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Feverfew May Be Worth a Try for Migraines

© Barbara J. Mitchell

A summer field of pretty little flowers that look like daisies may hold an effective alternative to anti-migraine drugs for many people. The plant is called feverfew; its leaves have been used for centuries as a treatment for fever (naturally enough) and for arthritic inflammation.

Now preliminary studies show that ingesting the leaves on a regular basis may actually prevent migraines, although it doesn't do anything for a migraine already in progress. In fact, Canada has already approved the over-the-counter sale of capsules which contain feverfew leaves as a treatment for migraine.

Feverfew's active ingredient is parthenolide which affects the expansion and constriction of blood vessels in the brain. The herb may work by preventing the spasms of those vessels which lead to migraines.

One must be wary of claims attached to herbal remedies, and as the Mayo Clinic warns, there is no magic remedy for any disease, but the few studies done so far are promising. They show that 70 percent of people who try feverfew for migraines have fewer and less intense attacks. Less plausible perhaps, is a claim that a third of the participants in such a study never had another migraine.

The temptation to try an herbal remedy in place of a medication that seems to go up in price every time you get a refill is strong. However, you must remember that drugs are under tight controls which simply don't apply for herbal remedies. Everything about that herb from the soil it grows in, right through to the form you buy it in, can make a difference. Lack of regulation means no guarantees as to quality and dosage.

Now for the inevitable warnings, the ones they run through so quickly in all those television commercials about drugs these days. This is not safe to use if you are pregnant or think you might be, since feverfew is a strong stimulus for uterine contractions. If you are on an anticoagulant, such as Coumadin, it is not safe for you to consume feverfew. It may affect clotting time.

Also, long term use of the herb has caused mouth ulcers or gastrointestinal pain in some people. You'll want to remember these possible side effects because you may have to use the herb daily for several months before you'll know if it works. And, continued effectiveness means continued daily use.

Note: Many people fail to inform their doctors that they are trying an herbal remedy. It's important that you do so because of the possibility it will interact, favorably or not, with a medication you're taking.

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