Treating migraine naturally
At-home treatments for migraine are more sought after than the standard treatments. Migraines, by far the most painful and debilitating type of headache, can be helped with non-drug approaches. An intense migraine episode may occur with symptoms like nausea, fatigue and numbness. Image source: Shutterstock
Caffeine
Too much caffeine can make your head ache, but controlled amount of caffeine can help the pain disappear. The studies have suggested that painkillers (aspirin and ibuprofen) are more effective when combined with caffeine for headaches. Image source: Getty
Spices
Spice up your meals. Red pepper and capsaicin are excellent pain killers and can help those who often experience migraine attacks. If you cannot add red pepper in all your meals, you can buy cayenne pepper at food stores. Image source: Getty
Ice pack
Cold compresses can be an effective way to alleviate migraine. Lie down and put an ice pack or cold compress on your head. Close your eyes while doing it. Ice pack can have a placebo effect, or it can have a distracting effect on the patient. Image source: Getty
Soak hands in ice water
Soak one or both of your hands in ice water to relieve the headache. Keep your hands in it for as long as you can tolerate it. When your hands are in water, make a fist and open/close repeatedly. It will help relieve headache. Image source: Getty
Scalp massage
Massaging the scalp, especially back of the head and base of the skull reduces the severity of headache. Moreover, massaging reflex points on the hands and feet can also help. Image source: Getty
Diet changes
Making changes to your diet is one of the most useful ways for managing migraines. When you often have migraine episodes, avoid foods such as dairy, chocolate, avocado, banana, and citrus fruits. Or else, keep track of foods that trigger migraines and abstain from them. Image source: Getty
Exercise
Exercising helps reduce tension and wards off stress, which is one of the triggers of headache. Moreover, physical activity triggers the release of endorphins which act as a mild sedative to relieve pain. Image source: Getty
Relaxation
When you experience a headache, massage the neck and shoulder spasms. It is also an effective preventive treatment for migraine. Image source: Getty
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an effective alternative treatment for reducing pain; it can be used against migraine too. Besides, there are no side-effects of the acupuncture therapy for migraine. Image source: Getty
