Migraines are debilitating. It’s thought that over one billion people worldwide suffer from migraines. The headache pain can leave you desperate for a cure.
The good news is there are some remedies other than medication.
Our Best Headache Relief Hats article discussed how beneficial headache hats could be for migraines. That is just one of the remedies we will discuss in this article.
From different types of oils to coffee to certain foods, it’s possible to relieve headache pain without needing medicine. Let’s take a look to find out how.
Migraine Headaches Explained
Before we unleash our remedies for migraine pain, let’s understand why a migraine headache is. A migraine is a severe headache usually on one side of the head that causes various headache symptoms like throbbing pain, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light.
These chronic headaches can be debilitating as the headache symptoms could last for hours or even days. Migraines are different from person to person but consist of several stages known as the prodrome, aura, attack, and postdrome.
In the Prodrome stage, people start to have migraine symptoms like sensitivity to light and sound, severe thirst, bloating, diarrhea and fatigue.
The aura stage is when the effects involve the nervous system affecting your vision. People see black dots, have tunnel vision, have trouble communicating, and experience ringing in their ears.
The attack stage is when the head pain begins, usually as a slow ache and then into acute throbbing pain. The head pain often causes vomiting and nausea, and migraine attacks can last for hours or days.
The postdrome is once you are rid of a headache and feel tired, weak, and experience food cravings or aversions.
As you can see, something that might start feeling like a tension headache could manifest into migraine attacks, leaving you desperate for relief. Before reaching for medicine, here are a few other options that might help get rid of a headache before it gets too bad.
Headache Hats
TheraICE Rx Form Fitting Gel Ice Headache / Migraine Relief Hat
Cold Therapy Migraine Relief Mask, Comfortable & Strechable Ice Pack Eye Mask for Puffy Eyes, Tension, Sinus & Stress Relief
- TheraICE Rx cools down to the perfect temperature so you can comfortably enjoy fast-acting relief without harming your skin.
- TheraICE Rx is a safe, natural treatment for immediate headache relief.
Headache hats are cold packs that fit on your head to bring relief and alleviate migraine symptoms. We reviewed the Therarice migraine relief hat, which fits snug over your head to block light and apply cold therapy in the correct location to negate migraine symptoms.
The cold constricts blood vessels and reduces the neurotransmitters telling the brain you are in pain. Instead, the brain notes the cold and eases off the pain receptors bringing some relief. Some headache hats, like the Therarice, use both hot or cold therapy to alleviate headache pain.
Heat increases blood flow to the brain, relaxing muscles and relieving the tension brought on by migraine headaches. Headache hats work for cluster headaches (intense pain behind the eye) and tension headaches too.
Essential Oils
Before you believe that essential oils are just a fad, listen to what we have to say about them relieving migraine symptoms.
Tiger Balm
Tiger balm contains three natural active ingredients that help alleviate headache pain. Camphor is an oil extracted from the bark of camphor trees and is FDA-approved as a pain reliever. Menthol is a chemical found in peppermint.
It causes the skin to feel cool and warm while distracting pain receptors in the brain. Methyl salicylate is an organic compound that numbs the skin. Together, these ingredients found in tiger balm help reduce headache pain when rubbed onto the forehead. It’s most known for bringing relief to those with tension headaches but can provide help for migraines too.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil, derived from the peppermint plant, is an excellent remedy for headaches for its strong scent, opening sinus cavities, and relieving headaches.
Peppermint oil features natural anti-inflammatory properties, further diminishing migraine headaches when rubbed on the skin. It’s also used for muscle and joint pain.
Lavender Oil
Another oil known for relieving headache pain by reducing stress is lavender oil. Lavender is a plant known for its sweet scent. The oil from the plant has that same soothing scent that elicits calmness.
Since stress can trigger headaches, the smell of lavender oil helps you relax. As your muscles relax, tension dismounts and headache relief rushes to soothe. Because lavender has a powerful calming effect, it can prevent headaches before the onset.
Superfoods
Just like superheroes, superfoods are here to rush in and help when you need them. Move over, Captain America. The superfoods are here to run the show.
Ginger
Ginger is a root plant that brings relief from nausea. A common side effect of migraine headaches is nausea and vomiting. Because ginger contains chemical compounds like gingerols and shogaols, natural anti-inflammatory and pain relievers, taking ginger or rubbing ginger oil on the skin brings ease.
Ginger also increases serotonin levels, restricting blood vessels and reducing inflammation. While it’s available in a capsule, taking a pill might be the last thing you want to do if you are vomiting. The great news is ginger comes in oil, liquid, or gel so that it can soothe nausea without having to digest something.
Coffee
When you think coffee couldn’t be any better, it goes and outdoes itself. Coffee reduces inflammation because it contains caffeine. Caffeine works to reduce inflammation and also combines with any anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen, making them work quicker for pain relief. Many migraine medicines contain caffeine for this reason. However, before reaching for the medication, preparing a cup of coffee might relieve migraine symptoms quicker.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice from the root of a flowering plant called Curcuma longa. This spice is of the ginger family and is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric contains a natural chemical called curcumin, a natural anti-inflammatory and powerful antioxidant.
Taking a turmeric supplement can alleviate headache pain without reaching for medicines. Turmeric is also known for helping those who have arthritis.
Relieve Headache Pain Now
While sometimes medicines seem like the only option, there are many natural remedies for relieving migraine symptoms. From superfoods to essential oils to cold compresses like headache hats, these otc pain relievers work to eliminate pain without the nasty side effects that some medicines bring.
Migraine attacks bring some of the worst, debilitating pain. It might be time to ease migraine pain through natural remedies found at any local store or pharmacy. Before reaching for the bottle of pills, try some oils or foods as an acute treatment for migraine headaches.
Kristen holds a bachelors in English from Louisianna university. With a longstanding passion for fitness, she owns and operate her own gym and is a certified jazzercise instructor.