Migraine Headaches: Other Treatment

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Other Treatment

Although drugs are usually the primary treatment for migraines, adding complementary therapies may help reduce symptoms and the frequency of your migraine attacks. You may want to try the following after discussing them with your doctor:

• Acupuncture, which involves putting very thin needles into the skin at certain points on the body to produce energy flow along the body's meridians. Current evidence suggests that acupuncture can help with headaches. But more research is needed.²
• Biofeedback, a relaxation method for learning to control a body function that is not normally under conscious control, such as muscle tension
• Relaxation techniques to reduce stress and tension
• Feverfew, which is an herb that in the past was thought to help prevent migraines. We now have enough research to say that a benefit has not been proven. Feverfew doesn't appear to work any better than placebo at preventing migraines.⁷
• Butterbur, which is an herb that has been shown to help prevent migraines in some people.⁸
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2) and coenzyme Q10, which in small studies have both been shown to help prevent migraines.⁹

Last updated:	July 03, 2007
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Colin Chalk, MD, CM, FRCPC - Neurology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC