ExecutiveChronicles | 11 Ways to Treat a Migraine at Home | Migraines can affect anyone, and they’re not the same as headaches. Many people experience pounding pain, light and sound sensitivity, nausea, and even blurred vision with a migraine. Migraines can happen at any time of day, making getting work done or finishing chores difficult. While you can take pain medication to help dull the pain, you can also try natural, home remedies to reduce the symptoms of migraines and keep you productive all day long. Here are the different ways you can treat a migraine at home.
1. Avoid Trigger Foods
Diet plays a role in helping to prevent migraines, and many different foods can trigger them, including:
- Chocolate
- Cheese
- Alcohol
- Processed foods
- Sugar
- Beans
- Dairy products
Some foods can help prevent migraines, including fruits, vegetables, coffee, or tea. Remember, instead of opting for sugar to sweeten your drink, try sugar-free sweetener to help you avoid migraine caused by too much sugar. The caffeine from coffee or tea can help reduce the pain associated with a migraine, but drinking too much caffeine can also lead to a migraine, so it’s important to start with a cup and increase your caffeine intake from there.
It isn’t easy figuring out exactly which food is causing your migraines, but you can make it simple by keeping a food journal to track the foods you eat and how you feel. Once you notice a pattern, you can start avoiding certain foods and see if your migraines decrease or reduce the pain.
2. Try Essential Oils
Essential oils, such as lavender, can also ease the pain associated with migraines. Lavender is used in aromatherapy to help relieve stress, so if your migraine is caused by stress, you can rest assured lavender will help you relax. You can inhale the essential oil, put it in a diffuser, or rub it directly on your temples after mixing it with a carrier oil. Remember, never apply essential oils to your skin because you don’t know how your skin will react; some essential oils can burn your skin if they’re not diluted with a carrier oil.
3. Eat Ginger
Ginger is a good home remedy for nausea associated with migraine, and it can also help relieve pain. You can eat ginger with your food or drink ginger tea to help settle your stomach.
4. Consider Yoga
Yoga is a great way to relieve stress that might trigger a migraine. Using breathing and meditation exercises can promote overall health and well-being. Yoga may even be able to reduce the duration and intensity of migraines by improving anxiety and releasing tension all over the body.
5. Take Supplements
If you’re vitamin and mineral deficient, your body might feel sluggish, or you can start getting migraines. Adding vitamins to your daily routine can help you feel better. Magnesium deficiency, in particular, is associated with migraines and headaches. You can take a magnesium supplement to help reduce the frequency of migraines and help prevent hormonal headaches.
6. Manage Your Stress
Many people believe that stress is their migraine trigger. Learning how to manage your stress can help you reduce the frequency of migraines and may even help ease your pain. Of course, stress management is different for everyone, but here are a few ideas to get started:
- Deep breathing
- Music therapy
- Counseling
- Meditation
- Relaxing activities
7. Stay Hydrated
While many people believe stress is their trigger, others believe they get migraines due to dehydration. When your body is dehydrated, everything, including your gut and mind, can be negatively affected. To prevent dehydration and migraines caused by dehydration, drink plenty of water throughout the day and more on hot days.
If you have difficulty remembering to drink water throughout your busy day, try setting the alarm on your phone or download an app that allows you to track your water intake. You can also buy a large reusable water bottle that tracks how much water you’ve had to drink.
8. Get Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can also be a migraine trigger. As you know, your body and mind need sleep to repair and recover. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your mind can suffer, causing an increase in stress and the potential for migraines. Getting better sleep is as easy as going to bed at the same time every night to train your brain when it’s time to settle down and sleep. You should also avoid caffeine at night and have a nighttime routine to help you relax before getting under the covers.
If you can’t sleep due to pain, consider making your sleep environment more comfortable by getting a pain relief pillow or turning down the thermostat to your ideal sleep temperature.
9. Put on a Migraine Hat
Migraine hats are hats made out of cold compresses to help treat migraines and headaches. These ice caps are made of a cooling gel and fit snugly on your head to offer you the benefits of cold therapy and compression. Migraine hats can help you manage the pain associated with migraines and limit the duration, but they can’t reduce the frequency.
10. Exercise
Exercise can help reduce the frequency of migraines by helping your body and mind reduce anxiety and depression. However, it’s typically not a good idea to exercise while you have a migraine, especially if you’re experiencing blurred vision and nausea. Instead, you should use exercise preventatively to help you reduce the number of migraines you experience.
11. Know When to See a Doctor
While at-home remedies can help many people suffering from migraines, it’s best to know when it’s time to see a doctor. If your migraines have increased in frequency or severity, it’s time to discuss your options with a professional. Migraines can impact every aspect of your life, making it difficult to function. There’s no reason to avoid going to your doctor who can help you determine the cause of your migraine and help you feel better.
Home Migraine Treatments
Before you can start effectively treating your migraines at home, you should determine the cause. For example, if you notice you only experience pain when you’re stressed, you can begin managing your stress better through yoga or deep breathing exercises. However, if you think it’s because of a vitamin deficiency, you can try to take supplements. If your migraines don’t get better over time, consider consulting a doctor who can help you find the right solution.
Marné Amoguis
Marné Amoguis holds a B.A. in International Business from UC San Diego. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she loves sharing her passion for digital marketing. Outside of writing, she loves traveling, playing music, and hiking.
