Natural Remedies for Migraines

Migraines & paper bags:

Whenever I get auras, sparkles and blurred vision and feel a migraine headache coming on, I grab a lunchbag (McDonald's bag works fine), and breathe in and out of it for 20 minutes. The carbon dioxide that I breathe back in helps constrict the expanded blood vessels which create the pounding headache in a migraine. I've used this technique for several years, with great success.

With my migraine attacks, I managed to massage my head with a pencil or charcoal, made in a certain way:

First, massage the right half of the head, then the left. I never crossed the center line. I started from the base of the nose, eyebrow arch to my temple. I was returning to the root of my nose with the side of the central line of the forehead, towards the base of my hair and towards, behind my ear. I drove lightly along the lines, stopping for moments in the points where the light pressure brought relief. Then, circular movements on the skull, then sliding down the side of the cervical spine to the shoulder blade. On the shoulder blade, I made several times a fast sweeping motion from one blade to the other and only in this place I passed from right to left. And I started everything from the beginning this time, the left hemisphere.

If I did this massage, when the migraine started, it was enough once that the attack did not occur. When I let in a lot of pain, sometimes I had to repeat it all two or three times. I had terrible attacks of migraines, many years. When I started using my idea with a pencil, the attacks quieted down until they stopped. I have not had migraines since 2005.

I should not hide it for myself. Unfortunately, no one treats it seriously when hearing the word pencil. And this is about graphite (carbon variety), which I simply collect electrons from the surface of my head. The massage pencil should be blown, of course, but not sharp. Preferably HB.

Since I do not speak English and I use a Google translator, I apologize for any errors in the translation.

To receive pain relief from a migraine, the protocol is:

Put feet in small pan of Hot Water. You should have extra boiling water on hand to add to your pan. Your feet need to gradually acclimate to the hottest water you can stand.

Add a few drops of peppermint oil to this water and soak your feet 10-15 min. I also reccomend 1/4 cup of Epsom salts. Next place 1 drop of oil in the palm of your hand. Cup both hands together leaving an opening by your thumbs just big enough to place your nose into.

Take a long deep breath through your nose... hold then exhale through mouth. Repeat 30x. Your relief should be forthcoming if not already achieved. Another thing to note: one should raise the chin up- leaning back on a couch to allow drainage. This speeds up the process, along with the upper palate therapy. Place both (clean) thumbs on the upper palate and gently press out ward to the sides.

This helps to dilate the sinus cavity thereby giving relief of sinus pressure.

Again it is best to have one's head leaning back- chin elevated to achieve best results.

Worked Temporarily
WORKED TEMPORARILY

Peppermint essential oil gave me relief from migraines. I was desperate for something, and I probably saw a post here on Earth Clinic and decided to try it. It works! It doesn't stop the migraine for me, but it relieves the pain and nausea temporarily so that I don't feel like I'm going to die. I just hold the bottle to my nose and inhale it. You can put it on your face if you want, but it burns quite a bit, so I don't really recommend that. The burn is, at least, a distraction from the agony. I definitely suggest investing in a bottle if you get migraines.

For those looking to use Oil of Oregano for it's antimicrobial properties, I would like to specify that Oil of Oregano is NOT Oregano Essential oil, which would have to be diluted. If you're looking to buy this remedy, make sure that the ingredients list states that there is a carrier oil (like olive oil). Otherwise, be prepared to dilute it yourself, or there could be serious negative effects.

I have seen some people writing in remedies that include putting undiluted essential oils on their skin. I think I saw a remedy for headaches or migraines that recommended putting peppermint essential oil on the temples. I have been studying aromatherapy for 5 years, and one of the most basic lessons is that you almost NEVER use essential oils undiluted. Peppermint essential oil in particular is considered to be a skin irritant to all skin types when used undiluted. If put on the temples, the strength of the fumes could seriously irritate the eyes and the delicate area around the eye. If you are going to try any remedy including essential oils, DILUTE FIRST! Even if the remedy doesn't specify it, you'll be saving yourself from possible complications.

I used to get an average of 4 migraines per week. Now that I regularly visit my chiropractor I very rarely suffer from a migraine. When I do get one, I rub peppermint essential oil on my temples. It helps with both the headache part as well as the nausea.

Apply a couple of drops of mint essential oil to the base of the neck and where the pain is, as well as lavender essential oil to the temples. I was shocked at how quickly this works! It completely removed the migraine within 10 minutes.

I have had migraines for a long time. Over the years I have been experimenting with many things. I get the migraine over the right eye. I don't have any aura's although the back of my eyes would hurt.

Some things that have helped has been vitamin B2 and magnesium (magnesium oil). These helped some but still not good. I find just putting the magnesium oil on my hands and fore arms and rubbing hard until it heats up avoids skin irritation. Probably helps absorption also. I also use magtein every now and then.

I came to realize that the migraine originated from the right side of skull base between my skull and cervical. For years I have felt neck stiffness and discomfort there, but was unable to diagnose what it was. About 3 years ago, I developed chronic meningitis so wondered if may that was still there. So that complicated things.

I went to a chiropractor. My migraine calmed down more. I still had to use the magnesium oil but could sleep well. After about a month, I came to realize that the discomfort I had was pinched or compressed nerves. The chiropractor treatment wasn't helping quickly enough so I researched some supplements for pinched nerves and found that calcium and potassium is used.

