Classic migraine occurs in one major artery traversing the temples. Constriction, dilation and spasm of the muscular lining of any "tube" of the body can occur. "Atypical migraine" is thus the most common form! The nastiest family of oxidized fats triggers this extremely painful spasm: leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are manufactured from fatty acids by the lipoxygenase enzyme. The pharmaceutical cartel has spent six billion dollars developing lipoxygenase inhibitors (or leukotriene receptor antagonists - LTRAs), even though low-cost, effective natural lipoxygenase inhibitors are plentiful, garlic for example. Leukotrienes create spasm and hyperalgesia, the ultra sensitivity of the inflammatory immune flare. When energy production is low and antioxidant and acid buffers are exhausted, migraine arrives.

Synonyms for Migraine: Asthma occurs when leukotriene chemistry explodes out of control in the lungs, triggered by foods or air-born allergens. When migrainous spasm shuts down the flow of blood-nutrients to an area avascular necrosis results, creating degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis), bone cavitations, and periodontal abscesses. Immune complexes are seen in muscle trigger points and in bursitis. The pain of a throbbing toothache or periodontal abscess is migraine. Necrotizing gingivostomatitis (NG) ranging from necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (trench mouth) to the rare noma is the most painful dental condition. Spasm in the brain vessels creates stroke. Migraine in the coronary vessels is called angina. Is it headache or hearache? Unrelenting anginal migraine is called heart attack. Migraine mild enough to cause constriction (but not necessarily pain) is called idiopathic high blood pressure. Paradoxically, low blood pressure is often the rule for the alkaline-dominant, unless trigger-foods are present. Peripheral arterial disease, aneurysm, hemorrhoids, and even phlebitis or varicosity can be created by avascular necrosis of vessel walls.

Tension head and muscle aches are merely mild migraines occurring in microscopic vessels of the muscle. Nighttime leg cramps are seen when anti-inflammatory mechanisms flag diurnally. Hot flashes and menstrual cramps are estrogen flux migraines. Inflammatory bowel disease - spastic colon is migraine in the inner lining of the gut. Ulcers are the result of avascular necrosis, instead of within a joint, on the lining of the gut. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, dizziness or ringing is lipoxygenase-triggered chemistry of ear innards. Hives, eczema, and psoriasis are skin migraines. Migraine brain chemistry creates mood swings and emotional changes, inexplicable irritability, inability-to-concentrate, autism, free-floating anxiety, even deep depression. Cystitis or sinusitis is a migraine. Heartburn is esophageal spasm. Gall bladder attacks are spasms of the duct.

Necrotizing vasculitis is associated with the virally mediated immune flare. On the skin, herpes may create a small vesicle, noticed only when irritated; or herpes might create an angry, terribly painful leukotriene wheal, surrounding a wound of dead tissue and pus. Medicine makes many distinctions, calling the virally triggered vascular migraine: leukocytoclastic vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatous vasculitis, giant cell arteritis, or temporal arteritis. Arteritis is often associated with hepatitis. The degree of destruction seen in the liver reflects the degree of exhaustion of phase two detoxification pathways (loss of control of inflammation). The painful inflammation of most rheumatic or autoimmune diseases is also characterized by masses of virally attracted lymphocytes. The pain can be managed by adding antiviral herbs to the following nutritional remedies. Cancer and cancer pain.

Dietary fats derived from corn-fed and soy-fed farm animals are efficient precursors to the nastiest forms of leukotrienes. Eat fewer factory-farmed animals. Reduce frequency of migraine by increasing flaxseed (oil), evening primrose oil, or cold water fish, algae, or seaweeds rich in omega-3 oils. Vitamin E (400-800 IU) protects from oxidative hazard of increased unsaturated oil intake and is strongly anti-inflammatory as well.

The oxidative production of leukotrienes is explosive, using chloride reserves, freeing up chloride’s favorite partner sodium. Excess sodium binds to the primary acidic buffer of blood, carbonic acid, creating alkalosis. Diminished chloride also makes it more difficult to produce hydrochloric acid, diminishing vitamin B12 absorption and increasing risk to respiratory and digestive infections. Irritability and neuromuscular hyperexciteability are the hallmarks of alkalosis. Alkalosis makes the immune system more "trigger happy" to environmental stimulus, more likely to explode. Alkalosis is cause or effect of raging inflammatory chemistry. Large doses of ascorbic acid can quench the oxidative fire and balance the alkalosis. Try two grams of vitamin C every hour or two until the headache disappears.

