Migraines are more than just headaches; they can also cause nausea and sensitivity to light, sound and smells.
Home remedies may help ease symptoms and help prevent migraine attacks. Some common solutions: 1. Apply a cold compress to your head and neck area 2. Inhale lavender essential oil
1. Cold Compress
Cold compresses can offer relief to migraine sufferers and reduce inflammation by constricting blood vessels and blocking neurotransmission of pain signals in the brain. A head ice cap, available at many online pharmacies, makes treatment simple while fitting comfortably over both forehead and temples.
Create a cold compress by using a towel, plastic bag of frozen vegetables or meat or any insulated material such as fleece. Before applying it to your head or neck, be sure to wring out all excess moisture before doing so – do not touch eyes, ears or mouth while using the cold compress!
When suffering from a headache or migraine, immediate relief is required if its intensity prevents you from living an ordinary life at home or work. For instance, symptoms like throbbing pain combined with nausea and sensitivity to bright lights and high-pitched sounds is impeding productivity at both.
Other natural treatments for headaches and migraines that are safe to try at home include magnesium and vitamin B2 supplements, eating healthily, drinking plenty of water, exercising regularly, getting enough restful sleep and avoiding common triggers like caffeine and alcohol. Relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation may also be effective ways of relieving stress-induced headaches.
During a migraine attack, you should relax in a dark and quiet room and lie down. Writing down potential triggers may help pinpoint and avoid them more efficiently; tracking migraine symptoms could also help identify what combination of herbs or therapies work best for you.
Migraines and headaches are more widespread than you may realize, affecting about 12% of the global population. Migraines are genetic neurological disorders characterized by frequent painful headaches in the front part of the head that may last from hours or even days at a time. Common triggers may include lack of sleep, certain foods or beverages, light or sound stimulation and light sensitivity from computers and smartphones; it is therefore wise to switch devices off before experiencing a migraine attack.
2. Essential Oils
Essential oils offer natural relief without negative side effects compared to over-the-counter headache medications, helping reduce stress and tension which often contributes to migraines. Their intoxicating scent can be inhaled directly or spread throughout your home using an oil diffuser; or applied directly onto temples, forehead and neck for quick relief.
Lavender essential oil is known for its relaxing effects and can help ease anxiety-based headaches. Furthermore, lavender essential oil also relaxes muscles and enhances sleep quality. Eucalyptus essential oil has long been used for clearing congestion; new research demonstrates it can also alleviate headaches by relaxing muscle tension. You can inhale 3 – 5 drops in hot water to inhale its steam or add 3 to 5 drops to your favorite diffuser to ease muscle tension and alleviate headaches.
Peppermint oil provides a soothing cooling effect and can help reduce inflammation in the head and neck area. Apply it directly to temples, forehead, or neck areas to ease pain associated with migraine or tension headaches.
Rosemary essential oil can be an effective remedy to increase circulation, thus lessening headache pain. Furthermore, this oil is great at relieving menstrual-related headaches caused by hormonal shifts or stress-induced inflammation.
Essential oils should be applied sparingly and mixed with carrier oils before applying them directly to the skin. While natural, essential oils are unregulated by the FDA and may be dangerous if misused or combined with specific medical conditions; if using essential oils to ease migraine symptoms, be sure to follow your physician’s advice in doing so.
Be sure to drink enough fluids and prevent dehydration; this can also help stabilize your blood sugar levels – another trigger of migraines. Eat foods rich in B vitamins (especially riboflavin) such as organ meats, certain dairy products, leafy vegetables, beans and legumes.
3. Feverfew
Feverfew leaves contain various chemicals, including parthenolide. This compound reduces factors in the body that could contribute to migraine headaches by stopping platelets from clumping together and blocking allergic mediators such as histamine from secreting. Furthermore, feverfew helps stop blood vessels in the brain from dilatation while relaxing vascular smooth muscle cells; and finally it lowers nerve activity within the head.
In 1973, Mrs Anne Jenkins from Wales began taking three fresh feverfew leaves daily as treatment for severe, recurrent migraine headaches. Over 10 months, this treatment effectively alleviated her headaches – which eventually stopped and never returned as long as she took feverfew daily. Mrs Jenkins published her findings in The Family Herbal and is widely considered the founder of feverfew for migraine prevention and treatment.
Studies have confirmed that feverfew can help both adults and children prevent and relieve migraine headaches, both triggered by food (including MSG in liquid form, chocolate, cheeses, alcohol food additives or scents), stress, bright lights weather changes or hormonal fluctuations. Feverfew should be combined with other herbal remedies for maximum effect in providing pain relief.
Feverfew works by blocking receptors for serotonin and prostaglandins that contribute to dilation of blood vessels during migraine attacks, as well as inhibiting release of inflammatory molecules by blood platelets and decreasing spasms of vascular smooth muscles that occur during such attacks.
However, feverfew should not be taken by pregnant women as it has the potential to induce miscarriage. Furthermore, feverfew should also not be used if taking aspirin, ginkgo biloba or medications that can be broken down by liver. Finally, pregnant women should avoid it before surgery because it could interfere with anesthesia and cause miscarriage.
Always drink enough water as dehydration can trigger migraine attacks. Be wary of beverages with caffeine and alcohol as these will further dehydrate you, and before beginning any herbal supplements it is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional first.
4. Meditation
You may know the pain associated with migraine headaches can be crippling. They often leave sufferers immobilized in bed, unable to function, and with an unbearable throbbing pain that will not abate. When this happens, work or school become impossible and their lives put on pause until their symptoms ease; luckily there are home remedies you can try that may ease symptoms while helping prevent future attacks.
Meditation is an effective technique for relaxing both body and mind, providing relief from headaches. Studies have demonstrated its benefits in terms of stress reduction – one primary trigger of migraines – as well as increased sleep quality, an essential factor for migraine prevention.
Mindfulness meditation has long been studied for its effects on migraines. This type of practice involves paying attention to the present moment while letting thoughts pass by unjudgmented, which helps control stress and anxiety levels while increasing pain tolerance and decreasing need for analgesics medications.
Meditation’s best method of utilization lies in consistent practice over an extended period. Create a quiet place without distractions, and set aside some minutes every day for practice if you are just starting out meditating; even just 5 or 10 minutes can bring benefits!
Consume healthy meals and stay hydrated to combat migraines, such as drinking plenty of water to stave off dehydration – one common trigger of migraines – while also consuming foods high in magnesium such as spinach, Swiss chard nuts seeds yogurt black beans avocado for maximum effectiveness in controlling blood flow and preventing migraines. Incorporating regular rest and physical exercise are also crucial elements in mitigating migraine symptoms.
