Feverfew and Migraine

Feverfew is a herb of the sunflower family and has been used for centuries to treat fever, arthritis and headaches. In fact the name, 'feverfew' is derived from the Latin word, febrifuge, which means 'fever reducer'. The plant and its leaves have been an integral part of European folk medicine for a long time. Recently, it has become a subject of many studies, especially for determining its effectiveness in relieving migraine headaches. Findings report that its daily use can significantly reduce the frequency, as well as intensity, of migraine headaches. However, migraine relief is not the only health benefit attributed to this herb.

Feverfew Benefits

Feverfew is native to Europe, Asia and North America, and it can be found in many herb gardens. The flowers of feverfew resemble the daisy flowers. In traditional medicine, it has been used for an array of health conditions including, fever, headache, digestive ailments, stomach aches, arthritis, joint pain, nervousness, menstrual irregularities, menstrual cramps, asthma and labor difficulties. It can also be used for treating skin conditions like, psoriasis and to relieve the pain caused by tooth problems. It is renowned for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, vasodilatory, antirheumatic and emmenagogue properties. It is also considered as a uterine stimulant. The main active ingredients of this herb are, 'parthenolide' and 'tanetin'.

Can Feverfew Really Cure Migraine?

Migraine is a throbbing headache, that typically affects only one side of the head, and is related to vascular headache. The exact causes of migraine headaches are not known. However, a number of theories have been proposed regarding the causes of migraine headaches. According to one theory, this type of headache is caused when the blood vessels in the brain constrict and expand inappropriately. The blood vessels first constrict and then expand to become too wide, which causes the wall of the blood vessels to become permeable. This results in fluid leakage, due to which the body releases certain chemicals that cause inflammation. When blood passes through such an area, it produces intense throbbing pain, which characterizes migraine. Another theory is that the migraine headaches occur when serotonin is released from the platelets of the blood vessels.

Again, some studies have found that migraines can have an association with a hormone like substance, known as prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is released by the body in response to trauma. Release of prostaglandin is a part of the inflammatory response of the body. It is believed that it can inhibit the release of both serotonin and prostaglandin and thus, reduce the inflammation of the blood vessels associated with migraine. It possesses anti-inflammatory and vasodilation effects, which may also explain its effectiveness in the treatment of migraine. However, it is not very useful for curing an acute migraine attack. It proves more beneficial for long-term management of migraine headaches.

Although use of this herb for headaches including, migraines has been quite an old practice, it gained popularity only in 1980. A survey conducted in Great Britain among 270 migraine sufferers have pointed out that, more than 70% of the individuals have realized significant improvement after taking feverfew leaves daily. Many people have also reported a significant reduction in the incidence of migraine headaches after taking feverfew on a daily basis. But still, only limited evidences are available regarding this matter, which means that it may or may not provide migraine relief. However, people who are already taking feverfew should not discontinue its intake all of a sudden, as sudden withdrawal has been observed to cause headaches, fatigue, joint pain, irritability and stiffness of the muscles.

The most common side effects of this herb are abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness, mouth ulcers and loss of taste. If the raw leaves of feverfew are chewed, then one can also experience swelling of the tongue, lips and the mouth. The incidence of allergic reaction to feverfew is quite rare. Some people can however, develop allergic reaction to this herb, especially if they happen to be allergic to certain related plants like, chamomile and ragweed. The pregnant and nursing mothers are usually advised to avoid this herb. Similarly, individuals having bleeding disorders, as well as those taking anticoagulant drugs should not take feverfew without consulting their health care provider.