Herbal Remedies for Migraines

A large percentage of the world population, mostly women but many men as well, suffer from debilitating head pain known as migraines from time to time. When these afflictions strike, which can be completely random, the sufferer is nearly completely debilitated. What’s worse is that many prescription and OTC medications have little to no effect on the pain. A severe migraine can be some of the worst pain possible to experience, and for many there is not much they can do for it. However, migraines have been an affliction for a long time and there are many remedies to try that have lost popularity over the years due to Westernized medicines. Yet, these medicines still exist and many tout the benefits they receive from them when it comes to migraine relief.

Feverfew was first used in ancient Greece around the fifth century BC for a variety of ailments such as dizziness, inflammation, breathing problems, and migraines. This plant is a native of the Balkan Mountains, but is available worldwide. It is traditionally prepared by drying the leaves, flowers, and stems and then either packed into pill form or made into an extract for easy use. A study back in 2011 compared the effects of those who took feverfew for 6 months and then were switched to a placebo for 6 months afterwards and were asked to monitor the amount of headaches they had during this time period. They experienced fewer and less severe headaches while using feverfew, and then when switched to a placebo the quantity tripled as well as an increase in severity. If you are a chronic migraine sufferer looking for ways to reduce the amount of migraines, Feverfew may be an option to take a look at.

Peppermint oil is well known for its intense and unique smell, but it has also been used to treat pain for centuries. Muscle spasms, toothaches, nausea, as well as of course migraines have all been shown to be helped by the use of peppermint. There is two ways to use peppermint, first is in a capsule form where it may be digested in the body to reduce some pain but many migraine sufferers actually use the oil itself as a topical solution around their temples and forehead. This has been shown in studies to reduce migraine pain and the nausea associated with it quickly and pretty effectively. For a quick fix during a headache, give peppermint oil a try on your temples it just might calm things down for you.

Medical Cannabis (https://www.iceheadshop.co.uk/cannabis-seeds.html), though somewhat controversial, has been shown in many studies to have a huge benefit for those suffering from migraines. Those who use Cannabis for their migraines report immediate relief in their sinuses and eyes, as well as relief for their head pain. Users generally take Cannabis by smoking it, eating it in various prepared forms, capsulized, or as a tincture. Relief is experience quickly once the effects begin to kick in, but be warned Cannabis does have a slight psychoactive effect especially when taken in high doses. Legality is also an issue with this one, though many states in the US now allow medical Cannabis and some countries do as well. Cannabis is an excellent alternative to powerful tranquilizers and pain-killers without debilitating side effects that come with these, definitely keep it as an option if it is available in your area.

Caffeine is another excellent herbal supplement that can help with your migraines. Generally caffeine for pain-killing with be taken in pill form along with another type of pain-killer, whatever that may be. It works in conjunction well with just about any other form of headache relief by lowering inflammation and increasing circulations. Caffeine has been used for centuries, generally in teas originally, and is one of the traditional Chinese medicines as it was found in many types of teas in the region. These teas eventually exploded in popularity in Europe as people noticed the effects the caffeine and other herbal supplements contained within were helping their well-being. A good herbal tea, or some caffeine pills in conjunction with other forms of pain relief may be a huge boon to fighting your headaches. Be forewarned, caffeine withdrawal can be a trigger for headaches as well so use with care and never overdo it.

Known for its sweet smell and intoxicating aromas, lavender oil has for a long time been used as a fragrance and for aroma therapy. It is indigenous to the mountainous areas around the Mediterranean, but now is grown throughout most of Europe, North America, and Australia. Lavender has a unique anti-microbial effect that made it extremely useful for the Egyptians in their mummification process as well as for the Romans later in history for use in their baths. The oil from these flowers has been used to treat headaches, insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Most of these uses are still why the flower remains popular today. The oil is applied to the temples, in a diluted form to avoid skin irritation, and has been shown to calm or completely conquer symptoms of stress and migraines. Worst case scenario with Lavender is you just smell good after using it, even if it doesn’t help you. So it is very much worth a shot, especially when used in conjunction with other types of treatments listed here.

There’s many more treatments out there for Migraines, relaxation and meditation techniques, scalp rubs, dietary changes, and much others but it isn’t always easy to pinpoint what is causing the pain. Many sufferers go years with them being a daily occurrence only to find them disappear or dissipate out of the blue and don’t come back. It’s hard to find the ability to do things while suffering from a migraine, and for a lot of us slacking off just won’t cut it even if it’s a medical debilitation. Give some of these a shot, they just might work for you as they have countless others over the centuries.