3. Acupuncture
Given acupuncture’ s lack of side effects and high success rate, Dr. Mauskop is quick to recommend it to his patients. From his experience, he estimates the therapy works for about 50 to 60 percent of migraineurs, though it usually takes four or five sessions to see any benefit.
1. Lifestyle Adjustments
When Alexander Mauskop, MD, a neurologist and director of the New York Headache Center, sees patients, he always provides a handwritten list of suggested lifestyle changes and complementary therapies that usually includes exercise, meditation and certain supplements.
“ The most proven thing we start with is regular aerobic exercise,” he says.
He recommends 20 to 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. Good sleep habits are also important, and there are many dietary interventions that can help.
2. Vitamins and Supplements
Although vitamins and supplements have little scientific support as a migraine or headache treatment, many have proven effective for patients. In Dr. Mauskop’ s research, as many as half of all migraineurs have a magnesium deficiency, which can exacerbate the attacks. For these patients, taking daily supplements often improves matters. For many headache sufferers, he also recommends feverfew, butterbur and coenzyme Q10, better known as CoQ10.
Farmer cautions that the quality of a supplement is important, and patients generally get what they pay for. The inexpensive formulations available at chain stores can be less potent and less effective. She suggests researching supplements and brands online or visiting a reputable health food store.
The disadvantages? It’ s time consuming and somewhat costly. Patients must come in for weekly sessions, usually for 10 to 12 weeks. Because insurance generally doesn’ t cover acupuncture, this can get expensive fast. Although costs vary from provider to provider, each session typically runs about $ 100, Dr. Mauskop says.
According to the NHF, other physicians and patients who have used acupuncture extensively have reported equivocal results, and the outcomes have not been sustained.
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