There are two types of migraine people, one hot, one cool. Sharp stabbing expansive pain associated with a red vasodilated face is best treated with cooling feverfew and bitter sedatives such as hops, wild lettuce, California poppy, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower. There may be a bitter taste rising in the back of the throat, liver congestion, and constipation. Purgatives or enemas may be used along with antispasmodics for quick relief.

The vasoconstrictive pain, cool, throbbing, "head in a vice," or a "steel band around the head," often with blue rings around the eyes, is helped with warming herbs. Gingko, periwinkle, garlic, ginger, guggal, curcurmin (turmeric) as in curries, other proanthocyanidins such as pycnogenol, grape pips, blueberries, cherries, and other richly pigmented fruits can be used lavishly.

Dress warmly and take a brisk walk with long strides (but shallow breathing) to acidify. Cool the hands and feet and vigorously swing the arms to draw blood away from throbbing cerebral vessels. Try a hot bath or shower, with vinegar or mustard, not soaps. To combat alkalinity, the Kali homeopathic remedies (based on the potassium salts) can effectively impact vital force. Ammonium chloride is a readily available drugstore acidifier. Many of us have learned that acid-forming "bad habits" provide us temporary relief of alkaline irritability and pain symptoms. Smoking, soda pop, coffee, alcohol, high animal-protein meals, the grains, especially wheat and wheat germ, cocaine and stress are all acidifying, freeing minerals for function, withdrawing our alkaline reserve.

An atypical migraine can even create a cosmetic problem. Dr. Ron Goldstein of Atlanta shows slides of a gummy smile with beautiful shell-pink gums around the front teeth. In the next picture, the gums were an unattractive blotchy-red around the central incisors. The patient discovered that coffee triggered this atypical vasodilatory migraine.

Certain bioflavinoids block the lipoxygenase enzyme used to create leukotrienes from structural fat molecules cleaved from our membranes. Garlic, ginger, osha, ginkgo biloba, Hawthorne, guggal (boswellia), silymarin from milk thistle, combretum, feverfew, and cruciferous vegetables are lioxygenase blockers and leukotriene inhibitors. Use an equivalent volume (2,000-mg) of several bioflavinoids to vitamin C, every hour or two at the beginning, and when stable, every morning and evening. Try antioxidants before and after enjoying terribly tasty temptations. Garlic alone reduces migraines by 50%.

Other flavinoids rich in phenols such as chocolate, red wine, or oranges and tangerines can overload and inhibit a detoxification enzyme called phenosulfotransferase (PST). A chocolate bar per week is associated with 36% less death than abstainers. Even three or more chocolate bars promotes 16% less death.

Magnesium is key to stopping spasm. Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) is acidifying as are the magnesium citrates, ascorbates, acetates, or malates. Milk of magnesia is readily available. Epsom salts and milk of magnesia are taken at half the bowel loosening dose, unless a purge is desired. Neutral magnesium taurate is very appealing because taurine is a calming amino acid, reducing arrhythmia, spasms, and diarrhea. Taurine (and Epsom salts) also supply sulfur, recharging important antioxidant systems. Magnesium-potassium aspartate is mildly stimulatory and enhances endurance. Take 200-400 mg of magnesium per day to reduce migraines by 50%. Try up to 800-1,400 mg magnesium in divided doses, balanced with other minerals, on a bad migraine day.

Well-known environmental triggers for migraine are often the foods "we love" due to a perverted reward-response. An inappropriate food stresses the immune system, releasing endorphins. After thirty years of treating patients with migraines, we have great success when food addictions can be identified and controlled. Food and symptom diaries are helpful, as are elimination-provocation diets. Molecular mimicry and alteration of gene expression by a variety of parasites or viruses may explain localization of symptoms.

Tyramine-rich aged meats and cheeses, citrus, fermented foods, especially red wine, yogurt, cheeses, and other milk products, inadequately soaked seeds, kidney beans, nuts, and legumes - especially peanuts incite migraines. Northern-heritage people often have migraines triggered by tropical fruits such as avocado, citrus, pineapple, dried fruits, or with versions of Oriental pungency: MSG (monosodium glutamate - hydrolyzed vegetable protein). Often, the stimulus is a favorite every-day food (aspartame in diet soft drinks), or especially an every-meal food (wheat) that is "filling up the rain barrel to overflowing" as a trigger for chronic inflammation." Maybe it is the phenols in my chocolate.

Aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) trigger asthma in 10% of asthmatics. Migraines are similarly triggered. Two primary fat oxidizing enzymes trigger inflammation: the milder cyclo-oxygenase blocked by NSAIDs, vitamins C & E and the more aggressive lipoxygenase, blocked by a variety of bioflavinoids such as garlic. Effective blockade of cyclo-oxygenase will shunt more chemistry into the more spastic lipoxygenase pathways. Aspirin and NSAIDs also inhibit prostacyclin. Prostacyclin is a beneficial prostaglandin that keeps platelets and vessel walls slippery, resisting spasm. Prostacyclin provides an effective mucus lining of the gut, the lungs and sinuses, the mouth and vagina. Asthma is migraine with mucky mucus. Licorice, marshmallow, slippery elm, vitamin E, vitamin C and rose hips, as well as magnesium promote healthy slippery mucus membranes.

Proteolytic enzymes such as bromelain or papain help to more efficiently digest food allergens, although they themselves may be allergens. Fortunately, there are many different sources of proteolytic enzymes since proteases powerfully control pain. Protein-digesting enzymes reduce inflammation inside of arteries. Proteases digest immunoglobulins (antigen-antibody complexes) that cause immune response in muscles, joints, and glands. Increased gut permeability is the primary potentiator of increased food-fragments in the circulation. These internally inappropriate food-fragments create immune confusion and functional disarray. Stress, alcohol, and NSAIDs are primary causes of damaged digestion and increased gut permeability, creating increased risk to all inflammatory disease.

Platelet excitation unleashes migraine serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) chemistry. Proteolytic enzymes make platelets less sticky. Nitric oxide (synthesized from arginine), acetylcholine (promoted by choline), and serotonin (made from tryptophan) promote eccentric contraction of vessel muscles (elongating the fibril), creating dilation. Immune spasm and pain can occur with the vessel dilated, or when it is clamped, creating pain from ischemic necrosis (death from lack of oxygen). Oxygen is used as a treatment for cluster headaches.

The B vitamins are alkalizing, and large doses should be minimized in general, for the overly-alkaline migraine type. However, riboflavin has a special place as an anti-migraine vitamin with doses of 400 mg per day with breakfast, or 200 mg twice daily, reducing migraines. Niacin 300-500 mg chewed at start of aura aborts many migraines. Vitamin B6, 200 mg twice daily or the activated P5P, 5-25 mg, inhibits platelet aggregation and is necessary for serotonin production, Vitamin B12 (I mg) and folic acid (in doses to 15 mg per day) are also helpful.

Migraine is a significant symptom of low thyroid function. Thyroid blood testing is still very crude as we approach the new millennia. Synthroid is effective for less than fifty percent of my low thyroid patients. Follow your own body temperature. One degree below 98.6 reduces metabolic efficiency tremendously. Low thyroid activity compromises digestion and immunity and generates pain due to increased accumulation of toxins in metabolically active areas. When seemingly appropriate thyroid supplementation causes side-effects, the underlying cause may be weak pituitary or adrenal function. Support adrenal function with five to six drops of an herbal licorice preparation three times per day. Adrenal and pituitary glandular preparations are also supportive, along with vitamin C and pantothenic acid.

Menstrual migraines are associated with low progesterone states. Use a natural progesterone cream after ovulation for two weeks to reduce the menstrual migraine. Herbs that balance progesterone activity should help men and women: Vitex (Chaste tree), Angelica (Dang Kwai), Dioscorea (wild yam), Taraxacum (dandelion), and Cinnamomum (cinnamon). DHEA (dihydroepiandosterone) is the precursor to progesterone. Try 25 mg per day of DHEA. Excessive doses may lead to extra hair or acne pimples.

Hot flashes are a very special whole body migraine related to fluxes in estrogen levels. Two to three months on balancing herbs such as vitex usually makes hot flashes merely a memory. Until then, symptomatic relief is rapidly provided by the homeopathic remedy lachesis (diluted snake venom).

 My patients tell me a plethora of problems have been solved by the identification and surgical cleansing of their internal cavitational cesspools. They remember the bad smell. A wide variety of chronic pain syndromes, hormonal imbalance, psychological, neurological and immune related problems seem to radiate from these dead spaces within the bone. Diagnosis is difficult. Unlucky patients sink into prescription narcotic bliss or are simply tranquilized into submission. Phantom shadows in computer-averaged X rays of a naturally porous and variable bone are the dentist’s usual clue. Fatigued patients in chronic pain, often traumatized by many failed treatments, are asked to have one more exploratory surgery, if they are lucky enough to have a suspicious and courageous surgeon.