Last Updated on November 13, 2021 by Lori Geurin
Did you know that over 12% of the population gets migraines? This includes children. These severe headaches can include several neurological symptoms. They also tend to run in families and are debilitating, causing a loss of productivity in work and missing out on life in general. In this blog post, we’ll discuss natural and pharmaceutical treatments for migraines.
Treatments For Migraines
There are a variety of treatment options for people who suffer from migraines. Personally, I’ve tried a variety of treatments, exploring both holistic and traditional medicine. For me, a combination of both works best.
My current treatment regimen includes taking steps to prevent my migraine triggers. For example, I know that eating certain foods, not getting enough sleep, or stress are triggers for me.
The bright sun or fluorescent lights can also be a problem, so I wear dark sunglasses when I’m outside, and my sweet husband had the windows on my car tinted to the darkest shade that is legal.
I also take supplements that have been proven to help migraine sufferers (keep reading for more on this).
When I have a migraine, I immediately drink a cup of coffee (Caution: Caffeine is a trigger for some people) and close the shades in our bedroom if I’m at home. If the radio is on I turn it off to eliminate noise.
I take anti-nausea medicine (Zofran), 3 or 4 Ibuprofen, and migraine medicine. I’ve tried different medicines over the years, including Excedrin Migraine (which didn’t seem to do anything for me) but this combination seems to help me the most.
Even though we have room-darkening curtains, I usually cover my eyes with a washcloth to block out every bit of light. If you get migraines you may understand how painful light is.
I’ve also found that applying a cool compress to my head and face can help.
LATEST POSTS
- 8 Tips for Managing Blood Sugar Levels: Mastering the Balance for Better Health
- The Holistic Approach to Managing High Blood Pressure
- Demystifying Digital Minimalism: Understanding Tech-Life Balance
- Digital Minimalism: The New Way to Find Balance in a Busy World
- The Importance of Mental and Physical Self-Care for Busy Moms
Essential Oils For Migraines
I use essential oils too. My favorite essential oils for migraines include peppermint, M-Grain, frankincense, lavender, and PanAway.
Here’s more information on different essential oils to help you manage migraine pain and symptoms.
What about you? What treatments help you when you get a migraine?
As always, please consult with your doctor to help you decide what treatments are best for you.
Here are 10 that may help relieve your migraines.
Natural Migraine Treatments
- Hydration – Drink a lot of water to keep your body hydrated. Dehydration is a trigger for some people.
- Diet – Avoid foods that contain MSG, nitrates, and nitrites, such as hot dogs.
- Acupuncture – is effective for many. In one study, people receiving several acupuncture treatments reported fewer migraines and fewer side effects (1).
- Stress management – including yoga, relaxation techniques, and Tai Chi
- Massage therapy – You can do this yourself by massaging your temples or asking someone to rub your shoulders, neck, and back (2).
- Supplements – Coenzyme Q-10, Magnesium, melatonin, and Vitamin B-2 may help prevent migraines and/or make them less intense.
Drug Treatments For Chronic Migraines
- Pain relievers – NSAIDs, aspirin, and Tylenol may be effective for reducing pain, especially combined with other treatments.
- Triptans – This group of drugs includes Imitrex, Maxalt, and Zomig.
- Antidepressants – These are possible options for people suffering from anxiety or depression.
Tricyclics – This group of drugs includes nortriptyline and amitriptyline. These are given in low doses daily to prevent migraines and are good for people who have trouble sleeping.
Summary – How To Treat Chronic Migraine Headaches
Getting migraines is hard, but with all the treatment options there is hope for relief and a better quality of life. Learning your migraine triggers is important because it can help you take steps to prevent them.
There are many natural options that can help, including essential oils, cold therapy, stress management, and acupuncture. And there are a variety of pharmaceuticals, from over-the-counter to prescription meds. And preventatives too.
It’s all about finding out what works best for you, giving yourself grace throughout the learning process, and believing that you can find something to help lessen your pain and symptoms.
For more on migraines, you’ll want to read:
- 10 Migraine Headache Symptoms Plus Triggers and Risk Factors
- Migraine Buddy: THE App For People With Migraines
I would love to hear from you about your experiences with migraines. What have you tried that works? Do you have any natural remedies to suggest?
My middle girls both take Imitrex, zophran and over the counter pain mess for their migraines. Hannah has been taking a anti seizure medication daily for several years. She was put on it because she can get 2-4 severe migraines per week. Camryn goes numb on the opposite side of her body from where her headache is located. My hope is that the girls will out grow their migraines as I did as a teen. I believe they are hormone triggered for my girls. I do not get severe migraines, but I often have rebound headaches that can last up to 7 days. I’m fully functional, but by day 3 it is miserable to live with while doing all of the things a busy working mom has to accomplish. Camryn will normally take a couple of benadryl when she has the aura lights. The doctor recommended she take that to sleep through the worst of her migraine.
I hope you find answers for your pain soon, Lori. It is a miserable way to live.
Tanya
Tanya, Thanks for sharing about your experiences with migraines. I’m so sorry to hear that Hannah and Camryn are suffering with them. I can’t imagine having 2-4 per week. Poor girl.
I’m thankful you outgrew your migraines and hope they have the same experience! Hormones can cause all sorts of things to happen, can’t they?
I’m not as familiar with the rebound headaches, but they do not sound fun.
Thank you for your encouraging words, Tanya. It’s so great to hear from you! Sending you hugs!