Migraine Relief Tips

Although medication may sometimes be necessary for migraine relief, it can also have undesirable side effects and often does not address any underlying problem. This article provides natural tips for relieving migraine headaches.

The first step is to consult your healthcare provider to know for sure you are experiencing migraine headaches. Severe pain does not always mean it's a migraine. Also, you want to be sure you do not have another, more serious underlying problem.

Common symptoms of a migraine headache are

• Pain felt on only one side of the head that is often severe or extreme.
• Auras (visual disturbances such as flashing lights or zigzagging lines) or numbness or paralysis experienced twenty to sixty minutes before onset of head pain.
• Nausea and/or vomiting.
• Sensitivity to light and noise.
• Inability to continue with daily activities.

Massage Therapy for Migraine Relief

How can massage help with migraine headache pain? People who experience migraines generally have stiff, tender muscles in the back of the head, neck, and shoulders. These muscles may have trigger points that cause pain. Massaging the trigger points can effectively reduce the pain and tightness in the muscles.

Several studies have shown that massage therapy at the very least helps people who experience migraines sleep better and often significantly lessens headache pain.

When receiving massage therapy, be aware that the lightest, gentlest pressure from the most qualified therapist can cause at least mild discomfort, but if the pain becomes intense, immediately tell the therapist to stop.

Relaxation Techniques for Migraine Relief

Relaxation techniques are safe with almost no side effects, although in very rare cases people have actually raised their levels of anxiety rather than lowered them. The following relaxation techniques can be done just about anywhere at any time:

• Deep breathing: Simply breathe in deeply through your nose, letting your stomach expand as much as possible. It may be helpful to place your hands firmly and comfortably on your stomach during the exercise. Once you’ve breathed in as much as possible, hold your breath for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat for 3 or 4 breaths several times a day.
• Active relaxation: First tense, then relax each muscle group in the body. Start with the muscles in the feet and move up until you reach the muscles in the head.
• Stretching is a wonderful way to loosen up tight muscles and combat stress. Muscle tension is an automatic physical response to stress and the benefit of simple stretching exercises is often overlooked as a relaxation technique. Sign up for a free 6-part stretching e-course.
• Meditation and self-hypnosis are important relaxation techniques for relieving pain and stress. Meditation has four elements: a quiet environment, a point of focus such as a neutral word to help with concentration, an accepting attitude, and a comfortable position. Meditation once or twice a day for 10-20 minutes can relieve chronic stress and also increase your ability to tolerate stress.
• Visualization is a type of directed meditation that involves using your mind’s eye to clear away mental clutter or to visualize how a stressful situation can be handled successfully. Picture the stressful situation in your mind and then visually rehearse the outcome you want. You can also use visualization techniques to imagine a peaceful scene (such as ocean waves lapping on the beach) to create relaxation.

More Migraine Relief Tips

• alcoholic drinks (especially red wine)
• foods containing the amino acid tyramine (for example, aged cheeses, sour cream, and yogurt)
• chocolate
• dairy products
• foods with additives such as nitrites, MSG, or aspartame.

Other lifestyle factors that can trigger migraines include change in sleep habits, overuse of headache medicines, too much stress, and environmental factors such as:

• change in weather
• high altitudes
• bright or fluorescent lights or sunlight
• loud noises
• strong odors.

You might want to keep a food, lifestyle, and headache diary to see you if can find a correlation.

Migraines can also be triggered by emotional factors. Everything in our lives has an emotional component. If you want to address the emotional component of your migraines or any other condition, I highly recommend You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay.

Migraine Relief Links

Headache-Adviser.com: Looking for a headache adviser? A review of migraine symptoms, child migraine, sinus symptoms. Maintained by a headache specialist.

Migraine Relief Awareness Group