Yes, migraines are curable. Even if you think you’ve tried it all and nothing helped migraines can be cured permanently. All you need to do is find the cause. The causes of migraines are many, and unfortunately even pain and migraine clinics miss many obvious migraine triggers. If you still battle migraines, do not despair, just look further.
Linda had migraines all her life, or at least for twenty or thirty years. Now in her forties Linda was convinced that she had to live with migraines for the rest of her live. She had the migraines 2-4 times a week and to ease the pain she need to rely on heavy medication. When she came she was just hoping to minimize side effects of the drugs. She was not even thinking that her migraines can ever go away. She thought it was genetic and she must live with it.
In the past she visited numerous doctors, migraine clinics, pain specialists, acupuncturists, and several other holistic practitioners. Nothing helped. Her doctors performed all possible tests including MRI and CT scan. No cause could be determined, which convinced her that migraines are a permanent part of her life. Every time she was stressed or it was about to rain her migraine would start. She attributed her migraines to stress and weather. Neither of which she could change.
When I examined her, I found that the muscles around her neck were very tight and she suffered from anxiety. That proviced the first clue, but our standard biochemical test confirmed the causes of her migraines. Although sceptical she promised to follow my no-migraine rules for two weeks. When she came back she said she no longer suffered from migraines. She still couldn’t believe that the migraines that had plaqued her all her life could simply disappear. It took her a few weeks to adjust to a life without migraines. A life she knew nothing about. Although her stress did not go away and there were many rainy days, Linda had no more migraines.
What happened?
All migraines have causes. And no, they are not genetic or incurable. The success in curing migraines lies in finding and removing the primary triggers. Linda thought she had two triggers: stress and weather. Yet, these were not the primary triggers. Standard orthodox medicine accepts stress and weather as common migraine triggers, but does not look further why some people react to weather or stress with migraines, and some people don’t. Linda and I went a step further. We looked for primary triggers, the triggers that cause migraines due to weather or stress. We found them.
Linda had two primary triggers nobody paid attention to: low blood sugar and tight knots in her neck muscles. Every time she did not eat or eat the wrong foods her sugar dropped and, as a result, she was more sensitive to stress and weather. Every time she was more stressed her muscles around the neck tightened causing migraines. It took half an hour to remove the tight knots and another half an hour to adjust the diet, that’s it. From then on, the primary triggers were removed and she no longer had migraines. Very simple.
If you still suffer from headaches or migraines and you have given up, stay optimistic that there may be cure waiting for you. Although it is tempting to get the hottest anti-migraine herb from the internet or the newest drug from your doctor, you need to know you have a slim chance of finding a cure in a pill. If you continuously have to take something to prevent or reduce your migraines, you haven’t cured anything, and are using wrong correctors.
WHAT ARE CORRECTORS?
READ MORE IS THERE A CURE FOR HEADACHES?
*sigh* Oh come on, Doctor D.
Your column here about curing migraine is like the old, tired argument, “You’ll live forever as long as you don’t die.”
Disease isn’t “cured” if it comes back. According to your own reasoning, if “Linda” were to have another bout of low blood sugar or knots in her neck, she’d have another migraine attack.
What kind of “cure” is that? Isn’t that where she is right now??
And what’s with the “coming soon” explanations of your treatment plan? Why won’t you tell us what your treatment plan is?
If there were a cure for migraine, the government would be on it like a chicken on a June bug. Whoever discovered it would likely win a Nobel Prize and would receive millions of dollars honestly.
What you’re proposing is nothing more than simple migraine management, which any doctor and a number of legitimate migraine help sites direct people to perform. I think you’re just trying to hook desperate people into giving you their money.
Tells us your treatment plan and explain why it is superior to treatment plans that are already in place, please.
I have migraines which are now chronic. I also have daily myofascial pain, probably from Fibro.
My neck hurts almost as much as my head.
I have no migraines in my family, and cannot discern triggers, except for the hormones which seemed to start them with menopause. That was 16 or so years ago.
I am no living on Triptans for the migraines and cannot find anything for the neck pain, nothing seems to help it.
I would be interested in your thoughts about my situation please.
Thanks.
Dr. D.,
I read this post with great interest, but am very disappointed. There is a vast body of research showing that Migraine is indeed a genetic neurological disease for which, at this time, there is no cure.
You are quite correct that identifying triggers is essential to good Migraine management. However, you could have made that point and be working to help people identify triggers and avoid those what are avoidable without claiming that good, solid research is incorrect, that Migraine is not genetic, and that it can be cured.
With the approach you’ve taken, you’ve ensured that responsible patients who educate themselves about their health issues will, if they read this, do so with disdain.
I know that you’ve declined to post other comments. Be brave and truthful, and post this one, please.
Hi Terri,
I am actually glad you made a comment. I do not deny and I am quite aware that migraines are considered genetics. I had quite a number of “genetically induced migraines” in my clinic. These patients were desperate, but really did not believe that they can do anything about it besides suffering or taking drugs. Yet in time it turned out that these seemingly hopeless cases were somehow able to manage or get rid of the pain entirely.
From that I have learned that people stop trying and keep on suffering once they are told they have a “genetic” problem. In fact many cases of migraines are not genetic at all. I believe if we stop feeding people with the word “genetic” and keep on telling them there is no cure and there is nothing they can do, we will end up with a much healthier and happier population. I wish I can contribute to it.
