What are some good home remedies for migraines? I had a migraine for 2 days (now a dull headache) that made me very sick. I don't like taking meds (if I can help it)

Any ideas (besides cutting off my head)

A wet towel in the microwave, just hot enough that you can stand. Wrap it around your head. Leave it on for as long as you can stand it. A hot towel on the back of the neck works for me. Hope this helps.

thanks....I will try that. I got a eucalyptus bath stuff that is supposed to help you relax too.

The doctor also let me know that drinking plenty of water helps. Stay away from sport drinks.

I have found that cold to be good.You can take a ice pack,or better yet.Take a bag of frozen peas and put on the back of your neck!Then refreeze for the next time.Just mark the bag so noone cooks it.Works wonderfull.
Good luck.

In regards to migraines,
first let me take some time and clue you in to the dynamics of a migraine.

A migraine is a type of headache pain known as psychogenic pain.Psychogenic means that it is not caused by any known organic reason.It's not pain because of injury.It's not pain because of any organic reason. It comes and it goes and it's incredibly painful. It brings with it nausea,flashing lights,and a complete shutting down of ones ability to cope with life.
Anyone who's ever had a migraine knows that this is true.

Let me take a moment to explain to you the mechanisms and let me give you what triggers these horribly painful things.

Let's take a close look at what the medical community uses to treat migraines,IMITREX

I will give you the mechanisms of the drug IMITREX.

There are two parts to migraines. First, there is a reduction in the secretion of serotonin,and second there is an increase in the secretion of histamine, this is triggered by(guilt,resulting from conflict in your life in conjunction with fear.)

Let me explain, it's not the conflict itself that you're having that triggers the migraine,it's the conflict that you have with yourself that triggers the migraine,either real or imagined.

example: You may have guilt because you think you spent to much money and you got in a little argument with your husband/boyfriend//it's just an example, over how much you spent.That argument about that little infringement in finances is not what causes the migraine.It's the guilt you have with yourself that produces the migraine.

Migraines are triggered in people who have conflict with themselves about conflict in life or conflict with others, its always rooted in guilt, out of guilt comes fear and it's always in that order. It's guilt first then fear.

Here is how it works in your body,
As you enter into guilt over some issue, the hypothalamus gland senses that you are in conflict with yourself, a mechanism of self hatred sets in causing the pineal gland to slow down the secretion level of
serotonin , this causes a lowered level of serotonin.
Keep in mind this conflict developed in the realm of the soul and the spirit and fear now starts to move. Anxiety concerning the issue starts,and histamine begins to be over-secreted in the cranial region.

Serotonin is a vasoconstrictor, when your serotonin levels are normal, they maintain the diameter of your blood vessels just the way God intended, and they carry your blood supply into each region of your body.

Histamine is a vasodilator,as the serotonin is decreased the histamine is increased, you have dilation of the blood vessels. A swelling of the blood vessels puts pressure on sensitive nerves,and that is what produces the migraine.

IMATREX is a compound drug that is designed to be an antihistamine and a serotonin enhancer, Serotonin and histamine are antagonistic to each other in that they are in opposition to each other in body functions. They repel each other, they don't coexist together. when serotonin levels are reduced because of guilt, then histamine levels are increased because of the fear. Histamine and serotonin are incompatible with each other in the human body. What happens when the drug IMATREX is this, first histamine is reduced and then serotonin is enhanced. Vasodialation reduces, and vasoconstriction is broken, the blood vessels return to normal, and the migraine is over. Thats the mechanism behind migraines, and this is the mechanism of IMATREX drug therapy.

Deal with any guilt over anything only you know what it is either real or imagined and get rid of any fear in your life. Take your life back, you are worth it.Stop migraines by cutting off what triggers them.

Kim, I'm so sorry to hear you get those. I do, too. Started when my Lupus started about 6 years ago and the headaches and nausea are the worst part. I'm afraid I don't have any home remedies, but I did want to offer my sympathies.

Feverfew!

