How to Get Rid of a Migraine Headache

I've suffered from migraine headaches all my life. They last from a few hours to a few days, and they are totally incapacitating. I've had so many that I consider myself a pro at getting rid of migraines. Although chronic migraines can be caused by many things, mine are mostly diet and hormone related. Coffee is one thing that for me, both causes--and cures!--my migraines. I don't use prescription drugs to treat my migraines. I prefer to use over-the-counter medications and natural treatments to get rid of the pain. Here is my recommendation to you for treating your migraine. Please, though, check the Warnings section before you begin trying to get rid of a migraine on your own.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• ginger root capsules
• black coffee
• aspirin, Tylenol, or ibuprofen
• ice pack
• quiet room
• reclining chair

1. 
    
   Pounding and painful, migraines often start mildly.

   Identify your migraine early. If your head aches on one side only with a dull pain, if you feel nauseated, if your face feels hot, and if light or sound bothers you, your headache may be a migraine. But you may not have all those symptoms, and you may have many others, such as visual disturbances, dizziness, and vomiting. Not every intense headache is a migraine. It's important to identify what kind of headache you have, so you treat it properly. If you are sure it's a migraine, try to get rid of the headache using any of the following steps.

2. 
    
   In a classic migraine, you may experience an aura.

   Swallow, with plenty of water and a bite of bland food, like a cracker, over-the-counter pain medication such as Tylenol, aspirin, or ibuprofen at the first sign of the migraine. Take only the recommended dosage. Taking medicine early, before the migraine gets bad, is essential in getting rid of a migraine. I've found it's much harder to get rid of a migraine if it's escalated to agonizingly painful.

3. 
    
   Peanuts and red wine are common trigger foods.

   Take a ginger root capsule. See the bottle for the dosage. Ginger root helps with the nausea associated with a migraine, and may actually get rid of the migraine headache.

4. Drink a cup of black coffee. I don't generally tolerate caffeine well, but when I have a migraine, the caffeine in black coffee helps the inflammation and eases the pain. Sometimes when I find myself on the road with no medicine or any other recourse, I stop for a cup of black coffee (cream and sugar just make me nauseated), and the coffee gets rid of the migraine.

5. 
    
   Bacon, sausage, and preserved meat may be migraine triggers.

   Take a hot bath without immersing your head to get rid of a migraine headache. Keep your hands in the bath and try to draw the blood away from your head, where the blood is flowing, expanding the blood vessels and causing the pain.

6. 
    
   You may be sensitive to sound or light.

   Rest in a quiet room, undisturbed, with an ice pack on the affected side of your face. Let the cold pack cover your face, head, neck, and shoulders--whatever throbs or feels tender or hot. Try to keep your upper body elevated, so resting on a reclining chair or a lot of pillows is a great idea. You may find that covering your eyes with a soft, cool, damp cloth helps soothe your headache.

7. 
    
   Good night! Feel better soon.

   Sleep if you can. Good luck, and I hope you get rid of your headache quickly.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid any possible trigger foods which may cause or make your headache worse.
• There are many other natural remedies that might help you get rid of migraines, including feverfew, magnesium, acupressure, acupuncture, trigger point therapy, and massage. Everybody is different.
• Before using any of these techniques, check with your doctor to see if they are right for you. Coffee, ginger root, painkiller medications, even hot baths are not for everyone. Do not take any medication that might harm you!
• DON'T try these recommendations with kids or babies without consulting with their pediatrician.
• Be careful about using massage for a migraine. The wrong kind of massage can make your headache worse.
• Make sure it's a migraine that you have by talking with your doctor.
• Try to work with your doctor or practitioner of alternative medicine to get at the cause of the headache, so you can prevent it before it even begins--which is, in my opinion, the best way to get rid of a migraine.

[sumana9]

on 2/8/2010 Had migraines all my life. They've slowed down so I don't need medication much anymore. I like the natural methods listed in your article. Will try them. Thanks.

[SarahRobinson]

on 1/15/2010 I used to get migraines a lot and these are great tips for getting rid of one! I never tried ginger root...but I'll keep it in mind in case I get another (but I hope not!)

[kkolode]

on 11/6/2009 Carsonsmommy05,

That sounds awful. I can't give you any advice for getting rid of the pain because I don't know what's wrong, and I'm not a doctor. I do know a month of a migraine (or any sort of) headache is not normal, even if you've been getting headaches since you were 12. A headache that doesn't respond to regular pain relievers for so long is not normal. I hate seeing doctors, myself. But what about a nurse practitioner? If I were in your situation, I would make an appointment with a nurse practitioner right away. There's a problem here, and an ARNP will probably be able to help. So I hate to tell you to do something you don't want to do, but that's what I really would do. In the meantime, all I can suggest is, have you tried eliminating possible trigger foods, in case the problem is dietary?

I hope you feel better soon.

[carsonsmommy05]

on 11/6/2009 i have had a headache for the past month i have taken advil alleve tylonal my friend even gave me a vicoden and nothing has helped. lights make it worse closing my eyes make it worse ive tried sitting in a quiet room and its just as bad. it starts in the back of my neck and spreads through out my whole head. i dont want to go to the doctors becouse i dont like them, even though i know i should go. sometimes i get light headed from them, i have been getting them sence i was 12 i go to sleep and wake up with them being worse. any advise on what will help besides goin to the doctor

[patmcaudel]

on 10/17/2009 this is one of the best i have read on migraine headachs. have had them since i had my daughter, and went on birth control. later tied to cycle, after i went off them. cafergot, the rx i take works but i've been on it for 30 years...i'm going to try coffee and other suggestions for next one. last one was ll:pm last nite! thank you very much.