How to treat migraines at home

Headaches top the list of common complaints in general, and migraines are by far the most painful and debilitating type of headache. Some over-the-counter treatment of pain killers work well to stop many types of headache pain but, they're relatively ineffective when it comes to migraines. 

Prescription drugs also don't work well for many migraine victims, and most have the potential for causing unwanted side effects. That's why home remedies for migraine pain relief are some of the most sought after natural cures. 

A migraine is a severe, painful headache that is often preceded or accompanied by sensory warning signs such as flashes of light, blind spots, tingling in the arms and legs, nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light and sound. The excruciating pain that migraines bring can last for hours or even days. They can cripple you quicker than you can snap your fingers and really knock you off your feet.

What Causes Migraines?
This is that question everyone wants an answer to. Three out of four of the nearly 30 million Americans who suffer from migraines are women.

When you are busy with life, the last thing you want or need is a severe headache. You might be in the middle of a word day or fixing dinner for your family. You don't have time for a migraine. Migraines can be an extremely debilitating and painful problem. About two-thirds of migraine sufferers cannot function at a normal level when they get a migraine attack. 

An intense migraine attack can floor victims, plaguing them with nausea and vertigo (dizziness) and confining them to bed. Migraine ranks as one of the top 20 most disabling medical conditions worldwide

Lets look at some of the reasons you could get a migraine. Understanding these can help you learn what to avoid. The reason may have to do with a woman’s menstrual cycle, but triggers can also include alcohol, weather changes, stress, food and lack of sleep. Other factor like Strong perfumes, Bright lights, Changes in lifestyle, Exhaustion, Allergies, The Flu and cold, and Alcohol also can raise hell.

How to get rid of migraines?
You can always observe your triggers that probably give you headache. Start listening to your body to see if you have signals to alert you to a coming migraine. I can feel the tension in my neck, hours before my severe headaches come. 

The important thing to note is that if you are in a hectic situation, take time to massage your head, drink some calming tea, or take medicine to stop the headaches before they come. This can be the difference between a full-blown migraine and a simple headache that goes as quick as it came.

Take note of your daily lifestyle chores. It can take from a few minutes to  hours for a trigger to cause a reaction. Certain foods and drinks triggers a migraine attack in about 10 percent of migraine sufferers.  If you get a migraine, think back to what you did exactly in that time frame and try eliminating those 'hell raiser' from your life. It is that simple!

Preventive steps 

1) Take deep breaths. 

Every time you feel a migraine coming, begin taking long, slow breaths. The more relaxed you feel, the better your changes for your migraine to go away. As you take deep breaths, allow all the tension to flow out of your body. Try to not think about any one thing.

2) Exercise

Regular, gentle exercise helps to reduce tension and ward off stress, a well-known trigger for many migraine sufferers. Exercise also triggers the release of endorphins, which act as a mild sedative.

3) Get a good night's sleep. 

Changes in sleep patterns, changing work schedules and jet lag can affect the quality of sleep cycles and trigger migraines. Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule. Get up and go to bed at the same time every day if possible.

4) Drink water

Dehydration can be a big cause of headaches, so keep your body hydrated and drink 8-10 glasses of water daily

5) Eat healthy

Eat wisely to get your share of essential nutrients like, magnesium, riboflavin, omega 3s, and QoQ10. You can include almonds, liver, lean beef, eggs, lamb, spinach, broccoli, Pumpkin seeds, whole grains, Swiss chard, wild Alaskan salmon, halibut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, amaranth, quinoa, soybeans, and black beans in your diet.

Natural home remedies for migraine and headache

When treating a migraine attack, it is important to obtain relief from the symptoms of the attack, but it is also equally important to look at the underlying causes of your pain in order to prevent future attacks. Here are some simple home remedies to get rid of migraines at home. 

1) Feverfew

The feverfew herb has a long history of use in traditional and folk medicine, especially among Greek and early European herbalists. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a traditional medicinal herb which is commonly used to prevent migraine headaches, and is also occasionally grown for ornament. The name Feverfew is based on febrifuge, the herbalist term for the action of reducing fever.

The plant contains compounds called parthenolides, which appear to help control expansion and contraction of blood vessels in the head. When you begin to get a migraine, your brain releases the neurotransmitter serotonin, and your blood vessels constrict. 

Feverfew appears to counteract your brain's order by causing blood vessels to dilate. Thus, feverfew enhances the "tone" of blood vessels, as does magnesium, which is also considered to be a helpful nutrient for controlling migraine headaches. In addition, feverfew appears to neutralize chemicals called prostaglandins, some of which are linked to pain and inflammation. Because it stops production of inflammatory chemicals.

2) Peppermint
A cross of spearmint and water mint, peppermint grows throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Peppermint leaves and their essential oils have been used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. In addition to a headache treatment, it has also been employed to relieve spasms, toothaches, gastrointestinal problems, and nausea.

Peppermint oil and its active ingredient, menthol, are available in liquid capsule form. You can also dilute the oils and apply them topically, which is the primary method for migraine treatment. When applied to the forehead and temples in a 10 percent solution, menthol has shown to be effective at stopping migraine pain and easing nausea.

3) willow

Willows all have abundant watery bark sap, which is heavily charged with salicylic acid. Willow extract, salicin, was used in the development of aspirin, the well-known over-the-counter pain reliever, fever reducer, and anti-inflammatory drug.

You can chew its bark or apply willow salicin extract tropically to reduce the pain and duration of migraine.

4) Ginger

Ginger is a source of effective anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial substances. Traditionally, ginger has been used as a spice and as a remedy for headaches, stomach pain, nausea, arthritis, and cold and flu symptoms. A research study of an over-the-counter sub-lingual combination of feverfew and ginger effectively stopped or relieved migraine pain in the majority of participants.

5) Butter bur

Found in wet, marshy areas of Europe, Asia, and North America, it’s been used as treatment for headaches, as well as asthma, allergies, cough, fever, gastrointestinal problems, and general pain. Taking butter bur root extracts in pill form can reduce the frequency of migraines by 60%.

Bottom-line

Whether you choose pharmaceutical treatments, natural remedies, or a combination Consider tracking your triggers, symptoms, pain intensity and duration, and other related factors (such as the weather, menstrual cycle, activities, etc.) having a thorough record of your experiences will help you narrow down the best treatment for you.