Home Remedies: A Comprehensive Guide to Treating Migraines

Massage and acupressure, using an ice pack or warm compress, and having a nap, if feasible, are some of the most effective home remedies for migraines.

FREMONT, CA: Migraine headaches are often intense and difficult to control, particularly when they develop unexpectedly. Though it may take some trial and error to determine what works best for patients, home treatments such as cold packs and naps may help alleviate symptoms. Migraine is characterized by throbbing, pulsating pain on one side of the head, often accompanied by additional symptoms such as light sensitivity and nausea.

While many people have prescriptions to assist in reducing migraine frequency, medications may not always fully prevent migraine attacks, and some must be taken at the right time to be effective. If individuals are having a migraine attack and their usual management strategies aren't working, trying some home remedies may help them feel better.

Key strategies to treat migraines

Massage and acupressure: Massaging the scalp with one's fingertips might be comforting during a migraine attack. Massaging the head muscles improves circulation and can help relieve stress, both contributing to migraine symptoms in certain people.

More research needs to be done on which types of massage are most useful, but a 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that tuina, a traditional Chinese massage that focuses on acupressure points in the head, may be especially effective for tension headaches. A tuina practitioner can teach individuals about the many movements involved in using this massage method for migraines. Kneading, pushing, holding, and rolling movements are therapeutic in tuina. Other acupressure locations on the body may also effectively relieve migraine pain.

Using an ice pack or warm compress: The underlying causes of migraines are unknown; however, migraine discomfort is typically induced by activating the trigeminovascular system, including the trigeminal nerve and its associated blood vessels.

Sensations from the face are sent to the brain by the largest cranial nerve in the head, the trigeminal nerve. Stimulation of the trigeminovascular system causes the production of substances that induce blood vessels in the brain to enlarge. This can cause inflammation and the throbbing, pulsating pain associated with migraine headaches.

Cold compresses on one's head or shoulders can help relieve migraine headaches by causing blood vessels to contract, reducing inflammation, and delaying pain impulses as they travel along the nerves.

Taking a nap, if feasible: Migraine symptoms can cause individuals to seek sleep. Light and sound sensitivity and pressure in one's head can naturally cause them to close their eyes and relax in a dark, calm setting. The connection between sleep and migraines is intricate. Too much or too little sleep can cause migraines, and migraine attacks can have a severe impact on one's sleep quality. Improving one's sleep can decrease the frequency and severity of migraine attacks, and how taking a nap during an attack may bring relief.