Yep, you’re probably dealing with a migraine, the stronger, meaner sibling of the everyday headache. Migraines are quite common, affecting 39 million Americans. And women bear the biggest burden, with 18% experiencing migraines, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. And all of that head-splitting is taking its toll. In fact, 81% of female migraine sufferers surveyed note that their migraine pain is holding them back, impeding things like work, school, and fun. Worst of all? Seventy-nine percent of those women wish they had better techniques to treat their migraines. Help is here—discover over a dozen ways to get rid of a migraine.
What is a migraine?
While you might describe a migraine as the worst headache ever, Zubair Ahmed, M.D., director of Headache Research at the Cleveland Clinic and assistant professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, is a wee more technical, noting that migraines usually begin on one side of the head; they’re recurring; and often involve throbbing or pulsing pain that’s considered moderate to severe. “Typically, the pain can last from four hours up to three days, causing sensitivity to light, sound and sometimes even smell,” he says, further noting that nausea or vomiting may come into play as well. In short: Migraines can be debilitating.
Difference between migraine and headache
The long and short of it is this: All migraines are headaches, but not all headaches are migraines. Migraines are a type of vascular headache that occurs when blood vessels swell (aka dilate) and become inflamed, spurring pain. That throbbing ache you often feel? That’s your blood vessels pulsing. And unlike other headaches, a migraine may offer a sort of “warning signal” that pain is around the corner by way of an aura. (An aura can impact vision, causing such symptoms as blind spots, distorted vision and bright flashing dots.)
Home remedies for migraines
One-third of folks who suffer from migraines or headaches use complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), like acupuncture or homeopathy. The strange part? Only about 3% use CAM to treat their head pain. Instead, they’re utilizing CAM to quell other conditions. And that may be a missed opportunity, says Chris D’Adamo, Ph.D., director of research for the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. Here are some effective ways to get rid of a migraine, naturally.
How to get rid of a migraine fast
Essential oils for migraines
While essential oils may seem like the ultimate woo-woo remedy, actual studies support their usefulness, specifically lavender and peppermint essential oils. To wit: A small placebo-controlled study out of Iran found that inhaling lavender for 15 minutes can be an effective and safe way to help manage migraines. And a larger 2019 double-blind study found that inhaling peppermint essential oil for just five minutes caused a “considerable reduction in the intensity and frequency” of migraines. To relieve your migraine fast, try placing a few drops in a diffuser as you rest in a dark and quiet room.
Magnesium for migraines
Since up to half of all migraine sufferers are thought to be deficient in the mineral magnesium, a report in the Journal of Neural Transmission recommends that all migraine sufferers take a magnesium supplement. “I often suggest starting at 200 mg of magnesium citrate daily to help build up your magnesium stores to help prevent migraines down the road,” says D’Adamo. It also may be a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider about how to get rid of a migraine with a supplement that contains magnesium with Coenzyme Q10 and riboflavin, or magnesium with CoQ10 and feverfew, as both mixes show promise.
Migraine relief pressure points
With acupressure, pain is said to be controlled by applying pressure on select points on the body to stimulate the release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers. So is acupressure one of the ways to get rid of a migraine? The jury is still out. But wrist-based acupressure can help combat a common migraine side effect: nausea, according to a 2012 study in the journal Neurological Sciences, noting that almost half of migraine sufferers reported nausea relief after 60 minutes of wearing Sea-Bands, with that number bumping to 84% at hour four.
Foods that help migraines
Ready to relieve your migraine with food? Don’t skip meals. Long stretches between eating can trigger migraines or make them worse. If you’re migraine-prone, aim to eat small frequent meals at regular times throughout the day. In addition, D’Adamo suggests increasing vitamin B2 (riboflavin) intake by eating breads and cereals fortified with riboflavin, as well as eggs, almonds, yogurt, clams and mushrooms. Plus, add more magnesium-rich foods to the mix, like green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and bananas.
