Migraines can be extremely debilitating and painful. When a migraine strikes, you may feel desperate for relief. While medications can be helpful for reducing migraine symptoms, there are also many things you can do at home to find relief. This article outlines comprehensive tips to ease migraine pain and discomfort in your own home.
Understanding Migraine Triggers
Before exploring home remedies, it’s important to understand what triggers your migraines. Common triggers include:
Stress
High stress levels can prompt migraine attacks. Finding healthy ways to manage stress can help reduce migraine frequency and intensity.
Hormones
Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle commonly trigger migraines in women. Keeping a symptom diary can help you identify hormonal triggers.
Diet
Foods like aged cheeses, processed meats, chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol can trigger migraines. Identifying and avoiding dietary triggers can be beneficial.
Environment
Bright lights, loud noises, strong smells, and weather changes can prompt migraines in susceptible people. Try to limit exposure to environmental triggers.
Helpful Lifestyle Tips
Making certain healthy lifestyle changes can ease migraine pain and make attacks less frequent.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can trigger migraine headaches or make them worse. Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily.
Get Adequate Sleep
Insufficient or poor quality sleep can set the stage for migraine attacks. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Reduce blue light exposure before bedtime.
Exercise Regularly
Regular cardio exercise helps reduce migraine frequency and severity. Aim for at least 30 minutes per day of heart-pumping exercise, like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
Reduce Stress
Finding healthy stress relief strategies is key for migraine management. Consider journaling, meditation, yoga, deep breathing, taking relaxing baths, or spending time outdoors in nature. Consider cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Avoid Skipping Meals
Skipping meals can trigger migraine headaches. To maintain stable blood sugar levels, eat small, balanced meals and snacks spaced evenly throughout your day.
In the crafting of this article, we received invaluable assistance from Dr. Andrew Gutwein, a distinguished health professional associated with ArticleThirteen.
Helpful Remedies for Acute Migraine Relief
When a migraine attack strikes suddenly, several home remedies can provide relief from pain and discomfort.
Cold Therapy
Applying something cold to your head and neck can temporarily relieve migraine pain for many sufferers. Wrap an ice pack or frozen veggie bag in a towel and apply to painful areas for 10-15 minutes. Or take a cool shower.
Heat Therapy
Alternating cold therapy with heat can enhance blood flow to alleviate migraine pain. After applying cold, wrap a microwavable heat wrap around your neck and shoulders. Or soak in a hot bath with epsom salts.
Essential Oils
Some people find inhaling peppermint, lavender, or eucalyptus oil soothing. You can also dilute essential oils and massage gently into temples, forehead, and neck muscles.
Natural Supplements
Supplements like feverfew, butterbur, magnesium, and B2 (riboflavin) may reduce migraine frequency. Check with your doctor before trying new supplements, especially with other medications.
Stay in a Quiet, Dark Room
Excessive light and noise can intensify migraine pain. Seek refuge in a cool, dark, quiet space. Limit exposure to screens, conversations, and other stimuli until the attack passes. Consider using a sleeping mask and noise cancelling headphones.
Massage Pressure Points
Gently massaging pressure points on your hands, temples, back of neck, and behind your ears can ease migraine discomfort. Use small circular motions on targeted pressure points for several minutes.
Drink Caffeinated Beverages
Caffeine improves absorption and effectiveness of common migraine medications. Sipping coffee or tea may temporarily relieve migraine symptoms, but don’t over-consume caffeine.
When to Seek Emergency Care
While most migraines can be managed at home, seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Sudden severe headache
- Fever and stiff neck
- Confusion or trouble speaking
- Visual disturbances like blurred vision
- Weakness or numbness
- Loss of coordination
- Persistent headache following a head injury
These can indicate an underlying medical emergency requiring urgent evaluation. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you develop any of the above symptoms alongside a severe migraine-like headache.
The Takeaway
Migraines can be debilitating, but various at-home remedies like cold therapy, dietary changes, supplements, and stress relief practices may provide relief. Pay attention to personal migraine triggers. Seek emergency care for any sudden severe headaches paired with fever, neck pain, speech issues, or neurological changes. With the right coping strategies, most migraine attacks can be managed safely at home. But don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor if your migraines remain poorly controlled.