Medicines and folk recipes - how to relieve migraine pain?

A fairly common chronic vascular disease, more often affecting the female half of the population, is called migraine or hemicrania. The disorder manifests itself as severe, unbearable headaches on one, and occasionally on both, sides of the head. At the same time, no obvious causes of the disease (tumors, head injuries, stroke) are observed. Migraine attacks are associated with surges in blood pressure, glaucoma, and high intracranial pressure. To get rid of discomfort, medications and folk remedies for migraines are used.

Causes

Attacks of hemicrania in adults can occur due to:

• Hereditary predisposition.
• Nervous, mental or physical stress.
• Sudden changes in weather conditions.
• Hormonal dysfunction.
• Smoking and drinking alcohol (red wine is a strong migraine provocateur).
• Overheating.
• Lack of sleep.
• Strict diets.
• Hypersensitivity to products containing tyramine. This is a natural substance with a vasoconstrictor effect.

Undesirable foods include peanuts, cocoa, hard cheeses, marinades, and fish. If the cause of the attacks lies in poor diet, then by limiting the consumption of such food, you can forget about migraines or significantly reduce its manifestations.

The risk group includes emotional people and employees in responsible positions. They are the most exposed to stress. Also, women during periods of hormonal changes (pregnancy, puberty, menopause, the first days of menstruation) often experience headaches. Attacks are characterized by intensity and duration.

Features and development of the disease

Migraine is classified as a neurological disease. A characteristic symptom is an acute headache and, as a rule, it appears once every few weeks. The following accompanying symptoms are also possible:

• nausea;
• vomit;
• increased sensitivity to light.

The reasons for the development of this disease include:

• strict and long-term diet;
• stress;
• insomnia;
• great physical activity;
• climate change;
• changes in hormonal levels;
• drinking alcohol.

As we can see, alcohol intake is identified as one of the factors provoking migraines. Let's look at this issue in detail.

INTERESTING fact: How long after laparoscopy can you drink alcohol?

Symptoms and types

Migraine attacks have pronounced symptoms and their treatment depends on the intensity of the manifestation. Basically, pain in the head (the main symptom of the disorder) occurs gradually. Then it grows and intensifies. The patient experiences:

• Nausea, vomiting.
• Head spinning.
• Lethargy, drowsiness.
• Irritability.
• Light and noise sensitivity.
• Chills.

Experts distinguish 2 types of migraine:

1. Simple , occurring in the area of ​​the eye sockets, temples, crown. A pulsating vein is visible on the affected side, the face turns pale, it is difficult to move the eyeballs, and there is double vision. There is dizziness, noise in the ears, nausea, and vomiting may occur.
2. Classic , affecting about 10% of patients who sought medical help. Accompanied by blurred vision, photophobia, and deterioration of visual acuity. Rarely do they note its complete loss. The pain intensifies with loud sounds, bright light, and strong odors.

Treatment with folk remedies helps along with medications, but with strong and frequent manifestations of the disorder, you should consult a doctor. He will recommend an anesthetic drug and recommend effective methods of alternative treatment. For example, he will tell you what herbs to use, help you improve your diet, and adjust your work and rest schedule.

What is migraine?

Migraine is an intense, prolonged, paroxysmal, unilateral headache with autonomic disorders and transient neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms. Migraine can deprive a person of sleep and destroy his career and personal life. Cephalgia is difficult to relieve with medications. The essence of the pathology is a stressful effect on vessels of unknown origin with expansion or narrowing of their lumen. Migraine is the most common reason for patients to visit a doctor and the second most common headache in the world (after tension headache). The onset of the disease occurs between the ages of 12 and 22 years.

Traditional methods

Non-traditional methods of treating migraine attacks help if provoking factors (nicotine, alcohol, unbalanced diet) are excluded. If the pain syndrome appears suddenly, you need to go to a separate room, open the window, take a horizontal position and put a scarf or towel soaked in cool water on your forehead.

