5 Natural Migraine Remedies That Are Highly Likely To Be Effective
Written By
Nishant Garund
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Varuni AgarwalDr. Varuni Agarwal is an esteemed Ayurvedic physician specializing in diagnosing diseases through Ayurvedic dosha imbalances and providing personalized treatments. She focuses on ahara (diet) and vihara (lifestyle) to manage and heal various ailments.
Migraines can be quite debilitating for those who suffer from them, and popping a pill every time for migraines is not something you should be doing. You might need to try different self-care techniques until you find the one that best suits you because what works for someone else might not work for you. At the same time, you must figure out and address the underlying cause/ causes. Certain triggers frequently cause migraines, so it's critical to recognise them so you can stay away from them. While medication can help alleviate severe migraines temporarily, more feasible options include sustainable lifestyle changes and CBD for chronic pain.
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Migraines Vs. Headaches: How to tell if it is a migraine?
It might be difficult to differentiate between migraines and other types of headaches. However, it can be more noticeable at times. Typically, migraines are more painful and incapacitating. While tension headaches can last anywhere from 30 minutes to a week without treatment, migraines typically last four to 72 hours. The most frequent type of headache, a tension headache, causes pressure on both your forehead and temples. However, a migraine is most likely the cause of severe discomfort. However, migraines can be brought on by stress headaches. This is probably because a headache's stress might trigger a migraine. Taking a painkiller helps stop a tension headache before it develops into a more excruciating migraine, even though we always advise patients to treat the underlying causes of their headaches.
A migraine is a headache that often affects one side of the head and can be extremely painful, throbbing, or pulsating. It frequently comes with high sensitivity to light and sound and nausea and vomiting. The pain from a migraine attack can be so intense that it interferes with your regular activities and can persist for hours or even days. A warning sign known as an aura may appear before or concurrently with some persons' headaches. Auras can include:
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Speech difficulties.
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Tingling sensation on one side of the face or in an arm or leg.
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Vision problems like light flashes or blind spots.
Some migraines can be prevented and made less painful with medication. In addition, the correct medications, self-help techniques, and lifestyle modifications may be helpful.
Lifestyle Changes and Remedies to Avoid Migraines
While consensus and common sense dictate that taking over-the-counter medications is not a permanent solution for migraines, there is no harm in taking them occasionally. However, there are several long-term solutions, such as the ones stated below.
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Yoga
Yoga has been shown to have positive therapeutic effects on both cardiovascular and psychological health. By stabilising the sympathetic nervous system and lowering the production of stress hormones, researchers also believe that regular yoga practice may help some people minimise the frequency and intensity of migraines. In addition, yoga practitioners claim to have an elevated vagal tone and a lowered sympathetic nervous system drive, making their bodies more resistant to the inflammatory consequences of stress.
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Acupressure
Acupressure, activating specific pressure points on the body, may help some migraine sufferers relieve gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea. The PC6 pressure point, situated on the inner forearm, about three finger widths below the wrist, is said to be the most efficient acupressure spot for treating migraine symptoms. Motion sickness remedies such as "Sea Bands" or acupressure wristbands can be worn before, during, or after a migraine attack. According to research, acupressure reduces nausea by triggering the release of endorphins and serotonin, which return the central nervous system to homeostasis.
Migraine eyeglasses
Did you know that blue light and the light emitted by your phone or computer screens can cause and aggravate migraines? Researchers have discovered that migraineurs have a more sensitive light-processing brain region. In actuality, most migraine sufferers also experience photophobia (severe light sensitivity) during their attacks. Your screens and lighting fixtures emit blue light, heightening sensitivity and exacerbating headaches. You might be able to prevent an attack or at least lessen it by blocking the kinds of light that can set off or aggravate your migraine.
Fluorescent FL-41 glasses, often known as migraine glasses, are designed to block bright light and filter out wavelengths of light that are believed to heighten sensitivity. They are offered as indoor and outdoor lenses and wraparound designs to prevent sidelight. Unfortunately, the cost of migraine glasses can be high. However, if you discover that you spend a lot of time around blue light sources, it can be worthwhile to buy a pair.
Identify and Avoid Potential Triggers
Some causes significantly worsen migraines for the majority of sufferers. Because each person is unique, they will all have various migraine triggers. Your own can be avoided, which can help delay their start. Caffeine and other food and beverage triggers, such as processed foods, can provoke migraines by producing inflammation, dehydration, and circulatory problems. Too much sleep (or too little), changing weather, menstruation, vigorous activity, chewing gum, skipping meals, and even perfume or perfumes are some lesser-known causes. Although it might be difficult, identifying your unique migraine triggers is a crucial step toward symptom alleviation. Finding out what your body dislikes and what you might be weak in can be done using lab tests and elimination diets. Additionally, you can manage and keep track of your migraine attacks by keeping a migraine journal.
CBD for Migraines
One of the more than 100 active substances discovered in the cannabis plant is cannabidiol, generally known as CBD. Tetrahydrocannabinol's psychotropic properties are not shared by CBD. The ingredient in marijuana that gives users a "high" is THC. Numerous uses of CBD for chronic pain are being researched, in addition to other conditions such as anxiety, sleeplessness, pain, inflammation, seizures, and migraines. CBD's impact on migraines is still being researched. While this is not to say that it would not be advantageous, dosage, effectiveness, and safety have not been determined. We can only hope that new studies will clarify how CBD can be used to treat chronic pain, including migraines.
How is CBD used to treat migraines?
According to experts, first-time CBD users should start with a small dose and gradually increase it. Compared to ingesting the oil or an edible, CBD oil can be taken sublingually or under the tongue, where it will be absorbed more quickly and effectively. While good quality CBD oil is safe and can be consumed by most people, some people may have adverse effects like tiredness, nausea, and diarrhoea. Another issue is that CBD could interact with other pharmaceuticals and alter their potency. Because of this, you should inform your doctor if you plan to start taking CBD regularly and inquire about any medications or dietary supplements you may be taking that might interfere with CBD. To avoid unfavourable drug interactions, people should wait at least two to three hours between consuming CBD and their other prescriptions. Neet CBD oil is the best CBD for migraines.
The Takeaway
Natural remedies for migraine management are an adjuvant strategy that you can combine with over-the-counter, prescription, or even homoeopathic treatments. Your quality of life can be improved and your need for medicine reduced by using natural migraine management techniques. Because they have no negative side effects or adverse interactions with one another, these natural migraine relief methods are safe to use in combination. Although herbal treatments for migraines (and even the best CBD for migraines) may be safe and natural, drug interactions and adverse effects are associated with risks. Before taking any such supplements, talk to your healthcare provider about it to get the most out of your treatment plan.