10 Top Home Remedies for Migraine Headaches

Home remedies may not offer complete and long-term relief from migraine, but you can reduce the symptoms to some extent. In addition, the everity of the condition can be managed effectively by adopting some home remedies. Some migraines are also associated with Auras that make migraines worse, but this type of migraines can also be managed if you know the triggers. Anyway, migraines are always disturbing as they immensely impact day-to-day activities. Some troublesome symptoms like sensitivity to sounds, lights and temperatures, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting along with severe and throbbing headache make migraine very difficult to manage. However, some home remedies offer short-term relief and freedom from nagging symptoms. You will definitely get huge benefits if you routinely adopt the following home remedies whenever you suffer from bouts and regular episodes of migraines.

Food

i. Have Food on Time

Skipping lunch, delaying breakfast and giving lengthy gaps between meals can trigger migraines. Have your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on time. If you have a habit of eating at short intervals then be stick to it. A slight delay or extension in time can make your condition worse.

ii. Avoid Migraine Triggers – Foods

There are many triggers for migraine – foods are the most common ones. For instance, some people are prone to migraine if they eat certain foods like aged – cheese, fermented foods, ice-creams, chocolates or any canned food stuff. In addition, processed meats, some fermented foods like soy, tempeh, kimchi, kefir, and yoghurt, caffeinated beverages, certain chocolates, canned food items, processed meat, drinks containing artificial sweeteners, energy drinks and soft drinks, cheese and candys can trigger migraines in some people. Hence, they are included under the foods that trigger migraines. Tyramine, aspartame and phenylethylamine are the chemicals that are present in some of the canned foods we eat. These are considered as potential migraine triggers. Some preserved foods also have nitrates and nitrites as food preservatives – these chemicals induce headaches.

Water

Water is the most abundant freely available natural resource. If you know the secret of drinking adequate water and how it impacts your health, you will make drinking water a top priority in your life. Seriously speaking adequate water makes you fit and healthy as it improves digestion, removes toxins, keeps your brain and heart healthy; keeps your skin smooth, shiny and healthy. Water plays a crucial role in overall health and wellness. This single habit of drinking  enough water will keep you healthy for long.

Inadequate water or dehydration triggers headaches and migraines. Therefore, if you are prone to headache or migraine ensure that you are drinking enough water. Even migraine specialists and neurologists advise you to drink water more frequently if you experience frequent headaches.

Inadequate hydration may lead you to develop a headache. Several studies have reported that one of the common cause of bouts of headaches and migraines is chronic dehydration.

The studies have also stated that drinking water helps in relieving migraine or headache symptoms within 25 minutes to a few hours after drinking water – provided the headache is due to chronic dehydration. The other symptoms associated with dehydration include irritability and lack of concentration. Therefore, to prevent dehydration drink enough water and eat foods rich in water content.

Get Adequate Sleep

You can reduce bouts of migraines and the frequency of migraine headache by concentrating on one of the most important factors. If you do not get adequate sleep, your migraine episodes increase manifolds. If you are prone to migraines ensure around 8 to 9 hours of sleep in the night. Don’t try to sleep more than this range or else your migraines get worse. Too much sleep is also not good for your migraines. The severity of migraine symptoms and frequency of migraines is more in those who get less sleep than the normal range.

Cold Treatment

You can get relief from throbbing and pulsating pain by applying ice pack on your temples, forehead and neck. You can also use cold compressors or a frozen gel pack or simply a washed cloth rinsed in cold water to get rid of pain.

Relaxation Exercise

Mind soothing relaxation exercise is not only good for migraines but also for any type of headaches. For getting ample benefits, prefer a dark sound-proof room, lie down on a smooth, comfortable and relaxing mattress and then listen to mind-soothing natural music. The calm and comfortable atmosphere is very effective in relieving intense pain. You can positively condition your mind and make it free of unwanted and disturbing thoughts. While relaxing just feel that all your muscles from top to bottom of your body are getting rid of tension and are slowly relaxing. If you condition your mind like this for at least 25 to 30 minutes daily, you will get rid of your pain.

Rest

When you have severe headache or migraine take rest – just stop everything that you are involved in. For a throbbing, pulsating and debilitating migraine pain – which is getting worse by lights and sound, it is better to take rest in a dark, well-aerated and sound-proof room. Let someone massage your neck and help relieve stiffness if any. Taking rest is quite effective in relieving pain and easing migraine  symptoms including stiffness in the head and neck region.

Take Ginger Tea

Ginger is helpful in reducing nausea and vomiting and other common migraine symptoms. A ginger tea made from fresh ginger root is quite effective in reducing severe migraine pain. Ginger has several beneficial compounds including anti-inflammatory, pain relieving and antioxidants.

Do Some Exercise or Activity?

Indulge yourself in some sort of physical activity to minimize headache severity and frequency. Low level of activity is a risk factor for several health issues including heart problems and diabetes, obesity and mental health issues as well. Studies also show that low level of physical activity is also associated with an increased risk of headaches. Adequate sleep, rest, proper food, meditation and relaxation techniques and regular physical activity as simple as cycling, walking, gardening and just increasing the number of steps one takes throughout the day can improve your activity levels and thus help in reducing severity and frequency of headaches.

Indulge in Yoga

Yoga is the best remedy for all sorts of health issues in general and amazingly superb remedy for pulsating migraines in particular. Yoga offer tremendous health benefits as it is a holistic approach of harmoniously synchronizing mind, body and soul by means of postures, controlled movements, breathing pattern and meditation. It improves reflexes, agility, mood, mental, emotional and physical health. Yoga boosts energy levels, mind, and relaxes complete body and mind and thus relieves pain from all over the body. It is really a boon for reducing stress, anxiety and headaches. Yoga also helps in releasing tension in migraine-trigger areas. Yoga can be used as a complementary therapy for treating migraines.

Avoid Strong Perfumes or Odors

Some people with migraine and headaches have hypersensitivity to odors called osmophobia. This condition is common in people with severe headaches and chronic migraines. Those who have this problem can reduce the severity of migraine symptoms and frequency of migraine episodes if they avoid strong smells, perfumes, scented foods and cigarette smoke.