Migraine

Most people try to get rid of pain in their bodies by using medications but this is really not the best solution. Drugs usually have many side effects and can even hurt your body if taken for a long time. On the other hand, natural methods are harmless. Before you start taking a bunch of pills, try these natural techniques. Be aware that not every method will work for you. Some things you do may even increase headaches rather that decrease them. You will just have to try different things and see what the best is for you.

If you get a migraine, there are some things that have been known to immediately relieve pain. See if any of the following work for you: take a bath or shower, lay down and rest in a dark room, stay away from any bright lights, place something cold on the back of your neck, put your feet in warm water and at the same time put a cold compress on your forehead, drink water or tomato juice, get something to eat if you haven’t eaten for a while, massage your head and face, massage your neck and shoulders, relax the muscles in your body, lean your head to the left and right to stretch your neck, and don’t do any exercise while you have a migraine. Also, to get your body to release endorphins, you can press on the two pressure points on the back of your neck. These two points are right below the base of your skull and are about two inches apart. If you press there for a couple of minutes then endorphins will be released to help with pain.

Some people get migraines because the bones in their neck aren’t in the right place. This makes the muscles near the bones tense and causes pain. Any stress on the spine can cause migraines. If your neck bones aren’t in just the right spot, a chiropractor can gently push them back into place. To prevent any injuries to your neck and spine, try doing the following things: do slow stretches of your neck, don’t sit for a long time with your head leaning forward, don’t prop your head up on a pillow while lying down, don’t sit in a twisted position, and support your neck and head with a pillow if you lay on your side.

Biofeedback is a method in which you learn to control things in your body that are not normally in your control, such as your heart rate. Things such as finger temperature, muscle tension, and hormone levels can affect headaches and can be learned to be controlled. Before you get a migraine, your body reallocates the blood out of your head and hands and into the larger muscles. Your fingertips will become cold because of this. You will also feel a confused sort of feeling. If you feel your hands becoming cold or suddenly feel confused or stressed, try to warm your hands up and also try to think of very relaxing things. This will lower your hormone level and can reduce the severity of your migraine when it starts. Be sure to relax as much as possible. When you first try this method, you may not notice a difference. It usually takes a few weeks of practicing before you make any progress.

Many of the foods you eat can actually cause migraines. Chocolate is the worst food to eat for migraine sufferers. Other foods that may cause headaches are pineapples, avocados, beans, lentils, peas, MSG, shrimp, pork, alcohol, cheese, caffeine, coconut, and processed meats. Amines are a group of substances found in different foods which are the main trigger of migraines. The amine in chocolate is the worst one. The one in cheese is the next worst and is called tyramine. Just try to experiment to see which foods give you migraines. This can be hard though because a food might not give you a migraine every time you eat it.

If your blood sugar goes too high or too low, this can give you a migraine. Refined sugar is the most common cause of high blood sugar. Natural sugars found in fruits don’t do this. Try not to eat any refined sugar. Be sure you eat every three hours because if you don’t, your blood sugar will get low and can cause migraines. A healthy diet is extremely important.

Some other methods that have been helpful for some people are acupuncture, myotherapy, and aromatherapy. Usually a person’s first acupuncture treatment doesn’t do anything, but after a few treatments it can help. If you sniff certain oils it can make your migraine go away. Myotherapy is a method used to relax your muscles and alleviate pain. You apply pressure to your muscle for a few seconds with your knuckles, fingers, or elbows.

Just be sure you remember that everyone is different and not everything will work for you. You may need to try these methods in different combinations to find a solution for your pain. The best thing you can do is to try not to get stressed out. You may even want to do different relaxation techniques to accomplish this.