It is known that migraine attacks are easier to prevent than to stop in the midst of pain. Traditional healers advise strengthening your health in the morning:

• Drink a cup of freshly brewed ground coffee. Caffeine is an excellent remedy in the fight against migraines.
• Green tea with the addition of lemon, honey or sugar is considered an excellent remedy for relieving attacks of headaches.
• Lovers of regular tea are recommended to replace it with a decoction of dogwood berries.
• On an empty stomach, it is advisable to drink a glass of whey and eat a fresh apple sprinkled with salt.
• Drink a quarter glass of blackcurrant juice or fresh viburnum juice three times a day.
• Juice from fresh carrots, spinach, potatoes, and cucumber prevents attacks.
• To prevent attacks, traditional healers recommend sleeping in wet socks at least 7 times a month. The socks are soaked in cold water and wrung out. Dry warm socks are worn on top.

Head pain cannot be tolerated. How to treat migraine, which method to choose does not matter, it is important to get results. The disorder requires an individual approach. If one cup of tea with a slice of lemon is enough for one patient, then another needs to take drastic measures: lie down, take an analgesic, hang his head down.

How to prevent an attack?

Obviously, preventing a disease is easier than treating it. This fully applies to migraines. The main thing in preventing an attack is to learn to recognize the individual provocateurs of cephalalgia and eliminate them. The most common ways to prevent a migraine attack are:

• limiting coffee consumption: three cups of coffee a day easily provokes cephalalgia due to the narrowing of blood vessels around the brain, so instead of coffee you can eat chocolate, increase pleasure hormones by any available means;
• a balanced drinking diet (40 ml of water per 1 kg of weight daily);
• eating regularly to maintain stable blood glucose levels;
• consumption of ginger, which blocks prostaglandins – mediators of inflammation;
• taking vitamins, especially group B and PP;
• saturating the body with magnesium to improve blood flow to the brain by taking tomatoes, leafy vegetables, whole grain bread, potatoes, beans.

But if it was not possible to prevent a migraine attack, seek the advice of a doctor so that he can select an individual drug treatment regimen for you.

Quick pain relief

There are many effective ways to quickly stop a migraine attack. If the cause is a sharp jump in blood pressure, it is recommended to make eggnog from 2 proteins and drink the cocktail in one gulp.

You can find small depressions on the edges of the jaw and massage them for several minutes. The pain then goes away.

Other folk remedies for migraines with quick action:

• An onion, cut in half, is applied to the temples and secured with a bandage. The painful sensations gradually go away. If there are no onions or their smell is unpleasant and disgusting, you can use fresh cabbage leaves. Before applying to the forehead, they need to be thoroughly mashed or finely cut so that the juice comes out. The green leaves of lilac are an excellent substitute for cabbage.
• Vapors of ammonia or camphor alcohol quickly relieve discomfort.
• If the pain increases, you can drink a fresh egg (preferably homemade) with a cup of hot milk.
• Gauze swabs are dipped in freshly squeezed beet or onion juice and inserted into the ears.

At the first symptoms of pain, use fast-acting homemade ointments. The most popular according to reviews is lilac ointment. To make it you will need pork lard (melted internal fat) and young lilac buds (they are stocked up in the spring and then stored in the freezer).

The kidneys are passed through a meat grinder and the juice is squeezed out of them. Add lard to the resulting mixture (4 tablespoons of fat per spoon of juice). Mix thoroughly and place in a glass container with a screw-on lid. Store in the refrigerator on the top shelf. As soon as a migraine attack begins, the prepared ointment is applied to the temples and forehead. It is advisable to use this product at home, as it leaves greasy marks and has a characteristic odor.

Preventive actions

To prevent attacks, in addition to lifestyle changes and treatment of concomitant diseases, a certain group of medications is often prescribed to reduce the frequency and intensity of attacks. These include:

1. antidepressants (from over-the-counter drugs - valerian, persen; from prescription drugs, used only after consultation with a doctor - velafax, Ixel, Cymbalta);
2. antispasmodics – no-spa;
3. drugs that prevent blood clotting (aspirin);
4. beta-blockers – propranolol;
5. anticonvulsants – depakine, apilepsin, topamax.

