Natural and effective ways to treat migraines at home

Migraines can disrupt your daily activities. Fortunately, there are many drug options for migraines that can relieve symptoms from the moment the attack begins. However, how to relieve migraines does not only have to rely on drugs. There are natural, effective ways you can try to get rid of migraine attacks and symptoms. So, how to deal with migraines without drugs that can be done?

Various ways to deal with migraines

When a migraine attack comes, you can experience a headache that feels great on one side. You may also experience other problems, such as nausea and vomiting, a sensation of spinning or lightheadedness, to hypersensitivity to light and sound. This disease also makes you sensitive to extreme weather changes or other things that can trigger migraines to recur.

In order not to interfere with activities, of course you have to do something about it. Apart from medication, here are some natural ways that can help overcome or possibly cure migraine headaches, both right and left, that you are experiencing:

1. Calm down

Migraine sufferers are generally more sensitive to light and sound. If you experience migraine attacks due to these factors, calming yourself down can be one way to get rid of migraine headache attacks without medication. You just have to relax and rest in a dark and quiet room to practice it.

2. Drink lots of water

Has your body been sufficiently hydrated today? If you don't have enough water in your body, you can become dehydrated. As for this, it can also trigger various types of headaches, including migraines.

Therefore, drinking more water can be a natural way to treat and treat migraine headaches without medication. You can also eat foods that have a high water content, such as watermelon, or other migraine headache relievers.

3. Cold compress

Another way that can help relieve migraines is to compress the sore head area with a cold compress. Cold compresses have a numbing effect that can relieve painful sensations. This method can also help reduce inflammation and constriction of blood vessels, which can automatically relieve pain due to headaches.

To get these benefits, you can simply use a washcloth or small towel soaked in cold water or put ice cubes in it. You can also do this method while calming yourself in a dark room when an attack occurs.

4. Get enough sleep

Not only drowsiness, the dangers of lack of sleep or lack of rest that may lurk you are experiencing migraine headaches. Therefore, tips for dealing with other migraines are getting enough sleep.

However, keep in mind that too much sleep can also trigger migraine headaches. So, make sure you get enough sleep, not less and more, with a time span of about 7-9 hours. You should also set a regular bedtime every day, even on weekends, to prevent migraines from coming back.

5. Using essential oils

Using essential oils for headaches can be a way to quickly cure migraines. The essential oils that are believed to be effective against migraines are lavender and peppermint oil.

In a study published in the journal European Neurology, inhaling lavender oil is effective in relieving acute migraine attacks quickly. Not only that, lavender oil can also be used to relieve stress, which is one of the triggers for migraines.

In addition, according to a study from the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, applying peppermint oil to the forehead and temples is also effective in relieving pain and nausea due to migraines. The menthol in peppermint oil is believed to be the active ingredient that gives rise to these properties.

6. Acupressure massage

Acupressure is the practice of alternative medicine by pressing certain points of the body with the fingers to relieve pain.

According to a study published in the journal Pain Management Nursing in 2014, acupressure is effective for treating chronic headaches. Another separate study also suggests that acupressure massage therapy can be a natural way to treat and relieve symptoms of migraine companions, such as nausea and vomiting.

You can practice acupressure massage for migraines yourself at home. However, getting a massage from the experts will certainly get the maximum benefits.

7. Drink warm ginger

Ginger is a natural spice that is often used as an alternative medicine for various health problems. According to research from Zanjan University Of Medical Sciences, the benefits of drinking ginger water can also be obtained by migraine sufferers. In fact, brewing a drink from ginger powder is said to be as effective as taking the drug sumatriptan for relieving migraine symptoms.

The reason is, ginger contains compounds that are useful as antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory substances so that it can be a natural way to treat and treat migraines. The ingredients in it also help reduce nausea, vomiting, and common symptoms associated with migraine-type headaches.

8. Sports

When a migraine hits, exercising is probably the last thing on your mind. In fact, exercise or physical activity can also be a way to help cure migraines without drugs.

The reason is, during physical activity, your body releases certain chemicals that block pain signals to the brain. These chemicals also help relieve anxiety and depression, both of which can make your migraines worse. In addition, exercising can also help maintain weight, which can be beneficial for migraine sufferers.

However, choose light exercise that suits your condition and has been approved by a doctor. However, in general, good exercises for dealing with migraines include aerobics (walking, swimming, cycling), yoga, strength training, or simply stretching the muscles of the head, neck and shoulders. Apart from migraines, this method is also believed to be able to deal with tension headaches.

9. Eating foods rich in magnesium

In general, people with migraines and headaches are more likely to have magnesium deficiency than those who don't. Therefore, taking magnesium supplements is believed to be one way to relieve migraine headaches and reduce future attacks.

Magnesium supplements are usually recommended by doctors and used in hospitals for severe migraines. However, at home, you can try to meet your magnesium needs through food intake, such as almonds, or other headache-relieving foods.

10. Eating healthy fatty foods

Some migraine-causing headaches may be caused by inflammation. As for foods high in healthy fats, such as omega-3s, it has been known for a long time to reduce the effects of inflammation in the body.

A study on migraines in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research shows that migraine sufferers who rarely eat omega-3 fatty acids have more frequent relapses than those who routinely eat omega-3 sources.

Therefore, eating foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids can be a way to deal with migraines that you are experiencing. As for examples of food sources high in omega-3, namely salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel, as well as eggs, olive oil, avocado, spinach, almonds and walnuts, and soybeans.

11. Eat spicy

Spicy food can be a mainstay menu when you experience a migraine attack. This has also been proven in several studies. One of them is published in the Journal of Headache and Pain, which states that consuming hot and spicy soup can reduce pain and migraines that attack the head.

This spicy taste generally comes from the capsaicin substance contained in chilies. The capsaicin is said to suppress the pain that appears in your body, so that your headaches can be reduced. In addition, as reported by Migraine & Headache Australia, capsaicin is also often used as a natural remedy for headaches, especially cluster headaches.