CBD oil for migraines
Cannabidiol (CBD) oil may be helpful as a topical for some with joint or muscle pain associated with migraines, according to the American Migraine Foundation. And, yes, there’s a lot of promise that CBD oil might eventually prove to be one of the more successful ways to get rid of a migraine. But right now, there’s still no solid research behind CBD oil as a migraine treatment. As such, Dr. Ahmed does not recommend CBD oil for migraine relief.
Migraine massage
Truth: Massage feels good and can 100% help relax and release built-up tension in muscles. And this method of relaxation should be considered for preventing migraine, notes the American Academy of Neurology. But there’s simply not enough evidence to show that massage (and other relaxation techniques) specifically helps treat migraine pain. On the other hand, you may want to consider talking with your healthcare provider about how to relieve a migraine with physical therapy, as it appears to have positive benefits on pain perception.
Does caffeine help migraines?
Caffeine is a tricky one. Yes, caffeinated beverages may provide modest acute migraine relief. (After all, caffeine is a common ingredient in OTC migraine meds.) However, drinking three or more caffeinated beverages in a day ups your chance of getting a migraine the day you downed it and the day after, according to recent research in The American Journal of Medicine. The good news? “Drinking less is usually just fine,” says Dr. Ahmed.
Tea for migraines
“Little data exists relating to herbal tea helping to ease migraines, but patients have mentioned anecdotally that they find it to be helpful,” says Dr. Ahmed. Does your tea have caffeine in it? Then heed the advice above.
Hydrate—since dehydration can cause migraines
It’s true. About 1/3 of people with migraine say dehydration is a trigger, according to the American Migraine Foundation. So, on the flip, sometimes one can halt migraine pain simply by drinking water. (Psst: Water helps wine headaches and other types of headaches, too.)
Best migraine treatments
“Migraine is the most common debilitating headache condition and it’s the most disabling condition in adults under the age of 50,” says Dr. Ahmed. So if you need to look for ways to get rid of a migraine beyond “natural” remedies, don’t hesitate. There are a number of successful treatment options out there, including:
Should you try botox for migraines?
“Botox can be a very effective migraine treatment, resulting in complete resolution of headaches,” says Dr. Ahmed. Right now, however, it’s only FDA-approved for chronic migraines that occur 15 or more days a month. Do you qualify? Know that Botox is a pretty simple procedure where several muscle groups in the head and neck get injected every 90 days.
Best OTC medicine for migraines
“For over-the-counter migraine relief, look for meds containing ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen or naproxen,” says Dr. Ahmed. Of note: Acetaminophen, alone, is not recommended for migraine. And when OTC migraine meds also contain caffeine, it can significantly enhance their effectiveness. According to a JAMA Neurologystudy, an acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine combo can significantly reduce migraine pain intensity in one to six hours. “But If you’re taking any OTC migraine med more than two to three times a week, a prescription may be in order.”
Best prescription medicine for migraines
If you’ve got moderate or severe migraines and OTC options aren’t cutting it, visit your doctor to see if a migraine RX could work for you. A class of drugs called triptans are the go-to and include meds like Imitrex (sumatriptan), Amerge (naratriptan) and Zomig (zolmitriptan). Another effective RX is dihydroergotamine (DHE), available as a nasal spray (Migranal) or an injection. Meds to relieve nausea can also be prescribed.
Do ear piercings help with migraines?
No, sliding a diamond stud in your lobe isn’t going to do anything. Instead, it’s thought that piercing the wee curved piece of cartilage right where your outer ridge connects to your inner ear, can. It’s called a daith piercing. “Some patients have anecdotally reported its benefit in treating migraines,” says Dr. Ahmed. “But large studies are lacking.” It’s thought that, perhaps, this method may work by targeting a specific acupuncture pressure point.
