Let’s talk about it.
Migraines are not typical headaches, if you don’t experience them you will never understand- please be patient with those who do. For those who dont know, migraines are recurrent throbbing headaches (varying in intensity) that typically affects one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea, disturbed vision and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
As I have gotten older my migraines have intensified in all aspects. I was getting migraines almost daily until I started the Emgality injection (I will discuss this later!), now I am lucky to only have them weekly. However, once a week is still not ideal. So lets talk about what I do to prevent migraines and lessen them.
I always preferred to try natural remedies before taking prescriptions to relieve or help alleviate the pain from migraines when that was an option for me. Now, I only find relief from medical treatments prescribed by my neurologist, but I wanted to write this blog to share some remedies that worked for me before my migraines progressively gotten worse. Although, natural remedies do not magically take it away, I found them to help relieve some pressure.
Disclosure: Severe migraines may require treatment with presciption or over-the-counter (OTC) medication. Talk to your doctor about a treatment plan that works for you. These natural remedies may not work for everyone. Some of the links below are affiliate links. That means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
1. Change your diet.
Just like many other aspects of your health, your diet plays a vital role. Here is a list of some foods to avoid:
- chicken livers
- most beans
- tomato based products
- highly flavored or seasoned chips
- soft pretzels
- beef and chicken livers
- dairy
- chocolate
- dried fruits
- onions
- sauerkraut
- yeast
- processed and cured meats
- aged cheese
I noticed that I tend to get migraines when I do not drink caffeine, so I try to get a cup of coffee or a soda in me daily! A lot of migraine medications actually contain caffeine.
2. Essential Oils.
I always sweared by essntial oils and use them for literally anything and everything I can! You can apply them directly onto your skin and inhale them.
Peppermint and lavender oil are known for helping alleviating migraine pain. I usually just put lavender onto my temples or put some into my oil diffuser.
I got this set of 8 essential oils for super cheap on amazon, which are just as effective as the high end ones.
3. Yoga and/or Stretching
Exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you are facing a migraine, but I have noticed significant relief in my migraines (and overall health + mental health) ever since I started doing yoga. Simple stretching works too.
But how does yoga help migraines? It can loosen tight areas which hold stress. Research actually shows that it is a great practice to help treat migraines and the lessen the symptoms of migraines.
All you need to start yoga is a yoga mat and access to youtube, or apple fitness+. Click here to shop the yoga mat I use for amazon.
4. Stay hydrated.
This is your daily reminder to drink some water! Dehydration can trigger migraines!!!
I am guilty of forgetting to drink water throughout the day so I use this water bottle to help remind me; it has the hours labeled on the bottle to help motivate you to finish a few oz every hour. You can get it on amazon for only $14!
5. Rest.
I know this may be self explanatory, but resting is extremely important for the human body. I have noticed that if I get too little or too much sleep that it triggers migraines for me, so I try to get an adequate amount daily (which I honestly fail at most days and should take my own advice for this one).
6. Vitamins and Supplements.
Taking magnesium, vitamin b12, and coenyzme Q10 can help in reducing the frequency of migraines.
7. Compresses.
Applying a hot or cold compress to your head or neck is a great method to try if you don’t have many options. As a kid my grandma would have me put a warm washcloth on my forehead, covering my eyes and it would help relieve the migraine pain.
You can also try a warm bath or shower!
8. Acupuncture.
Acupuncture? What the hell is that, you might ask. Well, this practice actually dates back thousands of years. It involves inserting thin needles into the pressure points all over your body to alleviate pain. This method is actually known to help prevent migraines but will take multiple sessions, and consistency. *This is not to be done at home!!!
9. Piercings.
There is not significant studies proving that daith piercings are actually effective in preventing migraines but so many people claim that it helps them. According to Good Rx, “the practice uses the idea of acupuncture for migraine treatment by piercing a pressure point of the year, which daith piercing advocates claim will relieve migraines.”
I actually got mine pierced at the beginning of the year because of all good things I have heard from fellow migraine sufferers, although I haven’t noticed much change in the frequency or intensity from prior and post-daith piercing- it is still worth the shot. If it don’t work for you it is still a super cute piercing!
10. FL-41 Glasses.
You probably know FL-41 glasses as “blue light blocking glasses” which simply block or filter out the blue light that is projected from digital screens- such as your cell phone, laptop, ipad, etc. Blue light actually can trigger your migraines and make them worse, which is why I reccomend wearing these when you’re on any technology. I thought it was crazy that something this simple could help prevent migraines, but ever since I have tried this method I do not get migraines as frequently when I spend long hours online doing my college coursework.
Click here for the link for the blue light glasses that I use which are not only effective but stylish as well!
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