The bacteria helicobacter pylori are thought to be the cause of ulcers and also possibly lead to stomach cancer.
A group of Iranian researchers have reported that after studying 105 chronic migraine sufferers, they found that patients who were diagnosed to have helicobacter pylori infection (which is done using a simple breath or blood test), suffered on average, 3 days a month more from migraine attacks.
This may not sound like a lot, but for those of you with migraines, you know how debilitating and painful pylori patients suffer more migraine days, but the researchers found that their migraines were more intense, as well.
If you are a chronic migraine sufferer, you may want to discuss with your physician testing for helicobacter pylori infection via the simple tests that are available. Though many people with helicobacter pylori infection have NO symptoms, others will experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Pain or discomfort in the abdomen
- Vomiting
- Bloating
- Burping
Should you be found to be positive for the bacterial your physician can recommend a combination of antibiotics to treat the infection. For those of you who are found to be positive for the infection and would first like to try natural ingredients, (instead of antibiotics) that may help eliminate the helicobacter pylori and/or its symptoms, (if you have any), try eating broccoli sprouts (not the mature heads which don’t have enough of the sulfur containing phytochemicals that are thought to help eliminate the symptoms and possibly the bacteria themselves). Discuss this choice with your physician, so that he or she can monitor your results. If it doesn’t work then the antibiotic regimen will probably be necessary.
Curt Hendrix M.S. C.C.N. C.N.S.
