If you suffer from migraines, you most likely be rolling your eyes over this claim – how to stop a migraine attack, what a joke!
Not a joke, as a sufferer of migraines, for almost two decades, I have found some tips and tricks on how to stop a migraine! It is quite possible if you take certain considerations, migraine becomes manageable.
At this point, I am assuming you have been wise and have discussed your condition with your healthcare provider. You always do right by this beloved condition and have medicines to combat the instant attack. But what happens when you don’t have medicine instantly available, and you can feel the halo or pulse in the temples – how to stop a migraine without medicines that always work?
Table of Contents
6 Easy Ways | How to Stop A Migraine
Magnesium
Some studies indicate that inadequate levels of magnesium in diet can lead to frequent migraine episodes. While you are introducing the supplement into your routine, when the migraine hits with its chock-full sway, taking magnesium supplements may ease the symptoms.
The potential in magnesium is evident from recent interest in several studies related to migraines. With blood work and advice from a doctor, you can begin taking magnesium supplements in monitored quantities. So here is the answer to your question, how to stop a migraine attack – take magnesium!
Cold Compress
This is another tried and tested hack for how to stop a migraine. When you don’t have migraine medicines accessible, you can try the good old bag of peas or cold compress.
The veins around your neck and head are under duress when the migraine attacks begin. A cold compress can often have a soothing effect when placed around the temple, head, and neck area.
Sometimes, you can stop the migraine attack altogether with this hack. So don’t shrug off this idea entirely; it may sometimes work when there is nothing else available.
Fresh Air Or Air Conditioning
Exactly like it sounds, there is room for learning and understanding what works for you. Oftentimes, when you are in a close air-conditioned space, and you feel the first signs of the trigger, it is time for you to walk out in fresh air.
But be cautioned, if it is sunny outside, the bright light can make matters worse. Use sunglasses and a hat when stepping out, and try to stay under the shade.
In the alternate scenario, going from outdoors to an air-conditioned and dark room can have a cooling and calming effect on the nerves. You may wonder, how to stop a migraine from consuming your day, well change of air!
Aromatherapy
Peppermint, Eucalyptus, and lavender are great natural remedies to relieve some migraine symptoms. It is not possible to take your diffuser around. But then you can carry the roll-on stick or balms with you. You can take a drop or two in cold water, dip the washcloth, and apply the readily made compress on your temples and head.
The aromas have a significant effect on the building triggers of the migraine. And they are best to stop a migraine when you don’t have medicines available.
When you are out and about, you can simply rub some of these essential oils on the temple. But be careful, do not irritate the skin with excessive application.
Hydrate Like Your Life Depends on It
I cannot emphasize it enough, water is essential!
Water does wonders for your body. When you are dehydrated, the brain tissue shrinks and pulls slightly away from the skull. The shift may be the slightest possible, but it causes a big impact on pressuring the nerve.
Drinking water instantly will be a great help. There have been instances where patients have seen a difference when they drink electrolyte-infused drinks. But that doesn’t work for everyone, and mostly these drinks contain a lot of sugar.
Migraine Devices
You can also look into the FDA-approved wearable devices. These migraine devices desensitize the nerve by using a very mild current, which then stimulates the nerves.
There are several non-prescription options, such as Relivion, Cefaly, Nerivio, and Gammacore. The great things about these devices are they are too small to carry everywhere, and most of the time, they can tackle every sign of pain and throbbing without taking medicine.
Migraine and Lifestyle
Migraine makes one’s life miserable. You may have tackled the wave of pain today we the above-mentioned interventions, but this is not the complete picture. The pain will come back again tomorrow or within a week.
The main goal is to identify the signs that trigger the pain. For the most part, you must make significant lifestyle changes that would have a great impact on your overall health.
Firstly, you need to get some blood work done. There is an undeniable link between migraine and Vitamin D deficiency. Similarly, when you have identified other deficiencies, you must work on them as a priority.
Introduce some form of exercise and physical activity in your routine. It can be yoga, hiking, or even gardening. The grounding energy that you get from nature brings an overall impact on your health.
No one can deny the importance of being bare feet on grass and its varied effects on both physical and mental benefits.
After the whole day, practice unplugging from all devices, and dim the lights around the house. It will help you create a downtime environment. Exposure to screens (mobile, tablet, PC & laptop) hamper the production of melatonin, keeping your brain in overdrive.
As a result, you aren’t close to feeling sleepy. It is important to get your NREM to REM sleep for the body to release all toxins and wake up rejuvenated.
Parting Thoughts
The human body is made in a way; it heals itself from the day during sleep (if you sleep early). For years we have deprived the human body of this miraculous process by introducing unhealthy habits like late-night bingeing and snacking.
All these things sound super amazing, yet unpractical to implement overnight – not denying the happy feel of late-night bingeing!
What you can do is, make practical goals. Gradually focus on one element, such as working on health. Start eating healthy and work to fight all deficiencies. When you have achieved one hallmark, you can move on to another.
By the time clean eating and being healthy would have brought such a sound impact on your health, it would seem like the only right thing – second nature. Slowly yet gradually, introduce other elements to make these necessary lifestyle changes. Soon you will see the impact of your changed lifestyle and reduced frequency of migraines.
I hope this guide gave you some tools for how to stop a migraine when you have limited resources. Save this blog, for later use, and share it with friends who can do with the ideas of how to stop a migraine attack when you aren’t ready for it!