Holistic care for teen migraines?
Has anyone had success getting help for their teen’s migraines through care providers other than MDs? My 15-year-old daughter has begun having more frequent, severe migraines. They seem to be related to their vision issues (convergence deficiency and other issues), hormonal shifts, and also their ADHD. They’ve been receiving help with their vision issues, but it’s difficult to limit screen usage enough to avoid eye strain, given that most of their schoolwork takes place on-screen. We’re identifying triggers and working to avoid them, along with just bolstering overall health, but it’s difficult to maintain consistency, given their ADHD-related challenges.
The OTC pain meds they’ve been using (ibuprofen and acetaminophen) are becoming less effective and seem to be causing worse, rebound headaches. My understanding is that any migraine-specific meds are even more likely to lead to rebound headaches. We’ve found some homeopathic remedies that are effective, but I’d like to enlist the help of an alternative health care provider who’s experiences with migraines during puberty (and possibly with ADHD). Any recommendations would be very appreciated!
Parent Replies
Please let your daughter decide if she wants to try the prescription meds, and encourage her to give them a try. I am a lifetime sufferer of migraines although I didn't know what they were and wasn't treated until well into my 30s. The Rx really work, consistently, when Advil Migraine stopped being effective fairly quickly. I have never had a rebound from the Rx nor have I ever found a non-prescription approach that did anything. I wish I had had a doctor or a parent step in to save me decades of pain.
I have a friend who has had debilitating migraine for many years. She got some relief from learning and avoiding her triggers, which led to a pretty strict lifestyle, especially around food. She go some relief from CBD as well. Like your daughter, she experienced rebound from pain meds.
A few years ago she started taking Emgality, which is a monthly injection that prevents migraine, and it has changed her life. She's gone from having several migraine days a week to having one maybe once or twice a month, and then with much milder symptoms. She can eat whatever she wants. And no rebound; if anything, the treatment has gotten more effective over time.
Emgality blocks a protein involved in migraine. It's meant for adults, and I don't know the age cut-off. Other drugs with a similar mechanism are
If school-related screen time is part of the problem, especially if your daughter is already getting some accommodation around ADHD, maybe you can negotiate accommodations trading out screen-based assignments with paper ones.
Hi,
My teen and I both suffer from migraines, as does my mother and my sister. My brother and father also had migraines as adolescents. As a family, we have probably experimented with everything short of Botox injections at one time or another.
Like the previous commenter, I would consider giving prescription migraine medications a chance. Having a triptan on hand to take as an arrestive when migraines are threatening has made a world of difference with my teen. I used a non-triptan arrestive when I was a teen and getting daily severe migraines, and they killed my headaches for a decade, no lie.
I also think that traditional medications can go hand-in-hand with alternative health care, and in this vein I particularly recommend looking into acupuncture. It's really helped a lot of people I know with migraine management (although I cannot talk my Midwestern family into trying it :) ). I do have an acupuncturist I can recommend if you PM me, but there are many skilled practitioners in the area.
My husband uses tiger balm and head massage ever since his teen. Whenever, I have a headache he applies it one and massage my head. It does help a lot. You might want to give it a try. Also, there are Chinese roll-on oils for the same purpose. Wishing you a speedy recovery
I'm sorry your teen is having migraines—they are truly debilitating. I cannot speak to the teen issue, but I started experiencing severe migraines when I went through menopause. I also have ADD (diagnosed late in life), vision issues, and work requires me to be on screen far too much. My doctor put me on a migraine medication (sumatriptan) that knocked me out for a day or two. I didn't have the pain, but I also wasn't functional, even cutting the dosage. Rebound headaches were mild and manageable, if unpleasant.
I'm happy to report that I haven't had a migraine in a couple of years! Here's what worked for me: the minute I notice the signs of one coming on, I take Excedrin Migraine and lie down for 20-30 minutes. I take scrupulous care of my sinuses (congestion from allergies being a contributing factor for me). I have also implemented a plethora of self-care / lifestyle strategies to manage stress, particularly that exacerbated by ADD. All difficult for a middle-aged adult, so I am aware how challenging it would be for a teen to discover, implement, and manage something like this. Regardless, I encourage you to pursue the alternative track. Particularly with ADD, anything that motivates us to understand what we need to live a balanced and calm life pays off in spades!
I would recommend connecting with UCSF Osher Center for Integrated Health. While my teen was seen there for other issues caused by hormonal imbalance, etc. I know that they also address migraines! They have a scholarship program as well. They have doctors who prescribe supplements and herbal remedies along with acupuncture and other modalities. I highly recommend them! This can also be done along side western medicines as well if needed.