Home remedies for migraine headaches include everything from natural and holistic home treatments to the obvious injunction to "rest in a dark place." Migraine sufferers know that what is a cure for one person may not work for another. Feverfew, a much touted herbal remedy for migraines, is actually used more in migraine prevention than in immediate treatment for acute pain. For fast migraine headache relief, try these treatments that tackle migraine headache pain where it begins - in the blood vessels.
Basics of a Migraine Headache
A migraine headache is a type of vascular headache. Migraines involve the expansion of the blood vessels in the head. A few symptoms of migraine headaches include dull, throbbing pain on one or both sides of the head, pain in the neck, eyes, and jaw, a feeling of heat in the face and shoulders, sensitivity to sounds, light, or odors, nausea, vomiting, and cold hands and feet. Not all people who have migraine pain have all these symptoms, and some have others.
Migraine headaches are classified as either classic migraines or common migraines. Those who have classic migraines symptoms typically experience any of the following symptoms of an aura up to a half hour before the headache begins:
- feeling tingling or numb
- being disoriented
- seeing visual disturbances
Common migraines are not accompanied by an aura. Most people experience common migraine pain. Treatment is not specific to the type of headache.
Start Migraine Home Remedies Fast
At the first sign of a migraine, begin treatment. The longer treating a migraine is delayed, the more difficult it is to achieve fast migraine headache relief. When the aura or pain begins, avoid eating any possible migraine food triggers. Stop any activity, use the migraine headache home remedies below, and move to a quiet, dark place to rest.
Over the Counter Pain Medications for Migraine: NSAIDS
Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). Use only the amount recommended on the bottle or prescribed by a physician. Pregnant women, people taking beta-blockers, and certain others should not take NSAIDs - check with a doctor if in doubt.
Herbal Migraine Treatment: Ginger Root Infusion
Ginger root is reputed to help the nausea associated with migraine and the sensation of "heat." Peel and slice a quarter inch of fresh ginger root. Cover the ginger in a saucepan with enough water for several cups of tea and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. Sip a cup of the ginger root infusion slowly.
Head and Cold Remedy for Migraine: Bath (Sitz) and Ice Pack
Because migraine headaches involve the rush of blood to the head, the head, face, neck and shoulders can feel warm while the hands and feet will feel cold. Migraine headache relief may occur when the blood is encouraged to flow back into the trunk of the body, easing the painful pressure in the head.
To get the blood flowing away from the head, sit in a shallow, very warm bath, called a sitz bath, immersing the hands up to the elbows if possible. Wrap an ice pack or cold pack around the neck or dab it on the face and head where it feels hot. Do not immerse the head or lie down in the bath.
Home Migraine Relief in the Kitchen: Caffeine
Caffeine is an ingredient in some over-the-counter migraine pain medications. If such medication is not available, make a cup of black coffee (i.e. without cream or sugar) and slowly sip it. This migraine home remedy may work on headaches not triggered by caffeine itself. Warning: Chocolate, tea, and soda containing caffeine are not advised in treating migraines.
Rest Remedy for Migraines: Recliner Chair
Advice to rest during a painful migraine often neglects to specify the most important information: rest in a reclining position. Rather than lie down flat, prop the head and shoulders up on pillows, or rest in a recliner chair. Blood flows toward the head during a migraine headache. Relief from the pain is hard to achieve in a flat resting position. A reclining position can help the blood flow back down the body.
Caution: Massage for Migraine
Massage at home may not be effective for migraine relief. Massage increases blood circulation. The "wrong" kind of massage can encourage blood flow toward the head instead of away from it, and thus trigger the migraine headache pain to increase. While acupressure, trigger point therapy, or massaging of the hands and feet may help, use these techniques with caution to avoid making the pain worse.
If These Migraine Home Remedies Don't Work or the Headache is Unusual
Consult a health care provider if the pain of a migraine is unusual, sudden, intense, or lasts unusually long. If a pregnant woman or a child suffers from a migraine, check with a doctor for a correct diagnosis and safe treatment before trying any natural migraine treatments or home remedies.
References:
- The Natural Health Guide to Headache Relief; Paula Maas, Deborah Mitchell, and the Editors of Natural Health Magazine; 1997
- American Headache Society
- MedlinePlus Migraine Headache page
- Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of feverfew in migraine prevention.
Kerry Bakerson - Kerry's fiction has been published by Mundania Press. A former jewelry designer and bookseller, Kerry is now a full-time web content ...
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