roll under my nose. If I feel the tension at the back of my neck, I will roll the oil blend over that area too. I usually have to reapply the oil after a bit. It doesn’t always relieve it 100% but, at least I can go about my day without holding my hand on my head or applying pressure or laying down in a dark room. Good Luck. I hope you find something that helps you.

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Shirley Burns

[Herb ThymeStudent]

Hi Shirley, what if you try putting some strong cayenne pepper in some water and swish in mouth a little and drink.  I have found relief from that.  Also, I have made a lemon balm, skullcap, feverfew tincture and that seems to be good.  But it sounds like you have tried skullcap.  Have you considered hops?  Maybe teasel root?  Good luck.

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Shirley Burns

[Rebekah CarmichaelStudent]

I don’t know if this will be any use but thought I would mention it. My older brother used to get migraines headaches. Mom did some research and started giving him magnesium supplements. The headaches went away. Then he got married and stopped taking the pills and the headaches returned. Now he is back on magnesium and doing fine.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by Rebekah Carmichael.

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