Brain Freeze
As a former migraine sufferer, I can tell you first hand that when you’re in that kind of pain, you’ll do just about anything to make it go away. And I mean anything.
But there is such a thing as going too far, and it looks as though many people will now have the option to try a drastic — and arguably unnecessary — measure to get rid of their migraine pain.
Researchers have theorized that migraine pain might be permanently alleviated by surgically removing “trigger points” — that is, places where the pain is most intense for the sufferer. So far, researchers have tested this theory by injecting Botox (botulinum toxin A) into these areas to paralyze or “freeze” them to see what happens when they are inactivated. They’re studying this approach further to develop a surgical procedure that would completely remove these trigger or pain points in the face, neck, and head.
This doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. Think about it this way: if you have arthritis pain, you don’t surgically remove the offending joint. I’m not sure where the motivation is coming from within the medical industry. But I do know that there are numerous natural alternatives that can — and should – be tried exhausted before taking this kind of step.
Dr. Wright has written many times about the success he’d had using a combination of natural therapies to combat migraines, including magnesium, vitamin B6, and the herb feverfew. Also, he has had success in tracking down the causes of his patients’ migraines, which often include food or other allergies and sensitivities, hypoglycemia, improper sugar control, or a need for balancing hormones.
If you or anyone you know suffers from migraines, please refer to Dr. Wright’s more complete article on combating migraine pain in the May 2001 issue of Nutrition & Healing. It’s available to subscribers in the archive section of the website, www.nutritionandhealing.com. Just enter the username and password from your most recent issue.
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All-in-one bone building
Q: Do you offer a product called Osteo-Mins? Apparently it is calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K. A friend in Washington takes it with great results.
JVW: Yes, I offer Osteo-Mins in my practice and I can vouch for its effectiveness. I say this with absolute certainty because I helped develop it.
And yes, it has calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K in addition to magnesium, zinc, copper, boron, silicon, manganese, selenium and molybdenum. However, the most important ingredient in Osteo-Mins is the mineral, strontium. Numerous studies going back almost a century prove again and again, that strontium stimulates bone formation thereby increasing bone strength and reducing the symptoms of osteoporosis.
After researching the many studies supporting the bone enhancing benefits of this mineral, I began recommending it to my patients as an individual supplement. Unfortunately, the product I was using was made in Canada and import regulations from Canada to the U.S. made it hard to maintain supplies of it. This prompted me to work with a US company, Progressive Laboratories, to develop the multi-mineral and vitamin formula in Osteo-Mins.
You can still use strontium as an individual supplement. Just remember to take up to twice as much calcium as strontium. You can find Osteo-Mins and other strontium supplements in many health food stores and compounding pharmacies. For more information on the bone-building benefits of strontium, please refer to the February 2003 issue of Nutrition & Healing.
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What is…Botox?
Botox is most well known for its use in wrinkle-decreasing injections. It belongs to a class of drugs called botulinum toxins, of which there are many — the one commonly used is known as type A.
Normally, your brain sends electrochemical messages to your muscles to make them contract and move. These messages are transmitted from a nerve to the muscle by a substance called acetylcholine. Botox works by blocking the nerve from releasing acetylcholine. Most of us are well aware of the controversies surrounding use of this drug — but you may not realize that is has been approved by the FDA for other treatments as well, including:
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Blepharospasm, a disorder of the muscles that control eyelid movement.
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Cervical dystonia (CD), also known as spasmodic torticollis, in which patients experience involuntary contractions of the neck and shoulder muscles that cause the head to twist in abnormal positions.
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Severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis, or severe underarm sweating, considered a medical condition that involves hyperactive sweat glands.
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Strabismus, also known as crossed eyes, is a disorder in which eyes are misaligned.
The use of Botox in the treatment of migraines would be just one more feather in the cap of this controversial drug.
Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing
Sources: Guyuron B, Kriegler JS, Davis J, Amini SB. “Comprehensive surgical treatment of migraine headaches.” Plast Reconstr Surg 2005; 115(1): 1-9
Rios J, Passe MM. “Evidenced-based use of botanicals, minerals, and vitamins in the prophylactic treatment of migraines.” J Am Acad Nurse Pract 2004;16(6): 251-256
