12 Highly Effective Solutions for Zapping Migraine Headache

Migraines come out of nowhere and completely ruin your day. Many suffer from these debilitating headaches on a regular basis while others only occasionally. Finding the right relief for you can be challenging, especially if you are seeking to avoid medication to treat your migraine symptoms. However, these 12 highly effective solutions could be just the antidote you need to zap those pesky migraine headaches.

Massage

A simple massage can easily relieve migraine pain. Rubbing your temples or massage your neck, head or shoulder to get immediate relief. For chronic migraines, schedule weekly massage sessions to lessen the frequency of your migraines and severity of symptoms.

Regular Aerobic Exercise

Engaging in 30 minutes of aerobic exercise regularly can reduce the intensity and frequency of your migraines. It may not be the solution for immediate relief when a migraine hits but may help if you regularly suffer from migraines.

Relaxation and Meditation

Meditation and deep breathing are perfect ways to reduce stress and tension. When a migraine hits, take a step away from the desk and find a space where you can shut your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take deep breaths in through your nose, exhaling from both your mouth. Even utilize mental images if that helps you focus on breathing.

Stretching and Yoga

Yoga and stretching serve as ways to relieve muscle tension. Yoga combines physical postures and stretches as well as deep breathing to relax your mind and mind. If you are at work and are unable to find the room to do full-blown yoga, try doing a few gentle neck and shoulder stretches at your desk. Just be sure to not pull any muscles by stretching for too long or taking the stretch too far.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are commonly used to relieve headache symptoms. Dabbing a few drops of peppermint oil on your temples can cool your skin and stimulate blood flow to your forehead, decreasing muscle contractions that cause the pounding in your head. Take a few drops of lavender oil in your hand, rub your hands together and massage your temples, neck and forehead to similarly reduce pain.

Chiropractic Care

If you frequently suffer from migraines, try seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis. Consistent treatment of your posture can help reduce the oxidative stress in your body. Studies have shown that chiropractic manipulation has been successful in relieving tension in the body and reducing the pain from migraine headaches.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an excellent way to reduce the frequency of migraines through regular treatment. Acupuncture involves thin needles inserted under your skin to realign the flow of energy in your body. Treatments can be between $60 and $120 per session.

Botox Injections

Botox is not just for celebrities and wrinkle reduction. Over the years, Botox injections have been FDA-approved for treating migraines. Patients who received multiple injections every 12 weeks around the head and neck reported fewer migraines. If they had headaches, the symptoms of these migraines were dramatically reduced.

Magnesium

Migraine patients looking for a natural method for pain relief often find this in magnesium. It is safer than taking a painkiller and is still just as effective in reducing the symptoms that come along with a migraine. This method only works if you suffer from low levels of magnesium. Check with your doctor before attempting this method.

Hot and Cold Applications

Migraine relief can come in the simplest forms. Applying heat to the back of your neck can be an excellent way to open up blood flow and relieve muscle tightness from your migraine on the back of your neck. If your head is pulsing, however, use ice to get rid of the pain. Lowering the temperature of blood passing through the arteries provides immediate relief to the throbbing often associated with migraines.

Say NO to Nitrates and Nitrites

You may not realize it, but you could very likely be consuming foods and beverages that have nitrites and nitrates, both minerals linked to migraines. The biggest culprits are caffeine, alcohol, phenylethylamine found in chocolate or cheese, and aspartame. This list may discourage you as many people reach for the coffee or sweets when a headache hits, but you may be only making the pain worse. Avoid these foods and see if your frequency of migraines decreases.

Herbal Solutions

Certain herbs are known to relieve tension caused by migraines, including feverfew and butterbur.
Try consuming feverfew to reduce the frequency of migraines as well as the symptoms, such as nausea, light or noise sensitivity, and extreme pain. Taking butterbur twice daily is also known to reduce the inflammatory effect of chemicals in your body resulting in normal blood flow to your brain. The herb works a lot like a beta blocker medication but is a much more natural way to receive the similar type of relief.