In addition, the patient may be prescribed vitamins, soothing teas (mint, lemon balm, valerian), physiotherapy and an annual massage course.

Migraine pain cannot be tolerated. If they are not relieved by painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, you need to see a doctor, get tested and be sure to do an ultrasound or MRI. Do not forget that migraine can serve as a precursor to serious diseases, which need to be treated at an early stage.

Water treatments

Warm baths and compresses are great for migraines. The soreness goes away if you put your head under a tap with warm water and massage the skin with light circular movements. Particular attention should be paid to the places where the headache hurts the most.

• Bath with mustard powder for feet and hands. A handful of mustard powder is diluted in a glass of hot water (not boiling water). The resulting mixture is added to a bucket of warm water. Legs and hands are lowered into it and held until redness appears on the skin. After the procedure, the body is washed with warm, clean water.
• Mustard seeds and sage leaves 3:2 are poured with cold water and left for at least half an hour. The infusion is filtered and added to baths (or used as a base for compresses and lotions).
• If part of the head turns red during a migraine, place the feet in heated water, and place a handkerchief soaked in cold water on the forehead. If the face has turned pale, then do the opposite: put your feet in cool water, and put a warm compress on your face.

Washing the abdominal area is a method that causes mistrust. But, according to patients, after 2-3 days of treatment, migraine does not return. Add 1 large spoon of salt or vinegar to a liter of water. Moisten the stomach with this solution and, without wiping, wait until the body dries. Such procedures are repeated 3-4 times a day.

Raw food diet for migraines and headaches

You don't need to be a completely raw foodist to get rid of migraines. But this diet is currently my most fail-safe method. Although I continue to experiment and perhaps clarifications of terms will appear here soon.

I use a raw food diet only once a month for 5-8 days. And this allowed me to “be on my feet” for the entire last year. This is a very serious achievement for migraines (those who know will understand).

How do I choose a start date for a raw food diet? Since my migraines over time became associated only with critical days, I start a raw food diet exactly on the 20th day of the cycle (about a week before the first day) and probably manage to cleanse the body of some toxins right before the beginning of these difficult days. Boys can choose this day however they want.

About the theory of raw food diet for those who are especially meticulous. I am quite familiar with the theory and practice of this type of nutrition for more than 10 years (I worked with hundreds of people who were prescribed a raw food diet, sometimes as the only method of treatment). I am even the co-author of a book on this topic.

But I will write only one thing about theory here: to get rid of migraines, you don’t need any theories, thoughts about proteins, calorie counts, etc. When you have a migraine, you generally need to think as little as possible - this also helps. Any theory is true and false at the same time and only gives rise to controversy.

I just want to live life to the fullest and spend time on more pleasant things.

What is a raw food diet - what do I eat?

Only raw fruits and vegetables. Any. The best option is to eat it whole or cut it into large pieces and eat 1-2 types of vegetables or fruits at one time (but do not press them into “cakes”, etc.).

Freshly squeezed juices and smoothies* - you can have as many of them as you like.

*Smoothies are, for example, a banana with berries or freshly squeezed orange juice, mixed in a blender, etc., frozen bananas in a blender - you get excellent ice cream.

You can have boiling water with lemon and even a little hot tea if you really want it.

You can water the vegetables with vegetable oil or even sour cream (if you really want to).

What is completely forbidden: salt, sugar and no sweeteners or flavor enhancers.

Instead of salt, you can use lemon juice with some vegetables (for example, coleslaw).

You can’t go to raw food restaurants - the food there is very heavy, it’s better to be patient and eat the steak when your diet is over.

You cannot mix vegetables and fruits.

Almost impossible: Nuts. It's better not to eat them at all.

Overweight or “hot” people shouldn’t get carried away with honey and shouldn’t drink milk, but I drink milk during a raw food diet, mixing it with boiling water when it’s cold and I want to warm up (for cold people you can even add black peppercorns, for example).

In general, you can introduce it into your diet and see how your personal migraine reacts to it.

