Migraine is a common widespread neurological disease which affects nearly 1000 million people globally.
But, home remedies for migraines relief exist if applied carefully. And here we will discuss some of the best of home remedies to cure migraines.
But, before moving ahead, let us look at some of the key facts of migraines.
What is a migraine?
Migraine is moderate to a severe headache that usually affects one-half of the head. It usually lasts for a few hours to 2-3 days and is throbbing in nature.(1)(2)
Looks like women suffer from migraines more often than men. According to the NHS, 1 in 5 women, and nearly 1 in 15 men have experienced migraines in their lives.
And, according to statistics people aged 20-55 are more likely to suffer from migraines.
What causes migraines?
However, the exact causes of migraines are yet to be known. But, experts say that this throbbing headache is due to some abnormal changes that take place inside the brain.
Those changes cause inflammation inside the brain which is responsible for swelling of blood vessels.
Once those blood vessels swell and expand they press the nearby nerves which cause pain.(3)
There are 3 kinds of this common yet a severe headache.
- And the first one is an aura migraine which means that you get signs like flashing lights prior to a headache.
- Then there is no aura migraine which means that you get a headache without any warning. It is believed to be the most common case.
- Finally, there comes a silent migraine where you get the warning signs, but a headache itself never comes.
When it comes to symptoms of migraines, the most common are nausea, headache, fever, body weakening and vomiting.
Now, the question is how to cure a migraine headache at home.
Do there any home remedies exist to get relieve from it?
And the answer is "YES".
Here are 15 amazing home remedies for migraines relief.
1. Turmeric, good due to anti-inflammatory properties
Turmeric is an exotic plant that grows in southern Asia. Typically the roots are smashed into powder of a yellow color and used as a spice in Asian culture, especially countries like India and Bangladesh.
Turmeric contains iron, manganese, fiber, copper, vitamin B6 as well as vitamin C. All of them are key nutrients to a healthy body.
The spice has been used as an anti-inflammatory treatment for many centuries. And, it is believed that the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric are due to curcumin.(4)
Turmeric can ease migraines and prevent further aches. It also acts as a natural painkiller which is exactly what you need.
There are many ways to ingest and reap the benefits of turmeric and its migraine fighting nutrients.
Turmeric milk can be a good idea if you don't want to gulp the turmeric capsules. Consume 400 mg 2-3 times a day to relieve a migraine.
2. Green tea, fights with migraine due to EGCG
Green tea has been used as a remedy for ages. It is a popular remedy for dealing with diarrhea, migraine headache, and even stomach problems. It has EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) that reduces inflammation.
However, you should be cautious with the amount of the beverage.
Remember that a huge number of tea varieties contain caffeine that can trigger a headache for some people. Also keep in mind that breastfeeding women and people suffering from asthma should not consume large portions of green tea.
A cup per day is enough and totally harmless for relieving you from a headache.
3. Black cumin seed and oil, ancient home remedies for migraine relief
If you suffer from a migraine you should know about the relieving effect of black cumin seed oil.
Black cumin seed and oil have been popular for centuries for their medicinal properties. Even, they have been mentioned in the "Holy Bible" as the curative.(5)(6)
If you suffer from a migraine you should know about the relieving effect of black cumin seed oil.
Take some oil in the palm of your hand and rub it on your forehead and below your hairline on the back of your neck.
Sometimes it’s good to put a drop of the oil in each nostril to inhale the scent. If you do it 2-3 times a day, the headache is likely to go away the next day.
If it doesn’t, add a teaspoon of the black cumin seed oil to a jar of honey and take one teaspoon of the mix with your morning tea.
Black seed has been recommended curing a variety of diseases and disorders including migraines in the traditional medical practices of the Arabian Gulf region.
4. Natural honey, an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent
Natural honey is one of the best natural remedies for migraines.
When it comes to saying about nutrients and medicinal properties of honey. There are a lot good things to say. In fact, the medicinal uses of natural honey have been mentioned in ancient Egypt, Ayurveda, ancient Greece as well as in Islamic medical system.(7)(8)
Natural honey consists of nearly every nutrient a healthy living body needs. Following are some of the key nutrients, a 100 gram serving of natural honey can add to your diet.
- Protein 0.3 g (1% of RDV)
- Water 17.1 g
- Riboflavin 0.038 mg (2% of RDV)
- Niacin 0.121 mg (1% of RDV)
- Pantothenic acid 0.068 mg (1% of RDV)
- Vitamin C 0.5 mg (1% of RDV)
- Calcium 6 mg (1% of RDV)
- Iron 0.42 mg (2% of RDV)
- Magnesium 2 mg (1% of RDV)
- Phosphorus 4 mg (1% of RDV)
- Potassium 52 mg (1% of RDV)
- Zinc 0.22 mg (1% of RDV)
It's two constituents, magnesium, and potassium relieve the tension in arteries and thus allow more blood to the brain.
The vessels are no longer swelling which means there is any chance for a migraine. A little bonus of consuming honey is it improves your memory.
5. Fish oil, a good cure for migraine relief
Fish oil is usually sold in capsules that are very convenient to consume.
The University of Cincinnati held a research that proved the efficiency of fish oil in curing migraines. Nine of fifteen people participating in the research experienced relief and stopped complaining about chronic migraines after 6 weeks of taking 2 capsules of fish oil a day.(9)
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the elements that make fish oil that good.
6. Ginger, a natural cure for migraines
Ginger has been around for centuries and is considered to be one of the best natural remedies for stomach aches, diarrhea, fever and migraine relief.
