Migraine

Is actually an immune phenomenon, its just the head reacting first. Why?

Cause of Migraine

Migraine is the result of dilatation of blood vessels in the brain, yet specialised investigations such as brain CT or MRI scans show no significant abnormality. Migraine and headaches often respond to medications which produce the opposite effect, i.e. constriction of the blood vessels such as ergotamine.

Whilst migraine is generally believed to be a problem localised in the head, it is actually an immune phenomenon: when a person stops using foods or drinks known to contain pharmacologically active substances, the migraines initially worsen for a few days but are later clear.

Many people drinking coffee every day are still unaware of the powerful effect caffeine has on the immune system, causing a changed response, sensitivity or intolerance. Other common foods may have the same effect. The fact that we eat most of these foods regularly but only get migraines once every few weeks or a few months adds to the confusion about possible causes.

Treatment of Migraine

We use tests for food reactivities to confirm items which should be avoided to clear the headaches. We help you to work out a safe diet which will enable you in due course to improve your tolerance of various foods. If avoidance is difficult we treat migraine sufferers with desensitisation, such as Neutralisation or Enzyme Potentiated Desensitisation.

See Food Intolerance and symptoms associated with it.

Clinical Trials re: Migraine

The following is a sample of papers to give a flavour of some of the evidence to support the view that allergy, environmental medicine and nutritional medicine have a major role to play in modern medical practice.

Is Migraine Food Allergy?
Soothil et al. Great Ormond Street. Lancet 1983: 2; pp865-9. 93% of 88 children with severe, frequent migraine recovered on oligo-antigenic (low-risk) diets. The role of foods provoking migraine was established by double-blind controlled trials. View article

Food Allergies and Migraine
Ellen Grant. Charing Cross Hospital. Lancet 1979: 1; pp966-8. 85% of 60 patients became headache free. View article

Food Allergy in Migraine
Munro J., Brostoff J., National Hospital for Nervous Diseases & Middlesex Hospital. Lancet 1980: 2; pp1-4. View article

Migraine is a Food Allergic Disease
Munro J., Brostoff J., Lancet 1984: September 29th pp719-24. View article

SPECIALIST TIPS AND NOTES

Migraines and other types of headache are caused by simple food intolerances and the effects of some chemicals in foods. It is possible, with small adjustments in diet and life style, to clear most types of headache and not rely on medications to contol them. It is important to consider other rare and serious causes of headache, including growths in the brain.