The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that headaches caused by migraine are among the 20 most incapacitating medical conditions in the world. Here are 10 home remedies for migraine that can give you relief from this unbearable condition.

What is a migraine?

A migraine is described as a throbbing ache that you feel on one side of your head, which only gets worse with movement. While mild migraine attacks can last up to 4 hours, chronic migraine can last up to an agonizing 72 hours. In 75 per cent of the cases, migraine is in the family medical history. Doctors say it is caused by alterations in brain chemicals.

---

Suggested read: Try these natural remedies for headaches instead of popping a pill!

---

Symptoms of migraine

Though the symptoms of migraine vary from one person to the other, the most common indicators of migraines or the ‘sensory warning signs’ are,

• Blind spots
• Hypersensitivity to light
• Flashes of light
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Tingling sensation in the arms
• Scratching feeling in the legs
• Increased sensitivity in the ears

Other signs that you might notice a couple of days preceding the migraine attack are,

• Bad temper
• Food cravings
• Constipation
• Constant yawns

What triggers a migraine attack?

Image source: Google, copyright-free image, under Creative Commons License 

Some of the potential set offs of migraine are,

• Allergies
• Loud noises
• Strong smells
• Irregular sleep
• Smoking
• Stress
• Bright lights
• Alcohol
• Hormonal abnormalities
• Dehydration
• Skipping meals
• Poor posture
• Low blood pressure

Though the cure for migraine is not known, here are some home remedies that can help you get relief from the headaches caused by migraine. They also reduce the frequency of these attacks.

Home remedies for migraine

1. Apple cider vinegar

Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License

Apple cider vinegar is a nutritional powerhouse, which makes it an amazing remedy for migraine. It also provides a number of other health benefits, like, it controls blood sugar; it regulates high blood pressure; it reduces bone pain; it relieves constipation; and it promotes weight loss.

Remedies

• To a glass of water, add two teaspoons of natural apple cider vinegar.
• To this, add two teaspoons of honey.
• You need to drink this every night to treat your migraine.
• If you don’t like drinking the vinegar, you should start with just a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and slowly increase the amount. Whenever you feel you might get a migraine, take 5 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar immediately.

2. Ice pack

If your migraine is triggered by stress, use a pack of ice to get instant relief.  The ice pack helps you get respite from different kinds of headaches since it has a numbing effect that helps alleviate pain.

Remedies

• Take a clean towel, and in it, wrap 5 to 7 ice cubes.
• Place the wrap on your temple, forehead and the back of your neck. Do this for about 15 minutes, and repeat again.
• On the other hand, you can try alternating hot and cold compresses for better results. You may also add lavender essential oil or peppermint essential oil to the water you use for the compress.

3. Peppermint

Image source: Google, copyright-free image, under Creative Commons License 

 Peppermint has an anti-inflammatory property, which calms our nerves. Also, it is antispasmodic. According to a study that was published in 2008 in the International Journal of Neuroscience, the fragrance of peppermint triggers a feeling linked with migraine relief.

Remedies

• Drink a cup of peppermint tea. To prepare this tea, boil a cup of water. Add to it a few fresh peppermint leaves. Remove it from the fire, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the tea. Add a sweetener of your choice. We suggest you opt for organic honey instead of sugar, as sugar may work negatively on your migraine.
• On the other hand, you can also pour a drop of peppermint essential oil on your temple, and massage lightly. A combination of lavender and peppermint oil can also be refreshing. Leave the oil on for half an hour, after which you can wash it off with lukewarm water if you want. Repeat this treatment twice every day to get respite from migraine.

4. Cayenne pepper

One of the best remedies for migraine is cayenne pepper. This is because the pepper helps in the circulation of blood flow. Cayenne pepper contains a compound called capsaicin, which functions as a natural painkiller.

Remedies

• Heat a cup of water. To this, add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
• You may add a teaspoon of honey and squeeze half a lemon into the solution if you don’t like the taste of cayenne pepper in water alone.
• Mix the solution, and drink whenever you sense a migraine trigger.

5. Chamomile

Image source: Pinterest 

The anti-inflammatory property of chamomile makes it a great remedy for migraines. Chamomile is also antispasmodic. It calms our senses. Thus, drinking tea with chamomile flowers can soothe your migraine in no time!

For best results for a headache caused by migraine, try using German chamomile, or what is known as Matricaria recutita.

Remedies

• In a cup of hot water, add three dried chamomile flowers and cover the container. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
• Now strain the water. You can drink it like that, or add honey and lemon juice to improve the flavor. Drink the chamomile tea thrice a day to get quick respite from a migraine attack.
• On the other hand, you can prepare an herbal tea. To make this, add equal quantities of chamomile, meadow-sweet and horehound to a cup of hot water. Cover the container, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Strain the solution and drink it. This treatment should be repeated thrice a day for the most effective results.

---

Suggested read: All you need to know about the numerous health benefits of celery

---

6. Ginger

Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License

According to a study conducted in 2013, which was published in Phytotherapy, ginger can be a very effective treatment of acute migraine.

Ginger blocks prostaglandins, the chemical which promote muscles contraction causing headaches associated with migraines. It also regulates the inflammation and irritation of the blood vessels in our brains.

Remedies

• Use ginger to make a refreshing cup of tea. To prepare this tea, boil a cup of water, and to it, add a small piece of fresh ginger. Now remove the container from fire, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Strain the tea and drink it twice a day.
• You can also add more ginger in your everyday cooking.
• Simply chewing a small piece of raw ginger can treat some symptoms of migraine, such as, nausea and digestive issues.

7. Fever-few

Fever-few can help treat migraine.

Remedies

• In a cup of hot water, add a teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves and fever-few leaves. Let the tea sit for half an hour. Strain the solution and drink it three times a day until your pain subsides.
• Every day, eat three fever-few leaves. However, before doing that, consult a doctor.

8. Massage

Massaging your temple and your head can treat acute migraine as it jams the pain signals from reaching our brain.

Remedies

• Massage your head with an essential oil of your choice. You can go for eucalyptus or lavender oil. The massage should be gentle. Use your pointing and middle finger to make circular motions at the base of your skull. Also massage the area between your eyebrows and the corners of each eye, for relief.
• You can try a regular massage at a proper spa, if you want.

9. Apples 

As soon as you sense a migraine trigger, eat an apple. This does not only helps reduce the pain, but also shortens the episode of the attacks.

Remedies

• Every day, eat an apple, preferably, green apple. The refreshing smell of a green apple has the power to reduce both the intensity and the span of migraine episodes.

A word of caution: If you find the smell of apples unpleasant, avoid this remedy since it can worsen your migraine.

---

Suggested read: 3 surprising reasons to make coffee a part of your daily skin care routine

---

10. Coffee

A cup of mean coffee can give you respite from the migraine attacks. Coffee contains caffeine which can restrict those blood vessels and receptors that are causing your migraine.

Remedies 

• Drink about two cups of coffee every day to get relief from migraine. Drink it black.
• To enhance the effectiveness of the cup of coffee, squeeze half a lemon into the drink. This also serves an additional advantage as it counteracts the influences of acidic diets which might be causing your cyclical headaches.

A word of caution: Caffeine can trigger severe headaches sometimes in people. Plus, if you consume too much caffeine, you might cause the migraine to rebound.

Apart from these remedies, you can also try your hands on some muscle relaxing exercises. There are a number of relaxation techniques, such as yoga and meditation. Also, getting the adequate hours of sleep (8 hours on an average, for an adult). Also, maintain a low in carbohydrates diet. Try to consume foods that are rich in protein. Drink plenty of water, and stay away from food that can trigger a migraine attack.

That’s a wrap from us on home remedies for migraine. Do you think this guide was helpful? What are the remedies that you would like to try to treat your migraine with? Let us know in the comment section below.

For more on healthy and happy living, sign up for our daily newsletter today! Ciao!

Featured image source: Google copyright-free image, under Creative Common License