If you have never suffered from the excruciating pain of a migraine, then you simply cannot understand. Sometimes a migraine begins differently, but it always results in the same agonizing anguish. Every second of every minute of every hour seems to last an entire lifetime. You cannot walk. You cannot think. You cannot even breathe! And migraines are a very common ailment for people all over the world. In 2003, the World Health Organization estimated that more than 300 million people worldwide endure the agony of migraines. No, that is not a typo… more than three hundred MILLION humans cope with the misery of migraines. So, if you are one of these 300 million people, where can you find an effective and safe migraine headache remedy?
Should I Take Pain-Relief Pills For Migraine Headache Relief?
Big Pharma offers a wide variety of painkillers and medications for the treatment of migraine headaches (both prescription and over-the-counter). However, educate yourself before making a decision; painkillers are often accompanied by severe complications.
For one thing, many medications cause dangerous side effects in patients. In fact, it is not uncommon for the side effects to be worse than the original ailment! Physicians prescribe potent painkillers for most migraine sufferers, but patients frequently report that these pills cause them to feel mentally cloudy. They describe a disoriented sense of stumbling through their lives in a daze.
Even worse, painkillers don’t really treat the migraines themselves; they merely mask the pain (sometimes, anyway!). Therefore, you are dependent upon them for the rest of your life.
Synthetic drugs can also cause rebound headaches. Patients who take strong pain-relief medicine more than ten days per month or more than twice per week are at risk of entrapping themselves in a rebound cycle. When the first dosage wears off, the pain of the migraine returns (since painkillers conceal rather than treat the affliction). The recurrence of pain causes the person to ingest more of the drug. After awhile, the pills no longer lessen the pain; in fact, at this point, the medication may actually start causing more migraines!
So Which Migraine Remedies Are Truly Effective?
There are many simple, natural things you can do if you are seeking migraine headache relief.
#1: Darkness
When you first feel the onset of a migraine, seek the comfort of the darkest, quietest room and lay down as soon as possible. This will help prevent more triggers from worsening your migraine. Gently cover your eyes with a handkerchief or scarf, but keep your eyelids open. (If you shut your eyes, you may unconsciously shut them tightly against the pain, which will cause you to inadvertently clench the muscles in your face and jaw; such tension will only increase your headache.)
#2: Aromatherapy
Lavender oil has long been celebrated for its healing qualities — especially for headaches. It is all-natural and very inexpensive. Lavender-scented fragrances and lotions are worthless as migraine remedies, so be sure to purchase only pure lavender oil.
When you feel an oncoming migraine, put one drop of lavender oil behind each ear or on each temple. Then sprinkle a few drops on the pillow you will rest your head upon. The scent of the lavender oil will immediately soothe you and diminish your pain.
#3: Deep Breathing
Many chronic ”migraineurs” experience an anxiety attack when a migraine first begins. You become so afraid of the impending agony that your heart rate and blood pressure increase. The increase in blood flow only makes your headache worse.
In your dark refuge, take long, deep breaths. Be sure to slowly exhale, too. Focus on the sensation of the air filling and then leaving your lungs. After repeating this process for awhile, your breathing will be much calmer. Your pulse rate will lower back to normal, and your blood pressure will not further aggravate your migraine. You may even become drowsy…. and we all know that the very best migraine headache remedy is sleep!
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