You know the warning signs of an oncoming migraine. You may see an aura around objects, or bright lights may suddenly start to hurt your eyes. You may also experience a blind spot in your vision. When you experience the signs of an oncoming migraine, you may be able to head it off or find relief by using a natural home remedy.
1. Use Ice to Cool Your Migraine Down
If you put an ice pack on certain parts of your neck and head, you’ll get some pain relief. Place the icepack on your scalp, neck or forehead. Some believe that the cold of the ice pack causes the blood veins to shrink, reducing blood flow to the area. In a pinch, a washcloth rinsed in cold water can also help reduce migraine pain. One tip remains to take a washcloth and soak it in water. Wring the washcloth out thoroughly. Fold it into four layers, and then place the wet washcloth in a plastic bag. Place the plastic bag containing the damp cloth in the freezer. You’ll then have a cold pack ready to use whenever you need it.
2. Ginger Jolts Your Migraine Pain
Ginger works by blocking prostaglandins. Prostaglandins promote muscle contractions and regulate inflammation levels that may occur in the brain’s blood vessels. These functions are similar to the way many NSAIDS work. Here are a few ways to get ginger in your system to soothe and perhaps even prevent a migraine. If you feel a migraine coming on, brew a cup of strong ginger tea with a natural sweetener. Keep sipping the drink until you think your headache symptoms abate. Another way to get ginger’s beneficial actions into your system is to chew a piece of raw ginger root. Not only will using ginger help your headache go away, but it eases the stomach distresses that come along with a migraine.
3. Products with Caffeine Blast Your Migraine Pain
Caffeine is found in coffee, sodas, and other food and drink products. It can give you some relief from the pain of a migraine headache as well as help your body get relief by assisting your body in absorbing migraine medications more quickly. Be careful in using caffeine to treat your migraines, though. For some, Caffeine can be a headache trigger or a headache inhibitor. Also, excess caffeine use cause dependence and may give you feelings of fatigue and additional headaches when you quit using it.
4. Dark Shadows Soothe Your Migraine
Your body doesn’t want to be around bright lights. The brightness hurts your eyes and makes a headache worse. You should respect what your body wants when you have a migraine by avoiding bright lights and resting in a dark room.
5. Yoga Relaxes Your Sore Muscles
The practice of yoga contains a lot of benefits for people. Any kind of exercise causes the brain to produce endorphins, which can assist in relieving pain in folks with migraines. Since you won’t feel like going for a run with a severe headache, try doing some yoga poses instead. The slow, steady movements can relax your mind, body and especially your muscles, and also help your head feel better. Plus, a regular yoga practice may prevent migraine headaches or reduce the number of the nasty migraines that you have.
6. Manage Your Migraine Triggers
If you have a migraine routinely after eating a specific food, you’ll learn that the food is a migraine trigger. Eliminate that food from your diet. Other migraine triggers are high altitudes, strong smells, and bright lights. If you get in a situation with these three non-food triggers, get away from them as quickly as possible.
7. Butterbur
Butterbur originates from the Petasites hybridus plant that grows naturally in Europe, Asia, and North America. Butterbur has been utilized for thousands of years to eliminate headaches and other ailments and to relieve pain. The plant contains
8. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea has been used for hundreds of years to treat a variety of ailments. One of the many benefits of drinking peppermint tea remains using the herb for migraine treatment. Peppermint tea’s anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effects both calm you as well as soothing head pain and muscles in your entire body. Plus, scents and aromas can cause migraines. These same smells can also soothe a migraine. So make yourself a stiff cup of peppermint tea, inhale the warm aroma, and quiet your headache with the lovely taste of tea.
9. German Chamomile
The tiny flower of the chamomile plant works well to reduce swelling and inflammation, relax muscles and calm a person’s nerves. Matricaria recutita, or German chamomile, has been used as an herbal remedy for centuries. Simply steep three teaspoons of dried German chamomile in a cup of hot water for several minutes and drink the tea. The flavor of this tea is naturally calming and tastes wonderful, too.
10. Feverfew Leaves
Feverfew leaves have been used for hundreds of years to treat headaches such as migraines. This multipurpose, health-giving leaf contains parthenolide, which relieves muscle spasms, giving relief to you when you have a headache. These leaves also neutralize excess prostaglandins that cause pain signals in the body and thus reduce pain. If you have a feverfew plant in your garden, you can pick, wash and eat two to three leaves. If you’d like to improve the taste, however, combine peppermint and feverfew for a warm and calming drink. Feverfew is also available for use in tablet form for your convenience.
11. Massage Your Migraine Away
Massage therapy is recommended for an at-home treatment for migraines. To massage your migraine away, take your index and middle finger and rub the painful areas of your head gently in a circular motion. Massaging the base of your skull and in between your eyebrows and at the corners of your eyes relieves muscle tension in your head and helps the blood flow better, too. Or place a couple of drops of ginger root powder in two tablespoons of warmed oil, like sesame oil, and massage your head with the mixture. Leave the oil and herb mixture on for an hour or so before you wash it off.
12. Eat an Apple
As soon as you feel any warning signs of a migraine coming on, you should eat an apple. Inhale the aroma of the apple, too, while you eat it. Some researchers have discovered that the luscious aroma of a green apple reduces the severity and duration of a migraine, as well.
When you next think you have a migraine coming on, drink a cup of one of the herbal teas mentioned above, ice your neck or try massage to stop your migraine before it progresses.