Migraines are intense, recurrent headaches characterized by symptoms like throbbing or pounding pain, light and sound sensitivity, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Migraine medication may help lessen both duration and severity of episodes.
Natural remedies may offer relief without the potential side effects associated with medication, including raw slices of potato; willow bark extract; and linden flowers.
Cold Compresses
Ice packs have long been used as a relief measure for migraine sufferers, providing a numbing effect and alleviating discomfort and throbbing. Furthermore, cold temperatures cause blood vessels to contract which reduce inflammation as well as slow nerve conduction thus inhibiting pain signals being sent along nerve paths.
Another natural method to decrease migraine frequency includes adopting a healthy lifestyle with regular, small meals featuring plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as lean proteins and fats such as nuts, seeds and olive oil. Hydration is also vital, according to The New York Times: drinking enough water can decrease both duration and severity of migraine attacks. Caffeine can also be useful as early-stage headache relief; its anti-inflammatories help ease discomfort while increasing pain-relief effects from over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol/Aspirin/etc.
Stressful situations can bring on migraine attacks, so try finding ways to relax during your free time – playing games with friends or taking a relaxing bath are excellent ways. Meditation techniques or deep breathing exercises, such as inhaling and exhaling deeply from your diaphragm may also help ease tension and help avoid migraine attacks.
Essential Oils
Essential oils offer a natural solution for managing pain and symptoms associated with migraine headaches. You can apply them directly to your skin or use a diffuser to inhale their scent; its aroma travels into your nose, combines with receptor cells in the nose, travels further into your brain and triggers neuro messengers with soothing properties that have an immediate calming effect.
Peppermint oil contains menthol, an analgesic that can reduce headache and migraine pain significantly. Furthermore, it relieves muscle tension while simultaneously soothing your nervous system without leading to sleepiness.
Rosemary oil is a popular treatment for headaches and migraines due to its powerful analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, making it suitable for massage or diluting with carrier oil for addition into pillow before sleeping. Lavender oil has also proven helpful at relieving tension while supporting healthy sleeping patterns which contributes to migraine prevention; you can apply topically or mix it with carrier oil to add into bathwater for best results.
Heat Compresses
Many migraine sufferers swear by using both hot and cold applications on their head and neck to alleviate pain. Cold compresses like an ice pack can soothe throbbing pain while relaxing neck spasms that contribute to headaches. A hot shower or bath may also provide soothing relief by relaxing muscles that contribute to discomfort in shoulders and neck areas.
Opting out of stimuli that trigger headaches is essential. Sleep should also be prioritized – aim for at least seven to nine hours each night of uninterrupted restful slumber.
Herbal remedies like butterbur and feverfew may help decrease the frequency of migraine attacks, though it’s essential that they be discussed with your physician first as these remedies could cause side effects or interact with medications in an adverse manner. Always research quality before buying herbal products and use a patch test prior to beginning any new herbal treatment regimens.
Light Therapy
An attack of migraine symptoms typically includes intense head pain (like having your head in a vice), light and sound sensitivity, nausea or vomiting, as well as preventive home remedies that often work better than taking over-the-counter painkillers.
Try relaxing herbal tea or supplements like feverfew to help decrease migraine attacks and relieve headaches and nausea, such as ginger. Ginger can also be found as either powder or pills to suit individual preferences.
Green light therapy shows great promise in treating migraine pain, sleep issues and mood problems associated with other chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia. It works by stimulating different parts of the brain with different colors of light; studies have found that blue and red lights tend to create the largest neural responses while green lights create only minor ones; possibly due to increased blood flow that causes inflammation.
