Migraines are characterized by a gradual occurrence or phasing of symptoms. Prodrome, the initial onset of migraine, occurs days or hours before the actual headache. During prodrome, light or sound sensitivity begins as well as digestive disturbance and irritability. The next phase, referred to as aura, may or may not occur for some and when it does it lasts from 15 to 60 minutes. The aura causes visual, sensory or motor disturbance, often described as flashes or blind spots. Following the aura or after the prodrome comes the actual headache, which can last for days. Once the headache subsides, a postdrome phase occurs, leaving the sufferer feeling depressed and irritable or in some cases euphoric. Treatment focuses on preventing migraine pain relief once migraine begins and decreasing the duration of the attack. Magnesium for migraine is an alternative measure used to prevent onset.
Step 1
Get a medical exam and proper diagnosis. Consult your physician to determine if your symptoms are related to migraine before beginning an alternative approach. Your doctor can order computerized tomography scans to distinguish the origins of the headaches and confirm or rule out migraine. Discuss the use of natural magnesium or supplements for preventive treatment, since decreased magnesium levels are a factor for some migraine sufferers.
Step 2
Take a daily supplement to prevent migraine onset. Avoid magnesium deficiency, which can result in migraine headache, by taking the recommended daily allowance. The Office of Dietary Supplements indicates that men between 19 and 30 years old can take 400 mg per day, and men over the age of 30 can take 420 mg per day. Women between 19 and 30 years old can take 310 mg a day, and those over the age of 30 can take 320 mg daily. The upper limit for magnesium supplements in males and females is 350 mg per day.
Step 3
Eat foods rich in magnesium as an alternative to taking supplements. Familiarize yourself with good natural food sources of magnesium and incorporate these into your daily diet. A 1-oz. serving of dry roasted almonds provides 80 mg of magnesium, or try mixed nuts, which yields 65 mg per serving. Varieties of beans, such as baked, kidney or pinto, offers 35 mg per half-cup serving. Cooked halibut offers 90 mg of magnesium per 3-oz. serving and fortified oatmeals or cereals can yield up to 55 mg per serving. Check food labels to determine magnesium content and calculate your daily needs for preventing migraine.
Step 4
Use higher doses during menstruation-related migraine. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that some women can reduce migraine onset by briefly using increased doses of magnesium. Therapeutic dosages of up to 600 mg per day can reduce onset. However, this dose exceeds the recommended upper limits and physician supervision is advised before implementing high dose use of magnesium.
Step 5
Go to the emergency room for intravenous treatment. In the event of significant symptom onset and magnesium deficiency, the National Migraine Association notes that using intravenous magnesium can help, although consistency in benefits is inconclusive. The most recommended approach is daily magnesium intake as a preventive measure for migraine.
Tips and Warnings
- Avoid trigger foods, such as dairy or pickled products, that increase the risk of migraine. Discuss drug interactions with your physician before taking magnesium supplements.
- Side effects of using magnesium supplements include diarrhea and lowered blood pressure.
