Kathleen - Migraine Prevention

[Guest guest]

Kathleen,

 

Have you looked into the herb feverfew? I had a friend who used to get

migraines (I say used to 'cause she passed away a little over a year ago

in an accident) and she started taking feverfew and said that it helped

her big time! She had said that the frequency of migraine occurrences

was dramatically reduced.

 

Below is some info about it ...

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

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http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band65/b65-9.html

 

 

 

Feverfew for Migraine

 

 

 

Search <http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band65/b65-9.html#Heading2>

 

Results <http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band65/b65-9.html#Heading3>

 

Adverse <http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band65/b65-9.html#Heading4>

effects

 

Comment <http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band65/b65-9.html#Heading5>

 

A systematic review [1] reports evidence that feverfew is effective for

prophylaxis against migraine attacks.

 

 

 

 

Search

 

 

 

Randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trials were sought using

feverfew for the prevention of migraine. Searching was comprehensive,

included asking manufacturers for unpublished studies, and papers were

included only if feverfew was used alone.

 

 

 

 

Results

 

 

 

Five studies were found, one of which was published only as an abstract.

 

 

Two crossover trials (70 patients total, one an abstract looking at

serotonin uptake and platelet activity) showed no effects over 2-4

months. Three other trials, (146 patients, one parallel group, the other

two crossover trials) found significant reductions in the attack

frequency, pain intensity, and incidence and/or severity of nausea and

vomiting.

 

No meta-analysis was possible because of the disparate outcome measures

used in the trials. The level of statistical significance reported in

the positive trials was usually high, and often beyond 1 chance in 50.

 

 

 

 

Adverse effects

 

 

 

Adverse effects were mild and reversible.

 

 

 

 

Comment

 

 

 

Such information as is available from high-quality trials favours

feverfew over placebo for the prevention of migraine headaches. The

effectiveness of feverfew has not been established beyond reasonable

doubt. The very high levels of statistical significance found in the

positive trials suggest that larger studies looking at standardised

feverfew extracts would make sense especially with the low level of

adverse effects.

 

 

 

 

Reference:

 

 

 

 

 

1. BK Vogler, MH Pittler, E Ernst. Feverfew as a preventive

treatment for migraine: a systematic review. Cephalalgia 1998 18:

704-708.