12 Natural Ways to Reduce Migraine Symptoms

Migraine attacks are not common headaches. You may experience dull aches, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. When you have anxiety or a migraine attack, you will do almost anything to eliminate it. Natural remedies are drug-free ways to relieve migraine symptoms. These home remedies can help prevent or at least reduce the intensity and duration of migraine attacks.

Remember that migraine attacks must be treated with prescription or over-the-counter medications. The ideal course of treatment for you should be discussed with your doctor.

Avoid Certain Foods

A diet is crucial for reducing the risk of migraine attacks. Many different cuisines and beverages, including:

• Foods containing nitrates, including sausages, cured meats, bacon, and sausages.

• Cheeses that have the natural compound tyramine, such as blue, feta, cheddar, Parmesan, and Swiss
• Alcohol, especially red wine
• Foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavour enhancer
• Icy food, such as ice cream or cold drinks
• processed food
• pickled food
• beans
• dried fruit
• Butter, sour cream, and yogurt are examples of cultured dairy products.

Small amounts of caffeine can relieve migraine pain in some people. Caffeine is also present in some migraine medications. But too much caffeine can trigger migraine attacks. This can cause severe headaches due to caffeine withdrawal. Keep a dietary journal to learn what meals and beverages make you most susceptible to migraines. Take notes on everything you eat and how you feel afterward.

Apply lavender oil.

Lavender essential oil helps ease migraine discomfort when inhaled. 

You can breathe in lavender oil straight away or dilute it with carrier oil and dab a little on your temples.

A 2016 randomized controlled trial found evidence that three months of treatment with lavender as a preventative, i.e., taken before a migraine attack starts, reduces the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. The decline occurred. However, research is still limited.

The therapeutic potential of numerous herbs, including lavender, for migraine headaches, was explored in a review of studies in the year 2020 issue of the journal Phytotherapy Research. 

Any recent research did not support the use of lavender as a migraine treatment. However, the scientists found conflicting or scant evidence favouring butterbur and feverfew. According to the authors, many of these studies have a high risk of bias, and more high-quality studies are needed.

Try acupuncture.

Acupuncture involves the injection of fragile needles into specific areas of your skin to encourage relief from various health conditions.

A 2020 randomized controlled trial found that 20 sessions of manual acupuncture combined with usual care were more effective than placebo acupuncture in preventing migraines in people with episodic migraines. False acupuncture is a treatment in which the needles are not deeply inserted.

According to a 2016 assessment of 22 studies, there is also some evidence that acupuncture helps lessen headache symptoms. In a summary of the results, the authors explained that if subjects experienced migraines for six days per month before treatment, they would expect:

• Five days with regular maintenance
• Four days with fake acupuncture or preventive medicine
• 3 1/2 days with real acupuncture

Look for star anise

Chrysanthemum is a flowering herbaceous plant that resembles a flower. This is a traditional remedy for migraines. It has not been well studied, but there is some evidence that it may be more effective than a placebo in treating migraines.

The authors of a 2015 assessment of studies—an update of an earlier 2004 study—concluded that more trials are required to support the use of furufio as a migraine therapy.

In a big trial that was reviewed in 2004, the authors concluded that participants who drank chrysanthemums had 0.6 fewer migraine days per month than those who took a placebo. They describe previous research as being of low quality or providing mixed evidence.

A 2020 review of studies published in Phytotherapy Research, a trusted source, also summarized the results for chrysanthemum cultivation as "mixed."

Apply Peppermint oil

The methyl chemical in peppermint oil may help prevent migraines, although there is a minimal body of research.

A 2019 randomized controlled trial by Trusted Source compared the effects of 4 per cent lidocaine with 1.5 per cent peppermint essential oil to placebo for controlling migraine symptoms.

Compared to just 4.9 per cent of participants in the placebo group, the researchers discovered that 40% of those who received lidocaine and peppermint oil saw a substantial improvement in their symptoms.

The National Center for Trusted Complementary and Integrative Health notes that few studies have examined peppermint leaves. Still, some evidence suggests that topical peppermint oil may be beneficial for tension headaches.

Ginger

Ginger is known to relieve nausea caused by many conditions, including migraines. It may have analgesic benefits for migraine attacks. According to a 2020 review of studies, there is evidence from randomized controlled trials that ginger may have beneficial effects.

More research is needed to understand the size and efficacy of ginger in treating the pain associated with migraine headaches.

Sign up for yoga.

Yoga uses breathing, meditation, and postures to promote health and well-being. According to a 2015 study, yoga helps reduce migraine attacks' frequency, length, and severity. It is believed to reduce anxiety, release tension in areas that trigger migraines, and improve blood vessel health.

The researchers concluded that yoga might be helpful as adjunctive therapy in treating migraine headaches.

Add magnesium to your diet.

Headaches and migraines have been associated with magnesium shortages. Magnesium oxide supplementation can aid in the prevention of aura-related migraines. 

Furthermore, to avoid migraines brought on by menstruation (hormonal headaches).

• Walnuts Almonds
• Sesame seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Brazil nuts
• Cashew
• peanut butter
• Oatmeal
• an egg
• The milk

Ask for a massage

Massage can reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Serotonin levels in the brain are thought to be low in migraine sufferers, and massage raises serotonin levels. Although there is little evidence to support its usage, massage is generally safe and carries a minimal risk of adverse effects.

Apply stress management techniques.

More than 80 per cent of migraine sufferers cite tension as a migraine trigger, according to the American Headache Society. Learning how to manage stress better can help reduce the frequency of migraine attacks.

Some standard stress management techniques include:

• Deep breathing exercises
• mental picture
• Music therapy or listening to relaxing music
• Counselling or treatment
• Meditation
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Improve time management.
• Make more time for leisure activities.

Stay Hydrated

According to the American Migraine Foundation, a third of migraineurs list dehydration as a migraine cause.

Stay hydrated during the day, particularly when exercising, to prevent dehydration. You might need to consume more water than usual on hot days.

Try to sleep well at night.

The relationship between sleep and migraines is still very poorly understood. A 2016 study discovered a link between increased migraine frequency and subpar sleep. This association is true for people with and without migraines.

Takeaway

If you experience migraines, you know how difficult the symptoms can be. You may lose your work or won't be able to do the things you enjoy. However, the treatments mentioned above can provide some comfort.

Speaking with someone who truly understands what you're going through might also be beneficial. Ask questions about treatments and seek advice from others who have received them. It's crucial to consult your doctor if home treatments for your migraines or attacks are unsuccessful.