The Herbal Remedy That Helped This Woman Overcome a Lifetime of Migraines
After years of battling migraines, Leigh Shulman found relief with an herbal remedy—here’s how it works
Lying alone, in the dark, Leigh Shulman tried willing away the blinding migraine pain that had forced her to skip meeting friends for dinner.
I can’t keep living my life like this, she thought as she was unable to sleep because of the relentless throbbing.
All she could do was lie in silence, praying for relief, while feeling guilty about missing out on everyday moments with her husband, daughter and friends.
Woman's World Answers
Since childhood, chronic migraines had been part of Leigh’s life. At their worst, migraine flares would leave Leigh in a thick blanket of brain fog and fatigue that made it impossible to complete the simplest task, like remembering the ingredients for her daughter’s favorite meal.
A few years ago, her migraines grew so intense and frequent that Leigh spent almost 18 months unable to speak due to the blinding pain. The temporary aphasia, or the inability to speak, sometimes lasted a month after a migraine ended and Leigh struggled to recall words or form words properly, stifling her creativity as a writer and draining her energy. She tried everything from over-the-counter and prescription medicines to elimination diets to therapy to buying several different pillows—one doctor recommended—and stress management techniques. Leigh saw specialists and had numerous tests, including MRIs and CT scans. Avoiding triggers and trying to get 8 hours of sleep a night occasionally helped, but nothing gave Leigh long-term relief from the pain and other symptoms.
A natural remedy
Then a few years ago, on a whim, Leigh decided to see an herbal medicine specialist who conducted an eight-month course on herbal medicine through The Open Center in New York City. There, Leigh learned about St. John’s wort, a plant containing compounds believed to act on chemicals in the brain that regulate mood, reduce stress and increase serotonin levels, which in turn, lessens migraine pain. Realizing her migraines were often triggered by stress, Leigh decided to give the herbal remedy a try. Per the directions, she began using a liquid tincture of St. John’s wort ($13 on Amazon.com) in a glass of water. After a few weeks, her migraine pain eased, and several months later, Leigh was headache-free.
Now that her symptoms are under control, Leigh only takes St. John’s wort if she begins to experience a mild headache or tension in her neck. “I’m so happy to have finally found a way to reclaim my life and put chronic migraine in my rearview mirror,” she says. “Now, I sleep great and have more energy than I did 20 years ago, thanks to no longer battling the pain, dizziness and other debilitating migraine symptoms.”
3 other powerful benefits of St. John’s wort
Nixes anxiety
St. John’s wort prevents the brain from using up feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. As a result, they are more potent in the brain and can have a relaxing effect similar to antidepressants.
Stops meno-bothers
Due to its phytoestrogenic properties that mimic estrogen-like effects in the body, St. John’s wort provides relief from menopausal emotional and physical discomforts such as hot flashes and night sweats.
Improves sleep
A study in Phytotherapy Research found that St. John’s wort was effective in reducing symptoms of insomnia. It has mild sedative effects and has been shown to reduce worry, making it easier to fall asleep.
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