No matter how excruciatingly painful a migraine is, some people prefer to treat this pain with natural methods rather than with prescription medications that may cause undesirable side effects. According to Joan A. Friedrich, Ph.D., clinical educator and board-certified clinical nutritionist, migraines vary in their manifestation and depend on your stress level, diet and immune responses. Therefore, your treatment needs to be tailored to you.
Step 1
Keep a record. Before you can determine your best course of treatment, you need to know the primary cause of your migraine. To do this, keep a journal of each episode, writing the date and time of your migraine, your stress level and any foods you ate that day. If you begin to notice a connection between refined white foods such cakes or cookie, try eliminating these items to see if it reduces the number of migraines you experience.
Step 2
Regulate your blood sugar. According to Dr. Friedrich, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can trigger a migraine. To prevent this from happening, eat foods high in fiber, which are burned slower by the body and do not cause the insulin drops that result in hypoglycemia. If you suffer a migraine because of hypoglycemia, drink a glass of orange juice. The natural sugar in the juice will help raise your blood sugar levels, which may offset the pain of your migraine. You should then eat a nutritious meal consisting of a protein and a vegetable. These will give you energy and help stabilize your insulin levels.
Step 3
Take magnesium. Dr. Friedrich states that magnesium is one of the most promising minerals in headache research. He believes it helps prevent and lessen the blood vessel spasms that cause migraines. Good sources of magnesium include soybeans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish and vegetables. Eating one or any of these during a migraine may provide relief from the pain it causes.
Step 4
Release endorphins. Endorphins are feel-good hormones that are typically released during exercise. They also help fight the pain migraines cause. To unleash them, place your fingers on the back of your neck, about 2 inches apart, just below the base of your skull. Press firmly for 2 minutes and then release. Repeat this as many times as necessary for relief.
Step 5
Lie in a dark room. Some migraine sufferers are extremely sensitive to light, also known as phytosensitivity; this sensitivity triggers their migraine. To relieve the pain, lie in a completely dark room void of noise and stress. This allows you to relax, while avoiding the trigger of your migraine.
Things You'll Need
- Journal
- Orange juice
- Fiber
- Nuts
- Soybeans
- Magnesium
- Massage