Actually there are 5-6 different types of migraines, affecting
different parts of the head, face, and neck, and have varying
symptoms to varying degrees. Some are from tension, some can be
brought on by sharp, loud, or consistent noises, bright lights, etc.
and some can be aggravated and frequently crop up by injuries.

Cold-ice packs or veggies-as mentioned before helps me also, lying
down, meditation, darkness, meds, body massage...seriously, it calms
you down and relaxes you.


I used to have them REALLY bad...vomiting, dizziness, nosebleeds,
going blind in my right eye, periods of confusion to blackouts-
sometimes for several hours at a time, anywhere from a couple days
to two weeks or so. Two of my three kids also have them.


I hope you feel better.

Good info. When did yours stop and do you know why?

Actually they haven't stopped, but they aren't anywhere near as bad
or frequent. I still get "little" ones that are nasty enough, and
occasionally a really bad one, but I've had them for a little over
20 years, so I can pretty well know when one is starting which type
it is, and what I need to do to keep it as minimal as possible. I do
know one reason that they lessened though. I was diagnosed with a
type of leukematic blood condition back in 2000, part of it was that
it aggravated my anemia by depleting my blood of iron, then just
evaporating my blood altogether. So I was having to go for iron
infusions and blood tranfusions every 6-8 weeks, and they said I
was bleeding internally somewhere, but they never did find out
where. Over the last couple years it's gotten a little better, then
two years ago I had a type of internal ablasion done, and since then
almost all "other" things have either stopped or drastically
diminished, including the migraines. Recently it was discovered that
the top of my spine is messed up due to a couple old car accidents,
and he said even though it's going to take about a year to
completely fix, they should be almost non-existent when it's all
done. They will never completely go away, as they are also
hereditary, but I'll take what I can get, lol.

Oh, and I forgot to list in the above post-yes, water also helps. Also a little trick my old chiropractor showed me...slightly tilt
your head forward and put your hands sideways on the back of the
neck about 3 inches apart with your fingers pointing down and thumb
out with gently pressure. You can do this in reps of around 15-29
seconds at a time...sometimes it helps, sometimes not so much, but
ya never know. Another thing for the nausea is to put pressure on your wrists on the pressure point.

Hot tea. Sip slowely instead of drinking as you normally would. Close off all light if possible & lay down in total darkness. Don't even roll over in bed if you can help it. Staying in one position seems to help. My Dr put me on depo-provera to help with the migraines. The shots nearly stopped them. I'm no longer on the depo & they are back full force. I've tried this remedy & it really did help. Haven't used it in awhile but, probably will go back to it. I just purchased the three herbs seperately instead of buying the actual migralief.

http://www.migrelief.com/tag/herbal-migraine-remedy

I know it sounds weird, but try wearing a tight hat. It relieves the pressure a bit.

Migraines are horrible!! The only thing that ever helped me was going to bed in a very dark quiet room.
After I was diagnosed with hypertension and was put on blood pressure pills my migraines reduced dramatically. Have you had your BP checked lately?

This is really crazy too ,but once I start too feel better I crave ginger ale and potato chips.
I know that's sounds weird but for some reason it helps.

My mom had these bad migraines because she had long thick hair that was heavy.

Going on day 4 with my headache now.

Awww Ruth
That's horrible I'm sorry. Are you staying home?

Thanks, Row.
I went home after 3 hours of work yesterday and upt did help to sleep. I had to come into today.

Gotta do what ya gotta do.

Caffeine and aspirin seemed to work for the some of the people I knew. They would eat chocolate ( you know any excuse will do) and drop a couple of generic aspirin when it first starts to knock it out before it got bad.

I think they were not heavy coffee drinkers either.

When I had them when I was young nothing worked for me. Just time and a dark room with no noise.

They suck big time.

Im sorry your having troubles with migranes. I use to get them really bad for days at a time and nothing ever helped. I finally went to a dr after having one for almost a month straight and I found out I was severely anemic and thats what was causing them.
Good luck