Acupuncture for migraines
This traditional form of Chinese medicine relies on the skilled placement of small, sharp needles along specific points on the body in order to release endorphins (aka: the body’s natural pain killers). “It can be quite effective,” notes Dr. Ahmed. In fact, a 2019 paper in the journal Current Pain and Headache Reports, notes that acupuncture has similar benefits as pharmacological treatment. Though Dr. Ahmed warnes that “acupuncture usually isn’t as effective if used by itself to treat migraines.”
Treating migraines with marijuana
Inhaled medical marijuana has been shown to reduce migraine severity by nearly 50%, according to a recent study in the Journal of Pain. While its migraine-squelching effectiveness appears to diminish over time, researchers didn’t find any evidence of rebound headaches, which is a common pitfall of conventional migraine treatments. With that, the Cleveland Clinic does not endorse medical marijuana as a migraine treatment, in part, because it has not endured extensive clinical trials.
Vitamins for migraines
While taking a multivitamin is not among the best ways to quickly get rid of a migraine, a couple of supplements do help. Petasites (aka butterbur) is considered effective for reducing the frequency and severity of migraines—that same study notes that both magnesium (see above) and vitamin B2 (aka riboflavin) are supplements to consider. “Many people who have migraines also have less than optimal levels of vitamin B2 in their system,” says D’Adamo, who notes that supplementing with B2 (aka riboflavin) can often work to help dial-back the frequency and pain of migraines. While we don’t really know the ideal amount to take, “we do know that those who consume more vitamin B2 than what’s recommended experience fewer migraines than those who get less.” (In addition, ask your doctor about how to get rid of a migraine with a combination of either magnesium/CoQ10/riboflavin or magnesium/CoQ10/feverfew.) Whether you suffer from migraines or another type of headache, chances are you want relief. Here are even more migraine relief remedies.
Sources
Zubair Ahmed, M.D., director of Headache Research at the Cleveland Clinic, assistant professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of MedicineChris D’Adamo, Ph.D., director of research for the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of MedicineMigraine Research Foundation: “Migraine Facts.”Excedrin: “The Millennial Migraine Report.”Cleveland Clinic: “Migraine Headaches.”National Headache Foundation: “Migraine.”Headache: “Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among US Adults With Headache or Migraine: Results from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey.”European Neurology: “Lavender Essential Oil in the Treatment of Migraine Headache: A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.”International Journal of Preventive Medicine: “Comparing the Effect of Intranasal Lidocaine 4% with Peppermint Essential Oil Drop 1.5% on Migraine Attacks: A Double-Blind Clinical Trial.”Journal of Neural Transmission: “Why all migraine patients should be treated with magnesium.”Neurological Sciences: “Acupressure in the control of migraine-associated nausea.”American Migraine Foundation: “Migraine and Diet.”American Migraine Foundation: “Migraine and CBD Oil.”Cleveland Clinic: “Why Cleveland Clinic Won’t Recommend ‘Medical Marijuana’ for Patients.”American Migraine Association: “Top 10 Migraine Triggers and How to Deal With Them.”Neurology: “Practice parameter: Evidence-based guidelines for migraine headache (an evidence-based review): Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology.”Current Pain and Headache Reports: “Complementary and Integrative Medicine for Episodic Migraine: an Update of Evidence from the Last 3 Years.”National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: “Headaches: In Depth.”American Migraine Association: “Caffeine and Migraine.”The American Journal of Medicine: “Prospective Cohort Study of Caffeinated Beverage Intake as a Potential Trigger of Headaches among Migraineurs.”American Migraine Foundation: “Botox for Migraines.”JAMA Neurology: “Efficacy and Safety of Acetaminophen, Aspirin, and Caffeine in Alleviating Migraine Headache Pain.”Europe PMC: “Complementary and Integrative Medicine for Episodic Migraine: an Update of Evidence from the Last 3 Years.”Journal of Pain: “Short- and Long-Term Effects of Cannabis on Headache and Migraine.”Neurology: “Evidence-based guideline update: NSAIDs and other complementary treatments for episodic migraine prevention in adults.”
