Hormone Related Headaches

I have more than a few female students who suffer from hormonally-related migraine headaches. These students are looking for postures that might provide relief. Most are peri-menopausal and experience these headaches on a recurring basis each month. Thanks.

ANSWERS :

From Gyandev:

Dear Patti,

Actually, I've been looking at headaches for a while now, as I've been in the process of writing "Yoga Therapy for Headaches" with Dr. Peter Van Houten. (It should come out early in 2003.)

Unfortunately, there's a lot more one can do, Hatha-wise, for tension-type headaches than for migraines. In the realm of migraine intervention, you're looking at relaxation, period. For example, easy full yogic breaths in any comfortable position, supported extended balasana (resting forearms and forehead on a padded chair seat) and/or a fully supported savasana (blankets under knees, knee, etc.).

As for prevention, note that the hormone capital of the body is the pituitary gland, since as we all know, it regulates all the other glands. In addition, the current thinking is that one of the prime causes (it's hard to say the prime cause because headaches are a complex subject) of migraines is an imbalance in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain. Therefore we need to get energy to the brain to balance that production over the longer term. Hence: inversions. (Note: this is for prevention, not for intervention. Most migraine sufferers would suffer even more if you asked them to go inverted -- or do just about any other kind of exercise -- while having a migraine.)

And yes, do stretch neck, shoulders, and upper back, because tensions there might be involved as well, and releasing them can help even migraine tendencies. Try neck recharging, eagle arms, gomukhasana arms, etc.

Blessings,
Gyandev

From Donna O'Neil, class of July'95

I've had those headaches for years. They are definitely worst when life is stressful. The posture that helped me most was simply aligning my spine in a sitting pose, making lots of space between shoulders and ears, and relaxing the shoulders. Being still, in that positiion, meditating, if possible (not always) and focusing on the breath. Doing gentle postures, like Gyandev's Yoga to Awaken the Chakras, would often help. But in general, doing a lot of yoga each and every day has been the best remedy, so that I no longer get the headaches, or if I do, they aren't as bad and don't last as long.

AND, as a long-time migraine sufferer, I'd really recommend seeing your M.D. I used to pray for a miracle like Imitrex to come along, and I'm supremely grateful for its invention.

Blessings,
Donna

From Linda Martin, AYTT, Summer 2001:

Several students have asked me about poses to help with migraines. Other students with migranes have offered advice, usually head, neck, shoulder warm-ups. But I would like something more precise, and if possible, more scientific!

From Le'ema Kathleen Graham RYT 2000

Every woman is different hormonally....she should check for herself...homeopathic sepia is great for these symptoms...migraines and yoga poses....only restorative poses...savasana with eye bag and support under knees and neck and blankets as necessary, also supported baddha konasana and maybe child's pose over a bolster...any thing more would be too much for me.

They say the hardest pose to master is savasana...to totally let go and rest...

Namaste'
Le'ema

From Karen Yula, August 2002

I would think Savasana or some inverted poses. Good blood flow to the Brain in inverted poses. As far as Savasana, that can only be great for whatever ails you. Good luck and let me know what works. I just started to teach and I could use all the tips you could give me.

Blessings,
Karen

From Valerie Wint, AYTT Fall 2001

In addition to the various postures and remedies suggested in the original replies, I personally found that a combination of chiropractic (esp. for neck & shoulders) and acupuncture, along with a change in diet (no red wine, no red meat, no chocolate, no caffeine, especially when the barometric pressure was dropping) helped me eliminate migraines.

Peace,
Valerie

From Debra Serrao, AYYT Jan. '97

Great info on migranes and headaches. Thanks everyone for your input. Good reminder how important Savansana is for "what ails you.." Thanks for this great network of info.

From Donna O'Neil

Dear Karen,

Re. your resonse to Patty on Migraine headaches: Inversions are Not a good idea. A migraine is not a tension headache where blood flow to the brain is constricted. Instead, the blood vessels in the head are dilated and it is the resultant pressure outward from the swollen blood vessels that causes the symptoms.

Increasing blood flow is not good. Better advise is to go dunk your head in a bucket of ice. I've done that with my migraines when I could work up enough courage, and it definitely helps, as does alternating hot and ice-cold showers. However, as with all home remedies (I tried them all), they are only temporary relief.

Best bet: More yoga, everyday to prevent them. Also keeping regular sleep hours helps a lot.

Been there,
Donna

From Gyandev on Donna's message:

I think Donna is talking about not doing inversions during a migraine. Usually that would be a real bummer for the migraine sufferer.

However, I do know of some people for whom a mild inversion (e.g., sasamgasana) can give relief when done at the time that a migraine is just beginning to on.

Also, inversions can be helpful for some migraine sufferers if done as a preventative because the added energy flow to the brain may help correct the imbalance of neurotransmitters that seems to cause (or help cause) migraines.

Although there is no "one asana fits all" solution, it's safe to say that during a migraine, it's all about relaxation and whatever else works in individual cases (e.g., buckets of ice for Donna).