Migraine Attacks: The Best Natural Remedies

Migraine attacks are the worst! If you are someone that also suffers from migraine attacks, I am so sorry. I know just how debilitating and painful they are. I hope that you can find these natural remedies helpful in managing your migraines. These are some of my favorite natural remedies for preventing migraine attacks and managing pain during a migraine attack.

^{This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I will only recommend products that I regularly use and love!}

My Experience with Migraine Attacks:

I’ve suffered from migraines with aura for most of my adult life. I started getting migraines during my second year of college, several months after a rough case of EBV and around the same time I was first experiencing Ulcerative Colitis symptoms. I’m not sure if that is what triggered them or if there were other factors. Either way, It has been a tough road.

At one point I was getting several migraines a month and some lasting for multiple days. I was finally able to discover my migraine triggers, change my diet, and adjust some lifestyle habits to help decrease the frequency. However, this past year has been rough again, as I’ve been going through fertility treatments. The fertility medicines and hormone shifts have increased the severity and frequency of my migraines.

Have you addressed your migraine triggers?

This was one of the most helpful things I did many years ago! I spent time tracking food, beverage, and lifestyle habits that were common denominators in the time leading up to a migraine attack. By identifying things like staying up too late, synthetic fragrances, certain foods, and more that were linked to a guaranteed migraine attack, I was able to significantly decrease the frequency of my migraines.

Switching to an anti-inflammatory diet was super helpful in decreasing the frequency of my migraines. I began this diet to support my autoimmune illness but quickly learned that it also was helping decrease my migraine attacks.

Some triggers are harder to manage like stress, barometric pressure changes, and hormone spikes that cause migraines. For these migraine attacks, I’ve learned how to best support my body and decrease the pain as much as possible so that I can comfortably rest until the migraine is over.

Natural Remedies for Migraine Attacks:

These are all the things that I have found helpful in lessening the symptoms during a migraine, managing the pain, and occasionally stopping a migraine. Some of these remedies are also preventative and have helped to decrease the frequency of my migraine attacks.

There are many different factors that affect a migraines’ severity and length. Everybody is unique in how their body responds, what works for one person may not work for another. My hope is that some of these natural remedies that have helped me could also help you.

Ice Pack:

I have found this to be so comforting during a migraine attack. Applying ice can help constrict blood vessels, reduce swelling, and provide a numbing effect which helps reduce pain. I also tend to feel like my head is overheating during migraines, so this helps counter that. I usually place the ice pack over my forehead and temples, the top of my head, or down the side where the migraine is stemming from. Any ice pack will work, and I rotate through different styles of ice packs. However, several years ago, my husband got me this wonderful ice pack that wraps around the entire head. It is great for this purpose.

Hydration:

Extra hydration is so important before, during, and after a migraine attack. It always seems that my body needs extra fluid and electrolytes just to stay hydrated during a migraine. I’ve even had some migraines triggered when I’ve been low on hydration. This type of migraine gets better quickly with proper hydration. Sometimes I need more than water to help my body stay hydrated. My favorite way to get minerals and electrolytes is with coconut water. I even carry packets of freeze-dried/powdered coconut water with me on outdoor adventures, that way if I feel a migraine coming on I can start supporting my bodies’ hydration.

Essential Oils:

During a migraine attack my sense of smell is often heightened and highly sensitive, however I have found a few essential oils to be helpful. Here are a few of the essential oils I find helpful during a migraine: lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, copaiba, and spruce.

I apply these oils (diluted) to my forehead, temples, and around my neck. Occasionally I will apply them to my wrists and feet too. They are relaxing and often help relieve some of the pain. I keep a ‘migraine relief’ roll-on bottle in my nightstand, which makes them easy to apply.

To make the roller: I add 10 drops of my chosen essential oils and then fill the rest of the bottle with a carrier oil like organic jojoba oil. I got the roll-on bottles on amazon: essential oil roll-on bottles.

Circulation:

Increasing circulation throughout your body can help to pull some of the intense pressure away from your head. This will help relieve some of the pain during a migraine attack. A few relaxing ways I like to support circulation throughout my body during a migraine attack is through epsom salt foot-baths, warming socks, and laying on an acupressure mat.

Gua sha massage and stimulating lymphatic drainage through things like dry brushing or rebounding are great ways to increase good circulation in the body and help prevent migraine attacks. However these aren’t always practical to do during a migraine attack when the last thing you want to do is be moving about.

Magnesium:

Magnesium is a good preventative measure for migraine attacks. Some studies have shown a connection between migraines and a magnesium deficiency. You can take an oral magnesium supplement or apply it topically. Studies show that magnesium is best absorbed through the skin rather than ingested. There are magnesium creams you can apply or magnesium flakes that you can add to your bath. Amazon sells my favorite magnesium cream and my favorite magnesium bath flakes.

Nutrition:

Nutrition is a very important component of preventing migraine attacks and supporting the body during a migraine attack. I know when I have a migraine the nausea can make it hard to want to eat but it is so important to provide my body with healthy nutrients. I mentioned above that I spent time tracking food triggers to eliminate foods that were linked to my migraine attacks. I also noticed a significant improvement when I made the switch to an anti-inflammatory diet. I recommend giving this a try.

Sleep:

One of my migraine triggers is not getting enough consistent sleep. If I stay up too late or sleep too long that seems to contribute to migraine episodes. If possible, try to go to bed and wake up around the same time everyday. This can help your circadian rhythm which is important to our overall health, hormones, and preventing migraine attacks.

I also find that sleep and rest during a migraine attack is very helpful and sometimes all I can do. I often do many of the above natural remedies and then lay down to sleep it off and find relief.

I hope that you can find some relief from your migraine attacks by using some of these natural remedies. I’d love to connect with you and hear some of the things you already do to help with migraine attacks. Drop a comment below or sign up for my email newsletter.