Thin and cold people should not overeat with dried fruits. As a last resort, you can try soaking them.

After a raw food diet, it is better to minimize bread and flour. Alas! But the bread somehow severely pollutes our bodies. Even meat does this less severely, although it ages the body faster.

Important: a raw food diet without yoga is money down the drain. It is imperative to stretch and strengthen your neck and back, then the raw food diet will be easier to tolerate and the effect will be more likely.

Herbs

To treat migraine with folk remedies, decoctions and infusions of various herbs are widely used.

• Brew a large spoonful of meadow clover with a glass of boiling water and leave for at least an hour. Then filter and drink half a glass three times a day.
• Dilute 2-3 large spoons of lemon balm in a glass of boiling water and drink it like tea.
• Pour a spoonful of valerian root into a glass of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes. Leave for at least 3 hours. Drink a dessert spoon three times a day.
• A small spoon of dill seeds is brewed with boiling water and left for 2-3 hours. Drink in small sips throughout the day.
• Add a large spoonful of mint to a glass of boiling water (you can take several fresh bushes) and wait 2-3 hours until the color and aroma become saturated. Drink half a glass on an empty stomach.
• Dry rosemary is poured with boiling water. After cooling, drink the infusion immediately. It is advisable to take it on an empty stomach every day, brewing a new portion.

Treatment with herbs is a long process that requires the supervision of the attending physician, since the course must be interrupted, giving the body rest. If necessary, herbal medicine is resumed. The minimum break between courses is one to two weeks.

Hemicrania: treatment with traditional medicine recipes

Despite their effectiveness, pharmaceutical drugs have many prohibitions on their use; at the initial stage, folk remedies for headaches and migraines will help eliminate pathological symptoms without side effects.

Unconventional recipes for oral administration

Migraines can occur unexpectedly and cause a lot of trouble for the patient. Safe and effective remedies will help you cope with an attack of hemicrania:

1. Chatterbox. Mix a chicken egg with a glass of warmed milk, then drink immediately.
2. Juice from fresh potatoes. For migraines, 50 ml of liquid is enough.
3. Turpentine. Use 2 times/day: 5 drops per lump of sugar. Turpentine normalizes blood pressure and restores blood circulation.
4. Water with soda: 0.5 teaspoon per 250 ml of warm boiled water. On the 1st day, take 1 glass (before lunch). Secondly, before lunch and dinner. And so you need to reach 7 glasses/day. Then the dosage is gradually reduced.
5. Oregano for migraines. For 0.5 liters of boiling water, 2 tbsp. dry grass. Bring to a boil, leave for 30 minutes, filter, take the decoction as simple tea, 250 ml every 4 hours. You can add a little honey. Treatment for migraine attacks is indicated for 8 weeks.
6. Clover decoction. At the station a spoonful of dry herbs - a glass of boiling water. Close the lid and leave for an hour. Filter, take ½ glass 3 times a day.
7. A decoction of dogwood berries is an effective folk remedy for migraines.
8. Elder flowers (dried). Pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for about an hour, strain. During migraine attacks, take 150 ml 2 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
9. Collection of herbs. Mix fireweed, oregano, and peppermint in equal proportions. Art. l. pour a glass of hot water over the herbal mixture, cover and leave for about an hour. For migraine attacks, take ½ glass.
10. Fresh currant juice. Drink ¼ glass 3 times/day. Viburnum juice is often used to treat migraines.
11. Valerian (root). Grind well, pour in a liter of boiling water. Boil for half an hour. Leave for 60 minutes, strain, take according to Art. spoon 3 times/day.
12. Chamomile decoction has a calming and analgesic effect. Art. 250 ml spoon, infuse, strain, drink instead of tea.

Folk recipes against migraines are based on the knowledge and experience of healers. Various herbs and natural ingredients are used to prepare them. The main condition is to strictly follow the recipe and not exceed the dosage of ingredients when preparing decoctions and tinctures for oral administration.

