Non-Drug Treatments for Migraine

Rebecca Lewis May 01, 2015

We all have experienced migraine once or several times in our lifetime. This severe, debilitating kind of headache can really turn a good day into something so terrible. For some people, migraine can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and heightened sensitivity to light or sound.

Some people experience migraine too often, up to several times a week. If you’re one of them, you’ve most likely relied heavily on medications during these really painful times. But did you know there are several non-drug treatments that are safe and effective? They include the following.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has long been used in the treatment of migraine and other pain conditions. This treatment involves inserting needles on specific points of the body. Studies suggest that acupuncture is good at easing migraine and lowering the number of headaches.

Biofeedback

This treatment focuses on helping your body relax and control your physical state. Also called “mind over migraine”, during a biofeedback session, your body responds to the feedback and relax your muscles. Studies show this treatment can often reduce headache pain and frequency.

Massage

Massaging your forehead is not only relaxing. It helps ease migraine too. Whilst massage does not help people cope with pain once migraine starts, early research shows that it may help lower the number of headaches in some people. Going to a spa for a soothing massage treatment is also a good way to fight stress, which is a common risk factor for migraine.

Relaxation Techniques

As mentioned, migraine can be triggered by stress. Thus, practising relaxation techniques can greatly help. There are different kinds of relaxation strategies that you can try, but your goal is to relax the muscles in different parts of the body.

Talk Therapy

Cognitive-behavioural therapy can also help you deal with migraine. This therapy helps you develop effective approaches to situations that may lead to headaches or migraines. It works better when combined with other preventive treatments.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

This treatment works well with people experiencing migraines with aura. In this treatment, the TMS doctor holds a device against your scalp to deliver magnetic pulses into the brain TMS may shorten the length of the headache and make it less intense.

Herbal Remedies

There are herbs that have migraine-alleviating properties. They include peppermint, basil and lavender oil, green tea, turmeric, cayenne, and Chinese herbs. Talk to a professional herbal therapist about any remedy you’re thinking of trying to know which one is safe for you.

Sleep

Research suggests that poor sleep and migraines are often connected. So making sure that you are getting enough sleep at night is a great strategy to fight debilitating migraines. Taking naps during the day may also help.

Along with these natural therapies, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a major step you can take to fight migraines. Eating meals on time, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and keeping a healthy weight are a few of the important steps you can take.