Both magnesium and riboflavin may help relieve certain types of headaches for some people. Determine whether treatment with magnesium or riboflavin is right for your headaches with help from your doctor. Combining various alternative, medicinal and lifestyle choices in the attempt to mitigate the symptoms of your headaches can be a long process, but it may lead to a personalized formula for relief.
Types of Headaches
Headaches come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each of which may benefit from a different mode of treatment. Migraine headaches can be debilitating, typically occur on one side of the head, may cause nausea and may be preceded by a visual disturbance known as an aura. Cluster headaches are short-lived but frequent, often occurring in men, multiple times over a period of one or several days, or longer. Tension headaches may be related to excessive stress and muscular tightness in the shoulders, jaw and neck. Less commonly, headaches may be a sign of another serious illness. Migraines are the type of headache most likely to benefit from treatment that includes riboflavin and magnesium.
Riboflavin
According to MayoClinic.com, high doses of riboflavin, also known as vitamin B-2, may help prevent the onset of migraine headaches in some headache sufferers. This can happen when riboflavin corrects small brain-cell deficiencies. Riboflavin occurs naturally in dairy products, leafy green vegetables, beans, liver, kidneys, almonds, mushrooms, yeast and tomatoes. Consult with your doctor before taking high doses of riboflavin or riboflavin supplements.
Magnesium
Some migraine sufferers also have low levels of magnesium. Supplementing the diet with magnesium has shown mixed results for headache relief. Find magnesium in dark, leafy greens, almonds, cashews, beans, seeds, tofu, apricots, avocados, brown rice and millet. Talk with your doctor about whether you should try a magnesium supplement to help curtail the onset of your headaches or relieve their intensity.
Complementary Treatments
People who suffer from migraine headaches can develop a range of soothing remedies, methods for preventing headaches, and tactics to curtail headache intensity after onset. However, the effectiveness of each method varies from person to person. Ask your doctor about whether riboflavin or magnesium could help with your headaches. In addition, try complementary remedies, such as relaxation, acupuncture and herbal treatments, and avoid foods that may trigger the headaches, such as cheese, wine, nuts and chocolate.
References
- MedlinePlus: Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2)
- MayoClinic.com; Migraine: Alternative Medicine; June 2011
- The New York Times; When Is a Headache Not Just a Headache?; Lisa Sanders, MD; September 2005
- The New York Times; Migraine: Perspectives on a Headache; Paula Kamen; March 2008
- MedlinePlus: Magnesium in Diet
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