Complementary and alternative medicine is a blanket term that encompasses many different practices and treatments that are non-traditional or not part of conventional Western medicine. Many people with migraine find it helpful to use complementary approaches in their care to ease or lessen their migraine symptoms.
When considering adding complementary and alternative therapies to your treatment regimen, it’s important to keep in mind that many of these approaches have not been studied for the treatment of migraine. Although many people believe that complementary and alternative therapies are safe and do not have harmful side effects, that is not always true. It’s critical to share with your doctors all the approaches you are considering using, as some complementary and alternative can reduce the effectiveness of traditional medicine or may cause other serious problems.
The difference between complementary and alternative practices
While the terms “complementary medicine” and “alternative medicine” are sometimes used interchangeably, they actually differ in how they are applied. Complementary medicine is the use of a non-mainstream approach in combination with traditional treatment. Alternative medicine is using non-mainstream approaches instead of traditional treatment. A newer term that is being used now is integrative medicine, which involves combining complementary and more conventional approaches together.1
Types of complementary and alternative medicine used for migraine
Complementary and alternative medicine includes:
- Natural remedies, such as herbal treatments, vitamins, minerals, and other supplements
- Mind-body medicine, such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, tai chi, qi gong, healing touch, and hypnotherapy
There are also different schools of healing that are considered different forms of complementary and alternative medicine, including:
- Traditional healing
- Ayurvedic medicine
- Traditional Chinese medicine
- Homeopathy
- Naturopathy
Many migraine sufferers seek different forms of migraine treatment because this debilitating condition is difficult to relieve. In some cases prescription medications and over-the-counter treatments have more unwanted side effects than natural remedies for migraine. However, natural products that will help with migraine still may cause side effects and in certain cases should be avoided by people with certain medical conditions. All patients should check with their health care provider before starting any treatment or type of therapy.
Practitioners in the complementary and alternative medicine field
Some complementary and alternative approaches are provided by people with formal training or certifications, but others may be offered by people with informal or no training. Depending on the type of complementary and alternative treatment, there are different types of practitioners who specialize in delivering the services, including:
- Chiropractors
- Acupuncturists
- Aromatherapists
- Massage therapists
- Yoga instructors
- Hypnotherapists
- Kinesiologists
- Naturopaths
- Biofeedback therapists
- Folk medicine practitioners
As always, the best source for advice on treating migraine is your own migraine specialist. These descriptions of natural remedies are provided only for informational purposes. You should begin no medication or supplement without first checking with your physician.
