Migraines and Mental Health: Treating the Root, Not Just the Pain
— By Brian Mears, DNAP, APRN, CRNA, PMHNP
Migraines aren’t just headaches—they are neurological storms that can disrupt every part of life. Whether you’re sidelined by pain once a month or suffering chronically, the key to lasting relief is to understand what’s actually happening inside the brain.
At Alleviant, we treat migraines not as a surface symptom, but as a signal of deeper dysfunction. Using non-invasive brain mapping and natural therapies, we help restore balance and empower long-term healing.
What Really Causes Migraines?
Understanding the Brain-Based Triggers
Migraines are more than just reactions to light, food, or hormones. They’re often the result of a complex interplay of neurological, psychological, hormonal, and environmental stressors. Here are six often-overlooked root causes:
1. Chronic Stress & HPA Axis Dysregulation
Stress activates the HPA axis—the brain’s stress-response system—which triggers the release of cortisol. Chronic activation leads to:
Vascular instability (linked to migraine onset)
Hormonal imbalances
Heightened sensitivity to pain
Neuroinflammation [1]
Unchecked stress is a primary driver of recurring migraines, especially in high-achieving adults and sensitive adolescents.
2. Brainwave Imbalances
Our brain communicates using electrical rhythms. When those rhythms become dysregulated, pain pathways become hyperactive.
Common migraine-related findings on spectral EEG (sEEG) include:
Excessive beta/gamma activity in the frontal or occipital lobes
Deficient alpha activity, affecting calm and sensory processing
Poor synchronization across the brain’s networks [2]
These imbalances are correctable with brainwave-guided therapy like NeuroSync™.
3. Emotional Trauma
Trauma from childhood, relationships, or unresolved grief can lodge in the limbic system of the brain, creating chronic stress signals. This “emotional inflammation” contributes to:
Migraine susceptibility
Tension-based pain
Chronic nervous system dysregulation [3]
Until emotional wounds are processed, the brain may continue to manifest physical pain.
4. Sleep Disruption
Sleep is your brain’s maintenance window. Without it:
Neurotransmitters like serotonin become depleted
Pain thresholds drop
Brain detox slows
Inflammation increases [4]
Many migraine patients report poor sleep as both a trigger and consequence of attacks.
5. Nutritional Deficiencies
The following nutrients are critical for pain modulation, brain energy, and vascular health:
| Nutrient | Role in Migraine Prevention |
|---|---|
| Magnesium | Calms excitatory neurons and relaxes vessels |
| Riboflavin (B2) | Fuels brain cell mitochondria |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | Reduces inflammation in the brain |
| Vitamin D | Supports immune and neural regulation [5] |
Our nutrition team provides plant-based, supplement-supported guidance to restore biochemical balance naturally.
6. Underlying Neurological Patterns
sEEG often reveals deep, underlying brain activity patterns linked to migraines:
Thalamocortical dysrhythmia (sensory overload)
Cortical spreading depression (seen in aura migraines)
Trigeminal nerve sensitization (pain around eyes, temples, jaw) [6]
These patterns help us design personalized brain treatments rather than guessing.
Did You Know? Migraine Types Matter
There’s more than one kind of migraine. Understanding your type helps guide proper treatment.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Migraine without aura | Most common; pounding headache, nausea, light/sound sensitivity |
| Migraine with aura | Visual disturbances, flashing lights, tingling before headache begins |
| Chronic migraine | 15+ days/month of migraines or headache |
| Hemiplegic migraine | Rare; causes temporary weakness or paralysis |
| Vestibular migraine | Involves dizziness, balance issues, and motion sensitivity |
Each type reflects unique neurological patterns visible on sEEG scans.
