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The 10 Essentials for
Living with Chronic
Illness or Chronic Pain

Migraine Relief - Natural Remedies and Techniques

Anyone who lives with this disruptive condition is always on the look out for Migraine relief. The onset of an attack may leave you feeling totally helpless and out of control and unfortunately to a great degree that is the truth of the matter.

If you live with frequent and recurring bouts, you quickly learn that once the process is set in motion there usually isn't a whole lot that can be done except ride it out. It's like a force of nature and just like a powerful hurricane or tornado it has a set path that won't stop until it has run its course.

However, with that being said, there are a variety of steps and actions you can take to help manage their incidence and reduce the severity of their impact on your life, thus making you feel a little less helpless and more in control.

Migraine Relief Essentials

• Prevention
  
  The first line of defense in any Migraine relief plan is to try and prevent attacks from occurring as much as possible, by becoming aware of your Migraine triggers. Reduce your triggers and you reduce the occurrence of episodes. If you have only a few triggers this may be relatively easy to do, however if you have a lot of triggers it can be a little more challenging to accomplish.
  
  
• Acceptance The second thing I find most helpful is an attitude of acceptance. I acknowledge and accept the power a Migraine has over me and the path it must follow. Resisting the pain and the process only makes it worse. I embrace it and flow with it. That doesn't mean I may not scream or howl in pain. It does not mean that I won't curse the very existence of this brutal event taking place in my life, but as I do so, I ride with the experience and not against it. I surrender. Although it seems contradictory, you are not losing power with acceptance, you are gaining power. Join forces with the "enemy" and your ride will be a little smoother.
  
  
• Education The third essential tool for finding Migraine relief is education. Educating yourself is one of the most empowering activities you can engage in. Understanding the etiology and symptomology of your condition helps reduce feelings of helplessness and loss of control. When you understand what's happening to you and what's going to happen next, it makes it much easier to endure. It allows you to prepare, cope more effectively and minimize the power they have over your life.

Natural Remedies for Migraine Relief

Herbs

One of the most common natural remedies that sufferers turn to for Migraine relief are herbs. Feverfew, also known as bachelors button is the most popular and believed to be the most effective. The effectiveness of this herb is even backed by several clinical studies, where as many as 2/3 of the participants experienced relief using feverfew. Unlike a prescription drug, you can't just pop a couple feverfew at the time of an attack, they must be taken on a daily basis to be effective.

White willow bark is another excellent choice that contains the same active ingredient that is found in aspirin. For many people, it reduces pain and inflammation of the blood vessels. Other popular choices believed to be effective are butterbar root, cayenne, peppermint and eucalyptus. These may be taken orally or you may apply them topically. However, I didn't find relief in any of these products, so they don't work for everyone.

Keep in mind that herbs are very powerful and may cause interactions with prescriptions or have side effects of their own, so if you take prescription medication or have other health conditions, you should always consult with a holistic health care professional before taking any kind of herbs.

Additionally ,it's important to keep in mind that for some people herbs may actually be a trigger for bringing a Migraine on such as peppermint. For me peppermint, eucalyptus, cinnamon or any very potent smelling herb or essential oil do not provide any Migraine relief at all, they are some of my strongest triggers.

Massage

Another technique you might want to try is massage. This can be done by a professional, a friend or even do it yourself. When doing it yourself, try different parts of the head. I find I get some relief by applying pressure with my fingers and moving in a circular motion. The areas that it works best are in the temple region where I feel the pain radiating from or in the base of my neck directly below my ear. Sometimes after a particular painful episode, I will have rubbed my temple so hard that it will be sore for days, because when I was in pain I was not aware of how much pressure I was applying.

Other people find that massage in particular regions of the foot or applying pressure to the webbed part of the hand right between the thumb and index finger will bring them relief.

Compresses

Some people find that cold compresses like a towel soaked in ice water or ice packs around the neck will provide Migraine relief for them, while other people find it is a hot towel or heating pad that works bestmfor them.

In the early stages of a Migraine, while I'm still capable of standing, I find that a hot shower relieves my pain temporarily. Make the water as hot as you can stand it. Close the door so the steam can build up in the room. Let the hot water flow over your head and your neck.

Orgasm

Another very helpful technique I use is orgasm. When you have an orgasm, it releases endorphins. Endorphins are natural pain killers and they also relax you. They are extremely potent and I find them to be one of the most effective methods for Migraine relief to be found at all phases of an attack.

At the onset of a Migraine, an orgasm can sometimes make it go away or at the very least it decreases my pain significantly so that I can still function for a longer period of time. Perhaps the pain or other symptoms are starting to brew when I have something important to finish, an orgasm can buy me a little time so that I can finish the task at hand before becoming incapacitated.