There’s more. People who study genetics know that expression of genes depends on the environment. In fact, there is a huge scientific area called “epigenetics” which studies how environment affects the genes. According to the research 95% of genes respond to the environment, which means we can be in charge of these genes. Please read “Biology of belief” by Bruce Lipton, PhD. He is an internationally recognized authority in cell biology. http://www.brucelipton.com
I hope we will all eventually end up with one voice about health. There are too many diseases and too much suffering that can be ereased, but first there must be education and awareness, then acceptance of new ideas, and then application. I am greatful for internet. Now we can exchange ideas and although we sometimes do not seem to agree on the subject it is just a matter of time when we understand each other’s point of view.
Hi Jo,
I do not know the details of your case, but I will try to help you by pointing out the professions that may help you the most.
– Chiropractic – a skillful chiropractor can find trigger points in muscles that can cause migraines and may adjust neck if there is a subluxation contributing to it.
– Naturopathy – Naturopathic physicians have access to variety of test that can check for additional triggers. They also are able to assess your body differently than your medical doctor. It is worth trying. You may be exposed to an entirely different world of understanding of how the body works. However, please check education level and licensing of naturopaths first. The word “naturopath”, “Naturopathic Doctor”, or “Naturopathic Physician” have a different meaning in different countries. Here in Canada we have min 4 yrs of med education. Please look for same. PS. Naturopaths also do acupuncture.
– Homeopathy – I believe that may be one of the best options for you. It is a gentle yet very effective way of treatment. The trick is to find a good homeopath or a naturopathic physician that uses classical homeopathy.
Get better and let us know how things go. Dr.D.
I do agree with some of what you have said, tension can start a migraine as well as avoiding known triggers but sometimes you do not know the trigger and you cannot avoid it. I once got a migraine from someones perfume within 30 seconds. I am all for helping and finding answers to stopping these horrendous migraines but saying they are curable is HUGE. I am a 3rd generation migraine sufferer who now watches her children suffer with migraines. I have been to chiropractors and have tried naturopathy for help. The chiropractors actually made the matter worse. As for giving up I have never given up on trying to find help. I think that general statement is an insult for those of us who do our own research and have seen every doctor and alternative practitioner, and yet we still suffer. I would like to see your proof backed up with numbers as well as the percentage of ones you could not help. You also never stated how you help those with hormonal migraine headaches.
I am someone that has suffered since I was a child and now also watched my children suffer. I pray for an answer to this disease. I am sure you are able to help a lot of people but please be careful with the word “cure” before you have enough information to back up your claim.
Hi Benice,
I sympathize with your condition and I know how sometimes it difficult to find a cause. However in no way I claimed that all migraines will find a cure. And not because they are not curable, but because we fail to find the cause. Sorry, if you find it insulting that I tried to help people who can be helped.
As to how i treat migraine and headeaches – i try to find a primary trigger that can be permanently eliminated. There is not one cause, so everybody is different.
I wish you all the best. Dr.D.
Hi Benice,
Just found some numbers for you. I will quote “Textbook of Nutritional Medicine” by M. Werbach, MD.
“Several double-blind studies have confirmed the numerous early reports that a wide variety of foods, most of which are commonly eaten, can provoke migraine headaches. Results of food eliminations have been so impressive that a conservative estimate is that one out of three migraineurs will benefit markedly from food avoidance. In fact, in one double-blind study, 93% of 88 children with severe, frequent migraine did so well that the authors titled their study “Is migraine food allergy?”.
Food allergy test is one of the trigger evaluation tests I use for migraine sufferers.
Just a thought…. maybe all your family is allergic to something.
I didn’t say that I found it insulting that you try to help, please don’t think that. I said the general statement was an insult. Your words at the beginning of the article “Yes, migraines are curable. Even if you think you’ve tried it all and nothing helped migraines can be cured permanently.” are what bothered me. No where do you say that some are not curable, if you did you would be negating the opening sentences of your article. You highlight the word cure multiple times.
Speaking for those of us that search high and low and have looked in every corner of alternative medicine as well as headache specialists when I read a cure has been found I want it to be real and for all of us. Those of us with chronic migraines and those of us with just one a month from our menses. And anyone in between. Men and women alike. I hope you have all the success in the world helping eliminate migraines from those that can be helped, but please choose your words more carefully.
Dear Parin Stormlaughter,
HealthCentral.com has pointed out that I missed a comment. So, I went searching for it under your name. It took a while because you commented with a different name on HealthCentral and on my blog. I receive a large number of spam comments every day and although I take time to post all valid comments I indeed have missed it. I appologize for overlooking it. So here is a response to it as well:
First, I would like to say that I would like you to change your disrespectful, angry and non-factual way of commenting. You need to distinguish between facts, assumptions, and opinions before making general statements.
Second, I would like you to read the article more thoroughly to understand that I did not propose a treatment plan, but want readers know that there is more to discover about causes of their suffering.
And here is an answer about Linda:
She suffered from reactive hypoglycemia induced by excessive sugar consumption, which she was educated on. She willingly changed her diet to reduce sugar and to include more nutritious choices, which also helped her to increase energy.
Her trigger points in uppper trapesius, levator scapulae, and sternocleidomastoid was removed with ischemic compression, which she responded to favorably. She did not require any further treatments. Her trigger points were perpetuated by poor nutrition as well, which will remain corrected as long as she maintains proper nutrition.
Please understand that Linda is only one example of a patient that sucessfully eliminated her migraines. Her success is due to proper assessment and treatment of underlying causes. Every patient is different and will need to be evaluated individually. Assessment and treatment over the internet is impossible at best.