We can count 50 reasons triggering the headaches, at the same time 50 kind of  healing methods are available as well. One of these, the most outstanding is Biofeedback and Neurofeedback, especially for migraine.

In 1970, tension in the muscles was detected by the means of an indicator by replacing the biofeedback sensors in front of the head for headaches based on stress. When the front muscles relax, the indicator declines. After the years, a sound system was added on this device in order that it could announce when it is arrived to the threshold designating the muscle relaxation. This was named as the tune which treats. Besides, lots of tunes can be used in various voice ranges in order to decrease the tension of the muscles. This is an extra award for the muscles. How much the muscles relax, headaches decrease. 

How much Biofeedback is developed, it became more complex. While monitoring the headache, it became a position consisting of not only muscle activity but also the brain waves, heart beats, breath in and out.

Common and consistent clinical reports are available for the usage of Neurofeedback on Migraine. Clinical researches which have been made for EEG Biofeedback training for 5 years, showed that this technic is an effective method to decrease the headaches. Conventional headaches are usually called as “Stress headaches”and at the same time it covers the migraine as well.

If we handle the migraine headaches, they are determined as two kinds for EEG Biofeedback training:

1-The aches which menstrual period and alergy trigger.
2- The aches which are triggered with stress.

Neurofeedback (NF, EEG Biofeedback) is a brain exercise which teaches the person to decrease brain waves creating the tension and it is especially effective on migraine cases. Neurofeedback training is a period of learning. Its benefit is raising up the ache treshold after training the brain and when the factors triggering the ache emerge, elimination of the sensitivity to the factors which the person has been sensitive for a long time. After EEG Biofeedback treatment, lots of patients reported that they haven’t had migraine attack  again for years. The success rate for headaches is very high

Although EEG Biofeedback is not applied at the time of emergence the ache or it does not have to be done, even if  it is applied at the time of emergence of the ache, it can be seen in the researches that it shows its effect immediately. The person who has got conventional headache can alleviate the severity of pain %50 after a half an hour seance. %80 of the patients who are applied EEG biofeedback reported that their headaches were eliminated completely.

(http://www.eegspectrum.com/Applications/Migraine/)

ALTERNATIVE METHOD

Dr. Joseph Kandel (Florida Naples Neurology Center Founder, Medical Director and in Wright State University- Medicine Faculty Associate Professor , he has got very intense clinical applications are available) and Dr. David Sudderth( USA The Chairman of Struggling with The Pain Department and he is also popular national speaker on various field concerning health) stated that neurofeedback is an alternative method for migraine alongside with the various kind of treatment methods in their books ( Kandel J, Sudderth D.B : Migraine,What Works!Prima Health,2000) which they published for migraine. 

If we make a small quotation from the book as follow; they reported that a person can train the brain waves seen on the computer monitor unconsciously and by the means of this kind of training the frequency of the migraine attacks decrease. The researchers make studies concerning that neurofeedback is a valid treatment on migraine and other kind of headaches.

IT IS AN EFFECTIVE METHOD ON ITS OWN

The education of relaxation, alongside thermal biofeedback, electromiographic biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy can be thought as the treatment options to prevent the migraine. Behavioral therapy can be used as combined along with the drug treatment which prevents the migraine, however biofeedback is a method as effective as the drugs to be used for the treatment of migraine on its own.(Campbell, Penzien and Wall, 2000) In AAPB Meeting, it was proved that Neurofeedback is much more effective on the application of migraine treatment than the traditional biofeedback methods.

USA Neurology Academy emphasizes that Biofeedback is a proved treatment method for migrain.

(http://www.aan.com/globals/axon/assets/2346.pdf,
http://www.aan.com/professionals/practice/pdfs/gl0089.pdf)

Notice to Regular Nutrition!

You have to take care of your foods in order to get over the headaches without neurofeedback. You should eat meals regularly which have a nutritional value.  Hypoglycemia may cause headache. A breakfast which contains sugar may create an abnormal increase and decrease at insulin level. This may lead to headaches. Some foods can trigger the headache in some people. Some people have a sensitivity to corn and tomato. Some migraine cases can be triggerred by the means of the foods.

Some of the Foods Which Trigger Headache

Milk, chocolatte, egg, wheat, peanut, peanut paste, tomato, drinkings with acid, potato, green pepper, eggplant, nicotin, cheese, foods with spices, alcohol (especially red whine and beer) vinegar, coffee.

Advices for Emergency!

You can intervene to the case with simple measures at the moment you feel  headache is coming on. Some of these are in this sequence:

1- Drink a few glass of water. Water loss from the body can increase the headache
2- Sit on a place, have a break and breathe in deeply
3- Make neck exercises, these take your 3 minutes only, this would remove the tension of the long hours working tempo which you have in the Office.
4- If your headache is connected to tension, put the ice pieces back side of  your neck. If you haven’t got possibility to find ice, you can also benefit from a cold bottle as well.
5- The breath which you take in from the abdominal cavity can change the rate of oxygen/carbon dioxide in the blood, this is helpful to decrease the stress and pain.
6- Stand up and go out. Walk during 5 minutes. Staying indoor and under the artificial light may increase your headache. By going out even for 5 minutes would be helpful to benefit from natural air and if it is possible from the sun exposure.
7- You can ask one of your friends around you to massage on your neck, shoulder and head muscles in a way to relax them.
Source: Kozmik Yaşam Dergisi - Uzm. Dr. TANJU SÜRMELİ