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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2005 >> Naturopathic remedies for CH?
        
(Message started by: BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Jan 13^th, 2005, 9:29pm)

Title: Naturopathic remedies for CH?
Post by BMoneeTheMoneeMan on Jan 13^th, 2005, 9:29pm

Does anyone know if there are any alternative medicines that help with CH? I have heard that acupuncture is supposed to be good, and my friend that suffered from migraines did aromatherapy and hasnt suffered from them since. (course, that's just migraines)
Anyone know? Foods to eat? Not eat?
Thanks
PF wishes
BMonee

Title: Re: Naturopathic remedies for CH?
Post by Ueli on Jan 13^th, 2005, 10:07pm

There are food triggers that are followed by an immediate attack. For most alcohol is a definite no-no during a cycle. For me it's MSG (taste "enhancer"). Other report smells or certain food. But note, all these trigger an extra attack within a short time, but have no influence in the general course of a cycle.

I know of only one "alternative" treatment for CH that consistently brings good results:

http://www.clusterbusters.com/

All the other stuff from the alternative, holistic or Chinese corner only help the vendor, not the suffer. But that's my opinion, I'm sure some proponents will soon tell you otherwise. ;;D

I would give first give a try to the methods of the so often vilified "western medicine", since it's the only one that brings good results on a repeatable basis.

PFNADs, Ueli [smiley=smokin.gif]

Title: Re: Naturopathic remedies for CH?
Post by floridian on Jan 14^th, 2005, 9:20am

Magnesium (intravenous) has been shown to help with clusters; oral magnesium might be beneficial but it hasn't been proven in clusters. Some of the B vitamins are needed for neurotransmitter production, and supplements may possibly be of use. One recent review of for migraines found "The therapeutic potential of magnesium, coenzyme Q(10), riboflavin, and vitamin B(12) can be cautiously inferred from some published open clinical trials"

5-htp is an immediate precursor of serotonin, and may be of use. Long term risks with this are unclear - one researcher/MD believes it can cause fen-phen like side effects, although it has been in use for a fairly long time with no evidence that this actually occurs. I limit my use of 5-htp to low doses for a short time.

Melatonin is also something that a naturopath might recommend for clusters - it is involved in the circadian cycles that are quite disrupted in CH. Lots of info if you search this site.

Acupuncture is not proven for clusters - there have been a few anecdotes that it helped, but many more that it did nothing. I wouldn't rule out acupuncture, but at this point, it does not seem like a prime therapy for this condition.

Other things that may be useful but haven't been studied or proven - curcumin from turmeric. Curcumin turns down inflammation in many ways, and has a cortisone-like effect (probably by reducing breakdown of cortisone in the body). There are several metabolic pathways turned off by cortisone/prednisone, lithium, and other preventive meds that are also turned off by turmeric.

Green tea (regular or decaf) also contains a number of compounds that are promising. Theanine is an amino acid in tea that blocks the effects of glutamate and NMDA. The catechins are anti-inflammatory and block certain immune signals that are overproduced in CH. (Coffee does not have the same effects.)

There has been excitement among researchers lately that a compound called CGRP is involved in the pain of migraine and clusters, and some evidence that blocking CGRP can turn down/off the pain. Natural CGRP blockers include the proanthocyanidins, which are a class of pigments found in some plants. Sangre de Grado is one plant that includes these and has also been shown to block CGRP (in an ointment, not sure about oral dosing). Also, a japanese herbal compound called Keishi-bukuryo-gan can block CGRP induced hot flashes. Three of the compounds in KBG contain red pigments (red peony, tree peony, and cinnamon twig).