The anticoagulant, antiseptic, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger are responsible for its medicinal values.
Apart from that, it has been used as a cooking spice.
However, it can also be used to cure migraines. We mentioned above that one of the migraine symptoms is nausea. Well, ginger can do wonders to help you get rid of it.
According to a study compiled by 2006 American Academy of Neurology, 65% of people who consumed ginger experienced relief after 2 hours.
7. Feverfew, one of the best migraine home remedies
Feverfew is considered to be one of the most trusted home remedies for migraine relief.
It is a perennial plant of the daisy family and has been used for natural cures for arthritis, menstrual cramps, toothaches, infertility, asthma, nausea as well as migraines.
The medicinal properties of feverfew herbs have been trusted by Greeks and early European herbalists. (10)(11)
However, like other herbs, it is recommended to consider side effects and consult your GP before using this.
8. Do regular exercise, a remedy for many diseases
When it comes to exercises, you should be careful. While some exercises might help you get rid of headaches, others might trigger them, and we don’t want that to happen.
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To make sure exercise is your remedy, please follow these tips.
- Never exercise without warming up. If you start your training routine straight away, your body will get stressed, and that will lead to a headache.
- Follow your diet. It depends on your health, so consult a professional before choosing the right diet if you don’t have any yet.
- Drink a lot to keep your body hydrated.
- Exercise regularly to keep your body healthy. If you don’t do it, your body won’t get used to the routine, and every gym session will turn into a migraine nightmare for you.
If you follow these simple tips, your training session will turn into a relaxing experience helping not only your migraines but your whole body as well.
9. Check your magnesium level
Magnesium is an essential element for our bodies, and usually, people who are affected by migraines have low levels of it.
The right thing for everyone suffering from migraines is to go to a medical center and check the magnesium levels in the bloodstream.
If you don’t feel like doing it, try to include more foods rich in magnesium in your ration.
Yogurt, almonds, avocado and dark chocolate are just some examples of the food you need.
The importance of magnesium has been studied for migraines relief. In a study by the Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, it is found that migraine suffering people who took trimagnesium dicitrate (a magnesium supplement) saw a 41.6% drop in the migraine attack.
However, the drop was only 15.8% of those people who took a placebo.(12)
10. Don't be in stress
Stress is a sign of bad health.
Experiencing stress on a daily basis won’t do well to your health. To eliminate a migraine from your life try to get rid of stress.
To do that, follow our tips.
- Don’t expect much of the things you can’t control to avoid feeling sad when something doesn’t go as you wanted.
- Don’t be too proud to ask for help when you need it.
- Be responsible for your actions to avoid stressful situations later.
- Improve your time managing skills to be more efficient and have more free time.
- Be in a healthy relationship with your friends and family.
- Stop smoking.
- Sleep well and drink enough water.
- Cut down the amount of alcohol you consume.
11. Do meditation
Meditation is one of the most useful ways to avoid stress and migraine. It helps in living a stress free life.
It is highly recommended to those who experience difficult situations in life or simply can’t get enough time to relax.
Also, it can do wonders during periods. If you are a woman and periods are stressful for you, meditation is the way out.
The best thing is that you can do it in a fitness center where you can make new friends or at home, away from everyone else.
12. Participate in yoga, it helps cure migraine headache
A migraine headache can last from 2 hours to 3 days, which makes it extremely difficult to work and function in society.
It is one of the most common neurological diseases that can be chronic, so you should always be ready to confront it at home through natural remedies.
One of the ways to fight a migraine is to get used to having yoga sessions at home or get a membership in the nearest yoga centers.
Even 2 hours a week can help you ease the pain, relax, breathe deeply and get away from your daily problems.
13. Eat foods rich in riboflavin to get relief from a migraine headache
Riboflavin is a water-soluble vitamin. It is one of the B vitamins and represented as B2. Like other B vitamins, it also converts carbohydrates into glucose which produces energy for our body.
Riboflavin or vitamin B2 is also a potent antioxidant and helps the body fighting with free radicals that damage healthy cells.
There are some studies that prove this vitamin is a good migraine reliever.(13)(14)(15)
Usually, the daily requirement of riboflavin for a 2000 calories diet is 2 mg. And, there are certain foods that if taken in a diet can provide riboflavin naturally.
Here are some foods rich in vitamin B2 (riboflavin).
(From a serving size of 100 grams)
1. Almonds ( 1 mg or 57% RDV)
2. Raw eggs (0.5 mg or 28 % of RDV)
3. Cooked soybeans ( 0.3 mg or 17% of RDV)
4. Cooked lamb meat ( 4 mg or 237% of RDV)
14. Have a good sleep, it helps in migraines headache
Here we will talk about your schedule. No matter how much medication you take to prevent migraines, the headache won’t go away if you don’t sleep enough.
If you are tired when you wake up, no wonder you deal with a migraine all day long. If you don’t change the situation, your occasional headache will turn into chronic migraines, and we are sure you don’t need that at all.
8 hours of sleep a day reduce the number of headaches you experience and also make them more tolerable.
Change your schedule to sleep more at night or try having a rest hour during the day to change the situation.
15. Visit a healthcare professional
If none of the listed home remedies helped you, probably you should visit your GP to make sure everything is alright.
If you have frequent headaches or medications don’t help anymore, don’t postpone your visit because you might be dealing with meningitis or a stroke which have similar symptoms.(16)
Take care of your health and be back for more tips and articles. And don't forget to leave your comment below or the ways you have treated your migraine headache.
