Feverfew and Ginger Combo for Migraine

There is growing interest in a feverfew/ginger combination in the treatment of migraine.  A study last month from the American Headache Society further confirmed that feverfew and ginger may help some patients when an attack hits.

The supplement used was LipiGesic-M, a sub-lingual supplement to be taken when a migraine attack begins.  It contains feverfew (pyrethrum parthenium) and ginger.

Feverfew is a well researched migraine fighter.  It’s often given as a preventative, and has been very helpful to many migraineurs.  It acts as an anti-inflammatory, and may have other mechanisms we’re just starting to understand.  Read more about feverfew here.

Ginger is also well known in the fight against migraine, particularly helping to fight nausea.

The suggestion has been that this combo is best for those who have a mild headache phase early in the migraine attack.  Patients in this study, then, took the LipiGesic-M early on.  32% were pain free at the 2 hour point, and a total of 63% were either pain free or only had a mild headache two hours after taking the supplement.

This may turn out to be a good option for many people who can catch an attack early.  There were very few side effects, the most commonly reported being nausea or numbness in the tongue.  (If you think it’s odd that this would cause nausea for some and fight it for others, think of all the headache medications that list "headache" as a possible side effect!)

As with anything, check with a doctor who knows your medical history before you try something new.  Find out more on the LipiGesic-M site.

For a summary of the study, see A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study of Sublingual Feverfew and Ginger (LipiGesic(TM) M) in the Treatment of Migraine.