External remedies - medicinal baths, compresses or lotions

If unconventional methods of control fail to reduce the intensity of a migraine attack, you should consult a doctor. Based on the diagnostic results, pharmaceutical medications will be prescribed.

Folk remedies for the treatment of hemicrania for external use:

1. Lilac or cabbage leaves. Knead well, apply to the forehead, secure with a bandage, and leave for half an hour.
2. Bulb onions. Cut the vegetable into several parts and apply to your temples. Secure with a bandage, remove the compress after 45 minutes.
3. Mix ammonia and camphor in equal proportions, and breathe in the fumes during an attack.
4. For migraines, take a hot foot bath in which the water is gradually brought to elevated temperatures. You can add juniper, rosemary, chamomile or lavender oil. This recipe should not be used by patients suffering from heart pathologies or hypertensive patients.
5. Oregano. For a compress, brew the dried herb and leave until it cools. Soak gauze in the infusion and apply to the temple area.
6. Onion juice. Soak cotton swabs. Squeeze a little and place in ears. Keep it until the unbearable discomfort disappears.
7. Peppermint oil 1 drop on the temples, wings of the nose. Rub in until completely absorbed. The migraine subsides in a short time.
8. A cold compress with mustard will help get rid of the painful syndrome. 3 parts mustard seeds, 2 sage leaves. But 0.5 liters of water 3 tbsp. collection spoons. Leave for 15 minutes, use during migraine attacks for compresses or preparing a bath.
9. Dry mustard. Dilute the ingredient in hot water (50 degrees), stir until a homogeneous consistency is formed. Pour the pulp into a bowl of hot water, lower your hands and feet. Steam until the skin turns red.
10. Lemon pulp will help eliminate the painful manifestations of migraines. Remove the peel and pass through a meat grinder. Apply the resulting pulp to the forehead and temples. Secure with a gauze bandage. Keep the compress for about an hour, there may be a slight burning sensation.
11. If you have good immunity, a cold compress will help cope with pain. Keep the wet towel for 20 minutes, being completely at rest. This is a safe, quick remedy that can be used by nursing and pregnant women, as well as patients for whom pharmaceutical drugs are contraindicated.
12. A bath for the lower extremities is an excellent remedy for migraines. The procedure is carried out for 15 minutes at the optimal temperature for the patient. As it cools, you need to add hot water.
13. Eucalyptus oil has unique healing properties. For ¼ liter of water – 10 drops of the product, mix well. Apply a compress for 30 minutes.
14. Yolks (egg) – 3 pieces, mix with saffron – 0.5 teaspoon or teaspoon of turmeric. Apply the prepared pulp to the problem area during migraine attacks.

Massage and breathing exercises

Many people prefer self-massage, which treats migraines and acts as an excellent method of prevention.

• Rub the scalp with your fingertips in a circular motion for several minutes. There is no need to press or rub too hard.
• The hair is divided into several partings. Each parting is carefully kneaded from bottom to top, in zigzags, in circles.
• Grabbing a thin strand of hair, pull it up until a slight pain appears. This goes over the entire part of the head.
• With open palms, slowly moving, they slide from the cheeks to the back of the head, neck, chin.
• Using your fingertips, press on the points of the line connecting the end of the ears and the outer edge of the eye.
• Squeeze your head on both sides with your palms and stay in this position for half a minute.
• Close your eyes and gently press on your eyelids with your fingers.
• You can use tea tree oil to soothe the pain. During the massage, they lubricate the temples and forehead, as well as the skin under the hair.

Relaxation and proper deep breathing will be an excellent way to get rid of pain. For 10 minutes you need to breathe through your nose, exhaling through your mouth. At the same time, close your eyes and keep your back straight.

Such exercises should be carried out daily, and at the first signs of hemicrania, massage the head until it disappears completely. Massage and gymnastics are recommended during pregnancy, since treatment of migraine with folk remedies is limited during this period only to such methods. You cannot drink herbal decoctions, take long baths, or limit yourself in food. A healthy lifestyle, giving up bad habits, long walks in the fresh air, swimming, and good sleep will help as prevention.