Migraines are pulsating headaches that vary in intensity, often affecting one side of the head. It is characterised by nausea, vomiting and blurred vision, among others. You can find relief from migraine pain or headache by going for some simple home tips and herbal remedies rather than any medication. In fact, for many, these remedies have provided effective relief from migraine and these are far better than popping a pain reliever.
- Scented Essential Oil Remedy: You can use certain essential oils such as lavender oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, etc. Take any one of these oils on your finger tips and massage your head, temples and the back portion of your neck. Lie down and relax. Also, you can add a few drops of any of these oils in a vapouriser and breathe ten to 15 times. In case if you don’t have a vapouriser, dip a cotton swab in a few drops of oil and inhale the smell of the oil. It is said that essential oil by its fragrance can at first stimulates and then relaxes the nerves that cause your migraine.
- Ginger Remedy: Take a piece of ginger, grind it so that you can extract some juice (at least half a spoon) and add this into a glass of water. Drink this ginger water whenever you have a migraine. You can also add freshly-grounded ginger into hot water and consume it like tea. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that help control the pain and also nausea.
- Coriander Seed Remedy: You can add fresh coriander seeds to hot water and inhale the steam. This is an ancient Aryuvedic treatment to relieve sinus pressure and headaches. Coriander seeds have anti-inflammatory properties. These can also be chewed or used in food or teas.
- Cayenne Powder Remedy: Take a half teaspoon of cayenne (lal mirch) powder and mix it properly in four ounces of warm water. Now, take a cotton swab, soak it in the solution. Then try to inhale the moist cotton gently so that it touches your nostrils and you can feel the heat. After a little bit of unpleasant burning sensation, your headache will be gone or at least better. Cayenne with an ingredient called capsaicin helps in pain and inflammation.
- Heat Compress: If you have pain in your temple, place a hot compress on your forehead. This will help to relax the knotted up muscles in the temple area.
- Cold Compress: You can also apply a cold compress on your forehead by putting few ice cubes in a cotton cloth. This helps in contracting the blood vessels so that they stop pressing on the sensitive nerves.
- Hot Feet Soak or Bath: You can make your pain feel better by soaking your feet in hot water or taking a hot shower bath. It can relax tense muscles.
- Hold a Pencil: This is one of the most interesting remedies I have come across for migraines. All you have to do is to hold a pencil between your teeth. Mind it, you are not biting the pencil but simply holding it. This can help in relieving a tension headache. Don’t believe me? Try it out for yourself!
Some Handy Tips
- Never skip your meals and follow a regular timing for eating.
- Avoid foods that cause your migraine. For this you have to keep a track on the foods that you take, after which you have a headache.
- Whenever you feel you are going to have a headache, just eat a handful of almonds.
- Sleep well.
- Drink plenty of water.
