Do Natural Migraine Treatments Work?

Not everybody wants to take prescription medication to either deal with or prevent their migraines. Have you ever read a list of the potential side-effects that comes with medication - even the most basic type. Nope because most of the time you take out the pills and just take them without stopping to think what these pills might be doing to your body. That's not to say that all medication is dangerous - just make sure you read any warnings for the meds themselves.

So you want some natural migraine treatments instead of the prescription stuff? Cool. There's lots of alternative and natural treatments that you can pick from. Bear in mind this is not medical advice and you should always, always check with your family doctor before beginning any form of treatment - natural or otherwise.

Fewerfew
This herb is very common and looks almost exactly like a daisy except it's leaves have a lemon scent to them. Feverfew has been used for hundreds of years to treat fevers and more recently it's been used to treat migraine headaches which tests have shown it does seem to be pretty effective in treating. Some potential side-effects are stomach upset and potentially some vomiting.

Butterbur
Is a sturdy plant that grows around Europe, North America and in Asia. You can identify this plant because it has leaves like a rhubarb with purple spikey flowers and you're most likely to find these plants in moist or damp environment. Native Americans have been using this herb (mostly the root) for treating headaches for centuries. Again check with your doctor before using this herb as a treatment for migraines.

Blach Cohosh
This plant is also known as fairy acandle or black snakeroot and is native to parts of North America and the roots of this plant have been used for centuries by Native Americans in treating different problems - from the menopause to migraines. Here's a full article on the effects of black cohosh on different medical problems.

Magnesium
This is a more recent natural treatment for migraine headaches. Some tests have shown an almost 50% decrease in the number of migraines the test group suffered from. You'll find magnesium most often in leafy green vegetables, nuts and in whole grains so if you're eating a healthy balanced diet then you should be received a good daily allowance of this mineral.

Sensory Deprivation
This is something I find really effective. Because migraines can cause increased sensitivity to light and noise then one of the best treatments for this is cutting off all light and noise. When I haven't caught a migraine in time I'll find the quietest room in the house, put in ear plugs, cover my eyes with a mask and make sure I'm not disturbed. I find that my migraine will lift more quickly when I shut off all external sensory stuff.

Chillow
This is my favorite recent find for dealing with migraine headaches (and hangovers too). The Chillow is an insert that you can put inside your own pillow that keeps your head cool for hours on end. Now this won't help prevent a migraine but it's one of the single best way I've found for dealing with my own migraines so I'd suggest you try one out to see what you think - I doubt you'll be disappointed. Check out Chillows here.

Massage
One of the main causes of migraines is stress and one of the best ways of dealing with stress is to have a massage. A gentle massage would be idea but I'd suggest avoid any of the deep tissue massages - these are wonderful ways of long term relaxation but can be quite painful. Aim for a relaxing massage as opposed to an intense one.

Essential oils
Aromatherapy is a great way to deal with migraine headaches either before or during a migraine attack. If you feel a migraine starting then inhaling either peppermint or lavender oil (a few drops on a kleenex) can slow down, reduce or even stop the migraine attack. If you're in the middle of a migraine attack and are laying down in a dark room then put a few drops of lavender or peppermint oil on your pillow - you'll be amazed at the soothing effect this will have on your headache.

Meditation for migraines?
Meditation has been around for thousands of years and for that length of time many wiser races have realized the importance of this practice. It's only in the last 100 years or less that the "modern" Western world has started to embrace meditation as an important part of daily life.