Migraine Remedies
There is always a telltale sign… a flash of light, a pulsation, a sting. The slightest tinge and you know it’s coming. Or worse, you hear from your partner that they are in the midst of an impending migraine. At the first sign, take head of the warning, slow THE F down, and while your water is boiling, close your eyes and take some deep breaths. Maybe boil some extra water in a big soup pot for a nice foot soak while drinking your herbal tea.
First, drink some Vitamin C in a big cup of water. (2 packets at first sign)
While drinking that, boil water for ginger tea. Since time is of the essence here, make the tea very simply and quickly by mixing powdered ginger with hot water, as much as you can think you can handle. (start with a tsp, work up to a Tbs+ based on the taste you like)
Drink the tea, and try to relax, breath deeply
Do some light stretching or gentle yoga. Think about what you’ve been doing lately that could have been a trigger. Usually I already know I may have over extended myself, mentally or emotionally, and probably notice my diet and water intake have all suffered too.
Some simple headache remedies
There are many traditional compress/ poultice headache remedies, including bay leaves pressed on the forehead, soaked cedar leaves bound in place, as well as elder, watercress or mint placed on the forehead.
One of my favorite headache treatments is a warm compress at the base of the neck with a hot one over the forehead or eyes, depending on the source of discomfort.
Recipes
Tea variations for headaches
Lavender
Lemon balm - a great carrier tea, great with chamomile, very nourishing and comforting, and tastes amazing!
Feverfew - Grow in your home herb garden and eat 2-3 leaves daily. Purchase strictly medicinal feverfew seeds.To be highly effective in migraine prevention…use for at least 3 months.
California poppy
Herbs for slight depression: dropper full or 2, 3-4 times a day
Lemon balm
St johns wart
Hawthorne
Migraine Relief Tea (“part” can mean anything… tsp, Tablespoon, cup). Make ahead of time and have on the ready!)
4 parts chamomile flowers
3 parts lemon balm
2 parts feverfew
1 part skullcap
1 part passion flower
1/4 part ginger root
Add ginger to EVERYTHING
Foot soaks (yes, let your feet soak in this stuff):
Ginger (great internal AND external!)
Oats (grind it first for easier cleanup), SUPER soothing, my mom would give us a hot oat bath anytime we had itchy or dry skin)
Essential Oil blends: with some coconut oil as a base, or in a diffuser, add a few drops of
lavender….
Tincture/Extract: Use a blender to grind down the freshly dried herbs. Place in jar, and pour solvent over the herbs, to 2 in above. Rest in a warm, sunny place, shake daily for 2-6 weeks. Strain, and store liquid in dark, cool place. When symptoms appear, 1/2 tsp every 30 minutes to an hour until symptoms subside.
4 oz fresh herb, or 2 oz dried (1 oz = 1 cup)
(Consider all lavender, or 3:2 lemon balm and feverfew)
quart-sized glass jar
100 proof vodka or brandy, or vegetable glycerin
Once a migraine has started, it’s pretty hard to stop, but there are many stories that it can be lessened, especially if caught at the earliest signs. If they can, they find a way to slow things down, go into a dark/quiet space, taking some teas and whatever you can to prevent it from becoming its worst expression of itself. Sometimes the anxiety can be worse than the headache itself, and knowing you have some tools can, at the very least, can help you feel a little bit of something you can do to ease the situation.
Sometimes our bodies are screaming at us to SLOW DOWN. That is what seems to make the most sense to me. I’ve only had a couple migraines in my life, and they seemed to appear after a particularly stressful time. Others say it is random. Healers everywhere agree that we do not know the main causes, and that it manifests and feels different for everyone. Similar to other chronic diseases (cancer included), it is a manifestation of some underlying disfunction, and every person will achieve, and express, that differently. However, there are some semblances of a common thread, and there are some at home remedies that have survived many years to serve as tiny bits of hope when you feel one coming on, in your self, or in a loved one.
Compresses
A compress is a folded cloth soaked in hot or cold water, or herb tea.
The hot compress is also known as a “hot fomentation.” It is usually applied quite warm and may need to be removed from the hot water with tongs and folded while wearing gloves. An outer cloth, preferably wool, holds in the heat of the compress. A hot water bottle or heating pad retains heat even longer.
The heat relaxes tight muscles, draws blood to the surface of the skin, increases circulation in that area, and opens up congestion. It works similarly to a liniment and, in fact, the two are sometimes used together for increased warmth.
Heat works like the drawing poultice to pull impurities to the skin’s surface and draw boils.
The cold compress is dipped into very cold, even iced, water. Another cloth helps to keep in the cold. Even more efficient is an ice bag. The cold initially constricts the blood flow and circulation of the area. It can soothe discomforts resulting from too much heat, such as burns, inflammation, bruises and pulsations (from a headache, for instance). Once removed, circulation is quickly restored as the body tries to warm the area.
Compresses are combined with water therapy treatments where they’re used alternately on the same place or at the same time on different parts of the body to increase circulation.
One of my favorite headache treatments is a warm compress at the base of the neck with a hot one over the forehead or eyes, depending on the source of discomfort. This can easily be done with a couple of wash cloths.
Compresses are sometimes made with oil, usually for problems of elimination. The oil soaked cloth is placed over the kidneys, intestine, liver or lungs to assist that organ. It is covered with an oil cloth or heavy piece of plastic, then a hot water bottle is placed over that to keep it warm. Obviously, you have to lie down for this one- the suggested time being one hour.
Afterwards, the skin is rinsed off with a vinegar or baking soda solution.
Castor oil packs are by far the most commonly used. Small castor oil compresses are used to remove warts and corns. A piece of cotton is soaked in the oil then fastened in place with an adhesive strip. (The caustic white latex of dandelion and fig are also used for warts. So are the skin softeners, wintergreen and willow.)
To make an herbal compress,
soak the cloth in a triple-strength herbal tea (made with a tablespoon of herb instead of a teaspoon per cup).
A simple herbal compress for small areas just uses the tea bags out of your tea cup.
Black tea is particularly astringent and soothing to the eyes, and relax for a few minutes. This is a great “coffee break” treatment for tired eyes at work.
Raw cabbage or potato compresses are used for sties.
A milk compress has been used for ages on sore eyes and burns. Burned areas are best treated if the milk is first chilled with ice.
Herbal ice cubes folded in several layers of cloth also provide a cold compress for burns and bruises. Make a strong (3 teaspoons herbs to a cup of water instead of the usual 1 teaspoon) herb tea and freeze it in an ice tray. If the herbal ice cubes are never needed for first aid, use them for instant ice tea drinks by dropping a couple in a glass of water.
Apple cider vinegar is still another thing compresses may be soaked in. Use it for stings, hives, bruises, funguses and on the forehead to soothe headaches. The vinegar can be an herbal one prepared in advance by letting herbs soak in it for a few weeks. There are many traditional compress/ poultice headache remedies, including bay leaves pressed on the forehead, soaked cedar leaves bound in place, as well as elder, watercress or mint placed on the forehead.
Headache remedies
There are many traditional compress/ poultice headache remedies, including bay leaves pressed on the forehead, soaked cedar leaves bound in place, as well as elder, watercress or mint placed on the forehead.
One of my favorite headache treatments is a warm compress at the base of the neck with a hot one over the forehead or eyes, depending on the source of discomfort.