When I'm already in excruciating pain and bedridden, then an orgasm works great for decreasing the severity of my pain. It also helps me fall asleep when the pain is unbearable. If it's a particularly severe bout, it's not uncommon for me to employ the use of orgasms several times during the course of the episode.

Now, of course, when you're in excruciating pain, having sex is probably the last thing you want to do. So I'm actually referring to using masturbation to achieve your orgasms. It's quick, easy, costs absolutely nothing and at your fingertips at all times.

Sleep

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to sleep during a Migraine, and for those of you who can't, I empathize deeply. I have only had a couple of incidents where I was not able to sleep and they were awful. For the most part, sleep is one of those things I'm extremely grateful for during this painful event.

The more sleep I get the faster the pain dissipates. Not only does it help the process move along more quickly it also works as a coping mechanism. When you're sleeping, you're not as aware of the level of pain.

Most of the time my sleep patterns during this time are fitful and intermittent. I sleep a while and then a wave of pain pulls me out of slumberland and I ride the wave of pain for awhile and then go back to sleep.

Sometimes the pain is so excruciating that it feels like it literally knocks me out. I can't stay awake and feel incoherent. So at that point sleep is not a choice, it's mandatory.

Face and Jaw Exercises

I've found that face exercises are very effective for Migraines that are triggered by TMJ or particular odors like pollens or terpines from plants or trees. I don't find them useful if the trigger is Menstrual related or food related. To exercise the face and jaw, I stretch my mouth open as wide as it will go until I feel it pull on the muscles in the jaw, face and head that are in pain. I hold that position for as long as can I take the pain and then release it. As you're stretching, the pain will be unbearable, but once you release, you experience relief. I usually combine this with breathing exercises. This technique is most beneficial when it is performed before the pain gets too bad, at the onset of symptoms. Sometimes I can completely stop a Migraine with this technique, other times the relief may only be temporary.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises are another technique I find is helpful when the trigger is TMJ or odor related, but not so much with foods or menstruation. I lay down, close my eyes and take a very deep breath through my nose. Be sure to breathe from the diaphragm and not the stomach. I then guide my breath into the painful areas. I do this repeatedly for about a half hour.

Positioning

I don't know if this will work for other people or not, but this is something I've found to be helpful. When I lie down, I position my head in between my arm and the headboard of the bed and apply pressure. I have to wiggle around a bit to find the precise position needed for relief. The position may be different from episode to episode and even hour to hour within the same attack.

This doesn't take the pain away completely, but it diminishes its intensity. As long as I lie completely still, it will give me relief and allow me to fall asleep.

Magnesium

It is believed by some health practitioners that a deficiency in magnesium can lead to Migraines. Some people find relief by supplementing their diet with magnesium.

I take high doses of Magnesium and it has not provided me with any Migraine relief, however I do find it helpful for other things, like bowel function and muscle pain.

Digestive Health - Gut Brain Therapy

Some health researches feel there is a powerful connection between the gut and the brain and improving the digestive system with specific nutritional formulas to heal the gut has been found to provide Migraine relief for many individuals.

This is an exciting therapy that I have only begun to research that may hold a lot of promise. I will write more about it as I learn more. If you've tried it, I'd love to hear your results so drop me a line and let me know.

My understanding at this time is that this therapy believes that dysfunction in the digestive and elimination systems results in a body that is not able to produce adequate amounts at the appropriate times of crucial neurotransmitters and hormones.

As we learned in the Migraine Headaches page, the neurotransmitter, Serotonin, is a crucial factor in the development of Migraines.

Other popular ways of finding Migraine relief might include acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic adjustments, tmj treatments, magnet therapy, herbal nasal sprays, CoQ10 and supplements that affect the neurotransmitter serotonin such as 5HTP.

Sense of Humor

Last, but not least, I find that a sense of humor is always helpful in dealing with any painful or chronic condition. Try to find the humor in your situation and suffering by looking for the ironic or ridiculous aspects of the impact it has on your life.

My son and I always have a good life at my "monster eye" that accompanies my Migraines or he teases me by telling me "you're looking pretty mangilated today." I practice daily affirmations to keep focused on the positives and sometimes in the midst of an excruciating Migraine I'll spout off with a sarcastic affirmation like "I feel great and I'm full of energy" and we will roar with laughter, as the reality of the situaion is that I look and feel like I'm on my deathbed.

Keep humorous material in sight on a daily basis, such as a magnet on the refrigerator, a humorous calendar, a daily joke or quote in your email.

I don't' know if this really provides Migraine relief, but it lifts the spirit, helps keep things in perspective and keeps me from drowning in negativity. Life feels a little lighter and easier to manage.