Simple Tips for Fast and Effective Migraine Relief

When facing a migraine, it's important to act from the first symptoms and not to wait until the pain becomes unbearable. Good hydration can help provide relief, as can other simple habits.

Reviewed and approved by the doctor Nelton Abdon Ramos Rojas.

Written by Nelton Abdon Ramos Rojas

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Migraines are intense and pulsating headaches that often cause nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity. It can be so unbearable to the point that it affects the life quality of those that suffer. For that reason, we give you some treatments and remedies for fast and effective migraine relief.

Get to the source of the migraine

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies a migraine as one of the most crippling illnesses. It’s also one of the most common reasons that people take time off work, as it can influence productivity levels.

Specialists haven’t managed to determine a specific cause or trigger for migraines since every patient is different. It could be related to different factors such as diet, stress, arterial tension, or muscle contraction, which we need to treat first in order to cure migraines.

Additionally, migraines don’t just cause physical symptoms, they can negatively affect social relationships. Patients can suffer from episodes of anxiety and fall into depression.

Below, we talk about the usual medication used for migraine treatment, and we also offer some natural remedies that can alleviate the issue.

But before we share our tips for fast migraine relief, we have to point out that these remedies aren’t the definitive solution to the problem if you have chronic migraines.

The tips we give in this article are old remedies that we’ve chosen based on their usefulness. They use natural ingredients to provide migraine relief in a fast, effective way. They also help you to avoid using medication that may involve other risks or side effects.

Migraine treatment

Some of the medication specialists prescribe for migraine prevention tend to be used for other problems, like anxiety and depression, cardio issues, and muscular illnesses, as they all have secondary effects.

The most commonly used medication is as follows:

• Analgesics: asprine, ibruprufin or paracetamol
• Triptans: sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, rizatriptan
• Ergot derivatives: ergotamine and dihydroergotamine (can produce side effects)

When it comes to preventative medication (for people that have frequent attacks), we find:

• Cardiovascular medication: beta-blockers
• Antidepressant tricyclic: these can cause daytime drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, and other side effects.
• Anti-epileptic medication: these can cause trembling, nausea, and dizziness

New treatments for migraine relief:

• Erenumab: this is the first of a new class of medication that specialists use to prevent migraines. Commercialized with the name Aimovig, patients are to take it once a month via an injection. It inhibits the activity of the complex Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) receptor that we know to influence migraines.
• Botulinum toxin injection: better known as botox, specialists are starting to use this injection as migraine prevention treatment in some countries.

Alternative remedies for migraine relief

Ginger

People use ginger as a homemade remedy for migraine relief due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. We recommend you make an infusion by heating or boiling it, and drink this after eating,

Valerian root

Often, migraines are aggravated by stress and tension caused by certain situations. For that reason, it’s a good idea to drink an infusion of this plant which is famous for being a natural relaxant and helps to calm tensions.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 or riboflavin has demonstrated its efficiency in reducing headaches. We can take B12 supplements or eat foods containing this vitamin, like eggs, milk, beef, yeast, or seafood.

Massage using essential oils

The last of these tips is probably the most enjoyable and relaxing one.  Massage therapy can help reduce migraine frequency.

This treatment consists of massaging the aching areas of the face and head with a mixture of two essential oils:

• Mint essential oil: very refreshing, and mint is an aromatic herb that will provide you with immediate relief.
• Lavender essential oil: cleansing and relaxing, lavender can be your best friend when it comes to fighting migraines.

You can dilute these essential oils in water to avoid adverse reactions. Don’t forget to use only pure essential oils, because many places sell synthetic essences that don’t have curative properties and can do nothing but add fragrance to the room.

Lastly, following a heathy lifestyle is another prevention measure. Try muscle-relaxing exercises like yoga, try to sleep well, and relax every now and again.