Kidz 1st Pediatrics

General Headache Instructions:

Maintain a headache diary; learn to identify and avold triggers.
"Migraine Buddy" - free app to help document frequency and characteristics of headaches.
Limit use of acute treatments (over-the-counter medications, triptans, etc.) to no more than 2 days per week or 10 days per month to prevent medication overuge headache (rebound headache)
Follow a regular schedule (including weekends and holidays):
Don't skip meals.
8 hours of sleep nightly.
Avoid the following common headache triggers:
Caffeine (coffee, chocolate, tea, cola/pop/soda (7-up, Sprite, Sierra Mist, Ginger Ale, Mug/A+W Root Beer, Minute Maid Orange, Slice are okay))
Limit the use of caffeinated beverages to no more than one 8 oz. cup of coffee or one 8 oz, can of Coke/Pepsi/Mountain Dow/Dr. Pepper a day.
Foods containing nitrates (deli meat, ham, bacon, sausage, hot dogs)
Tyramine (aged cheese; can only have American cheese, cottage cheese, Velveeta and fresh mozarella (most pizza uses aged mozarella))
MSG (Chinese/Hispanic foods, Doritos, all flavored chips and Ramen noodles)
Nutrasweet and artificial sweeteners
Minimize stress.
Exercise 30 minutes per day. Being overweight is associated with a 5 times increased risk of chronic migraine.
Keep well hydrated and drink 6-8 glasses of water per day.
Initiate non-pharmacologic measures at the earliest onset of your headache.
Rest and quiet in a cool, dark environment.
Relax and reduce stress.
Cold compress to head (place a dry washcloth to forehead, cover with a blue freezer packet and use a headband to press the freezer packet across the forehead and temples).
Don't wait! Take the maximum allowable dosage of prescribed medication at the very earliest sign of headache.
Compliance: Take prescribed medication regularly as directed and at the first sign of a headache.
Try taking 1-2 supplements daily for headache prevention.

Vitamins And Herbs That Show Potential

Magnesium: Magnesium (400 mg at bed) has a relaxant effect on smooth muscles such as blood vessels. Individuals suffering from frequent or daily headache usually have low magnesium levels which can be increased with daily supplementation of 400-750 mg. Three trials found 40-90% average headache reduction when used as a preventative. Magnesium also demonstrated the benefit in menstrually related migraine. Magnesium is part of the messenger system in the serotonin cascade and it is a good muscle relaxant. It is also useful for constipation which can be a side effect of other medications used to treat migraine. Good sources include nuts, whole grains, and tomatoes.
Riboflavin (vitamin B 2) - Dose is 400 mg daily. This vitamin assists nerve cells in the production of ATP a principal energy storing molecule. It is necessary for many chemical reactions in the body. There have been at least 3 clinical trials of riboflavin using 400 mg per day all of which suggested that migraine frequency can be decreased. All 3 trials showed significant improvement in over half of migraine sufferers. The supplement is found in bread, cereal, milk, meat, and poultry. Most Americans get more riboflavin than the recommended daily allowance, however riboflavin deficiency is not necessary for the supplements to help prevent headache.
Coenzvme Q10: This is present in almost all cells in the bod and is critical component for the conversion of energy. Recent studies have shown that a nutritional supplement of CoQ10 can reduce the frequency of migraine attacks by improving the energy production of cells as with riboflavin. Dose is 150 mg twice a day.