Quick Tips for Migraine Management
I’m going to assume if you are here right now, you might be in some stage of a migraine so I will try to keep this as short and sweet as possible! Please feel free to ask questions, comment, or challenge my ideas about how to treat migraine naturally. I am not a doctor and these all come from my own experience living with migraine and narcolepsy.
1. Hydrate
Think electrolytes so add some lime, cucumber, salt, whatever replenishes you best. Water is my medicine of choice for treating migraine naturally. But if you are drinking plain water, it is possible to go overboard and flush out too many electrolytes. Be aware more is not always better.
2. Ground
Pull all your energy down into your body using whatever method resonates for you. A yoga pose, lying on the earth, putting your feet in the dirt, swimming, a salt bath, just get your energy in your body and connected to the earth. This is the most accessible way to treat migraine naturally as you can do it any time, any place, without any supplies if you can just visualize it in your mind.
3. Magnesium
If you haven’t checked your magnesium levels, add it to your list of things to ask your doctor about. If you know you have low levels, often a migraine is a reminder to take them! You can also get magnesium from food but many of us are not getting enough! If you have tried magnesium supplements without results, keep experimenting! For me, the chewable or dissolvable ones seem to work best. The pill form is convenient but doesn’t seem to increase my magnesium levels, but everyone is different. Try out what works for you.
4. Eat
If you have been fasting, you may need to eat something. Intuitively feel into what food would help you. If you are on keto, you may need some extra fat. I tend to go for a coconut oil coffee or even a chunk of butter if I’m feeling too nauseous for coffee.
5. Acupressure
Look for the acupressure techniques that work best for you. For me pushing in on my nose near my eyes, and then pushing up on the brow gives me some relief. You don’t need to be an expert, you can’t break yourself so just play around with it. There are lots of different points even on the fingers if your face is too sensitive to touch. I also have a daith piercing for migraine that has helped a lot.
6. Rest
If you can take a quick nap or lie down, do it as soon as possible to allow your body some relaxation. This may seem like an obvious way to treat migraine naturally, but many of us default to distraction when we are in pain.
7. Communicate
Ask your body what it needs or what it’s trying to tell you. Trust your intuition about what you hear!
8. Sink into the pain
I know it’s counterintuitive, but sometimes trying to run away is harder than sinking in. Really feel it and see if relaxing into it can be more comfortable than clenching yourself against it. Try giving it a color, a shape, describe what it looks like and then see if you can edit it. Make it smaller, turn the volume down, your mind is powerful and you may be surprised about what you can do!
9. Journal
Write out all the feelings you have about migraine, what does it bring up for you, when did it start, and how is that beginning still affecting you. What will your life be like when you don’t have migraine? What would it say if it could talk to you? One of the ways to treat migraine naturally is to reduce the fear and anxiety we can build up after multiple migraines creating small (or big) traumas for us. Journaling is one way to begin releasing it.
10. Breathe
Wim Hof breathing or any other breathing method that you enjoy can not only help shift your focus from the pain, but can help your body get the optimal ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide that you need. Try box breathing through your nose if possible, breathing in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, out for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, and repeat. For me, Wim Hof breathing and a cold shower can often shock my body enough to diminish the pain of migraine. Breathing is another accessible way to treat migraine naturally since you don’t need any fancy supplies or training! Just focus on your breath.
11. Get into flow state
if you are creative you may be able to paint or draw your migraine pain away. Try whatever creates flow for you and watch how your brain reacts!
Preventing Migraine Before it Starts
Many of these same tips can be used as prevention methods, especially taking care of vitamin levels and keeping hydrated. But there can be more to it than that, especially when the trauma of past migraines is bringing emotions into the equation like fear and anxiety. Stay tuned for a future post on my ideas about removing those emotions for prevention and reduction of symptoms, or check out Can you Really Reduce Migraine with Hypnosis! Find me on social media below!