I have been taking some calcium over the years, so decided to look into potassium. I have been taking a few potassium gluconate 99mg tablets for occasional hemorrhoids and diarrhea which it resolved quickly. I didn't realize it but 99mg is just 3% of fda recommended 3500 mg. So I upped my dose to 1200 mg. I took it in divided doses thru day. I found that stiffness in my neck mostly dissipated in a day. They say that people who have low magnesium are also prone to low potassium levels. I have ME/CFIDS so I have been predisposed to low magnesium. Thru experimentation, I have found, magnesium oil and magtein the best. They help the body in different ways.

Foods have less impact on my migraines also.

The only caveat I read is that if you have kidney disease (this likely means kidney failure) that you should be careful with potassium. My kidneys are fine. I am 60 year old male. I went down to a health fair and got my kidneys checked out for $10 without a doctors approval. This is convenient because I don't like using conventional doctors for anything.

They kind of hype the caveat all over the internet probably scaring a lot of people away from potassium because they assume everyone has failing kidneys and kidney disease. If you are taking prescription medications too long, I can see a lot of kidney failure occurring. I stay natural. Some people take 10 grams pf potassium a day with no ill effects.

I notice potassium wasn't listed as a remedy so something for you to research and experiment with if you have a migraine. I am not done with my own experimenting but want to get this out there for people struggling with migraines.

I'm going to try Ted's remedies after reading the causes he talks about in the link I will attach below. I had one of the worst migraines (hemoplegic) last evening about 6pm. Hadn't had one in months. I had eaten a bag of seaweed chips that were very salty, and I added a lot of salt to my home-made soup which was already cooked in broth. So I will at least give Ted's recommend a shot. I feel I was helped a lot by the Epsom Salt, mixed with Magnesium Chloride Flakes but after reading Ted's info, I won't use the Magnesium Chloride if I have a migraine. I guess the chloride can cause a migraine so I think I got lucky it didn't make it worse. Here is Ted's link and I'll try to get back here if I get this migraine completely cleared up. It usually takes 2-3 days to completely pass: https://ted.earthclinic.com/cures/migraines.html

I recently started using bioidentical progesterone cream for awful PMS (caused by estrogen dominance/low progesterone). I read a suggestion online that, for premenstrual migraines (which have been debilitating for me, particularly on cycles where I ovulate), rubbing a little bit of progesterone cream on your temples helps. It worked pretty well for me, during my most recent cycle (I'm only on my second cycle using the cream and my body is still adjusting). I'm hoping the cream will eventually help me achieve hormone balance and that I won't get those awful migraines ever again.

I suffer from occasional migraines, which I can stop if i catch them early enough (though sometimes I wake with one and there is not much I can do)

To stop the symptoms developing and to lessen the syptoms when I already have one, I eat some chopped raw cabbage (contains the same active ingredient as aspirin, I believe) and chew a piece of crystalised ginger root. This lessens both the headache and the sick feeling. I don't swallow the ginger, just chew it and swallow the 'juice', then spit it out. Because for some reason it gives me hiccups!!

Raw Local Honey for Migraines

I have suffered migraine headaches since I was 30 years old. They identified were so bad that I would vomit. I have used Sumatriptan to abort a migraine, which normally works. I am now 50 and am going through menopause. While I believe that my migraines are hormonal in nature and may be ameliorated by a change in my hormone levels, I have had a much better time since having two cups of black tea each morning, and in each cup putting a spoonful of raw, local honey. I also cut way back on dairy, but I think it is the honey that has made my situation so much better (and made me really regular too! ) I am so pleased! I did not see honey here as a remedy for migraine, but I definitely think it is.

Ailment: Migraine Headache and Nausea.

I ate some bad chinese food and got a really bad migraine headache followed by nausea. I layed in bed to try to wait it out but it just got worse. I had this for about 5 hours.

Remedy: My grandmother (85 years old) is visiting from Spain and when I told her how I wasn't feeling good, she made me the following mixture:

1 8oz glass of water
15ml of red wine vinegar
15ml of baking soda

She mixed it all together and forced me to chug it while the baking soda was still fizzing. For a few seconds later I felt like I was really going to vomit! But then miraculously 5 minutes passed and my headache had COMPLETELY dissapeared and a couple of minutes after that I had no more nausea!!! i couldn't believe that this old natural cure worked so effectively! And the baking soda kept making me burp which felt really good!

After that I got a lecture from my grandmother about not eating chinese food, while she waved her finger in my face! She's so cute.

Thanks grandma!

For headaches, my acupuncturist suggested massaging the bottom of the feet -- probe around til you find the most painful, tender spots, and rub them. I've stopped several headaches, including a migraine, as well as vertigo, using this method.

Some anti migraine steps:

1. Walk for an hour and a half nonstop everyday for circulation

2. Daily, take pills made of black grape peels and pips, Take 1 and a half or twice the amount recomended on the bottle (for circulation)

3. Take digestive enzymes whenever you eat anything that isn't raw. And/or other natural digestive aids.

4. Try not to get very upset emotionally.

5. Eat one or 2 big lettuce salads with lots of raw ingredients everyday & avoid the well known triggers- coffee, chocolate, any cheese that isn't fresh or cottage (Blue cheese is especially dangerous), milk, cream, ice cream, and soya sauce, or miso or soya products that resemble meat, and black tea.

6. Sleep in a very well ventilated room (preferably in a howling gale)