Common Triggers That Aggravate Migraines
While brain imbalances are the root, triggers can still matter. These include:
Barometric pressure changes (weather fronts)
Hormonal fluctuations (menstrual cycle, puberty, menopause)
Physical pain (neck tension, TMJ dysfunction)
Environmental stimuli (light, sound, smells)
Food sensitivities (gluten, dairy, aged cheeses, chocolate)
We work with patients to uncover personalized trigger patterns, then address the brain’s underlying vulnerability to those triggers. [7]
Seeing the Patterns: sEEG and Brain Mapping
Spectral EEG (sEEG) is a 4-minute, painless scan that shows how your brain communicates. It helps us:
Identify pain-generating patterns
Visualize stress-related dysregulation
Pinpoint areas needing support
Track progress over time
This is how we treat migraines objectively, not subjectively.
NeuroSync™: Brain-Based Relief Without Medications
NeuroSync™ is our proprietary EEG-guided TMS therapy. It uses your unique brain rhythms to guide gentle magnetic pulses that restore healthy communication across the brain.
Benefits for migraine patients:
Fewer and less intense attacks
Reduced need for medication
Better sleep, focus, and emotional regulation
Long-term rewiring of brain patterns [8]
Natural, Non-Invasive Therapies
Our comprehensive care model also includes:
Plant-based nutrition + targeted supplements
Therapeutic coaching for stress resilience
Mindfulness and meditation for vagus nerve activation
Acupuncture & acupressure to relieve tension and improve flow
Sleep and movement coaching
Healing migraines naturally is possible—and increasingly preferred.
Conventional Treatments vs. Brain-Based Healing
While conventional medicine often offers:
Botox injections
Stellate ganglion blocks
Nerve ablations
Pharmaceuticals
These approaches can be temporarily effective—but they rarely resolve the neurological source of pain. [9]
At Alleviant, we choose to treat the brain, not just numb the body.
Real-World Recovery
“After 15 years of debilitating migraines, one of our patients reduced her attacks from 3 times a week to zero in 6 weeks—with no meds—using NeuroSync™ and basic lifestyle modifications. Her brain wasn’t broken. It just needed to be reset and supported.”
Your Brain Can Heal
If you’re ready to move beyond the cycle of medications, missed workdays, and anxiety about the next attack—it’s time to look deeper.
Let us help you uncover the cause, restore your brain’s rhythm, and reclaim your life.
Footnotes
Maleki, N., Becerra, L., & Borsook, D. (2012). Migraine: maladaptive brain responses to stress. Headache, 52 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), 102–106. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02241.x.
de Tommaso, M., Valeriani, M., Guido, M., Libro, G., Specchio, L. M., Tonali, P., & Puca, F. (2003). Abnormal brain processing of cutaneous pain in patients with chronic migraine. Pain, 101(1-2), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00299-3.
Buse, D. C., Silberstein, S. D., Manack, A. N., Papapetropoulos, S., & Lipton, R. B. (2013). Psychiatric comorbidities of episodic and chronic migraine. Journal of neurology, 260(8), 1960–1969. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-012-6725-x.
Rains J. C. (2018). Sleep and Migraine: Assessment and Treatment of Comorbid Sleep Disorders. Headache, 58(7), 1074–1091. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.13357.
Mauskop A. (2012). Nonmedication, alternative, and complementary treatments for migraine. Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.), 18(4), 796–806. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.CON.0000418643.24408.406. Goadsby, P. J., et al. (2017). Pathophysiology of migraine: A disorder of sensory processing. Physiological Reviews, 97(2), 553–622.
Kelman L. (2007). The triggers or precipitants of the acute migraine attack. Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache, 27(5), 394–402. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01303.x.
Dodick, D. W., Schembri, C. T., Helmuth, M., & Aurora, S. K. (2010). Transcranial magnetic stimulation for migraine: a safety review. Headache, 50(7), 1153–1163. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01697.x.
Blumenfeld, A. M., Bloudek, L. M., Becker, W. J., Buse, D. C., Varon, S. F., Maglinte, G. A., Wilcox, T. K., Kawata, A. K., & Lipton, R. B. (2013). Patterns of use and reasons for discontinuation of prophylactic medications for episodic migraine and chronic migraine: results from the second international burden of migraine study (IBMS-II). Headache, 53(4), 644–655. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12055