Many alternative migraine cures
Q. I have migraines that I used to control with ibuprofen. After suffering severe stomach erosion, I gave up on that except for an emergency.
Now that we know that ibuprofen can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, I need a headache medicine that will be safe.
I searched the Web, and all the prescription medicines have warnings about heart attacks.
Is there anything I can safely take when I have a migraine?
A. NSAIDs like diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen can cause life-threatening bleeding ulcers. Since you are susceptible to this reaction, you must avoid such medications.
Danish scientists found that people who had experienced heart attacks were about 50 percent more likely to have a second one if they were taking ibuprofen, diclofenac or similar drugs (Circulation online, Sept. 10, 2012).
This presents a dilemma for people like you who need pain relief.
Our Guide to Headaches and Migraines offers alternative approaches, including magnesium, vitamin B-2, acupuncture and herbs such as butterbur, feverfew and ginger.
Anyone who would like a copy, please send $3 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (65 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. M-98, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our website: www.peoplespharmacy.com.>
Inducing “brain freeze” by drinking a very cold icy beverage or quickly eating a frozen dessert can sometimes stop a migraine, especially if used early. Q. My cat was attacked by two pit bulls. Her abdomen was extremely swollen, and she had two severe puncture wounds. We live on an island, and the vet was out of town for a week. His advice to us was to wash the area with sugar water and then pack the wounds with sugar. I was shocked: Within 12 hours, the area was light pink instead of bright red, and the puncture wounds had scabbed over. It truly was amazing how quickly the healing occurred. A. The healing power of honey or sugar has been known for millennia, but it often is overlooked. Dr. Richard Knutson, a retired orthopedic surgeon who has treated 7,000 patients, recommends a 3:1 ratio of confectioners’ sugar to cooking oil to pack wounds once they stop bleeding.