Home Remedies for Headache and Migraine Relief

Skipped meals or too many hours between them is a common migraine attack trigger. Low blood glucose caused by not eating can also cause a headache that is not part of a migraine attack.

While it’s true that planning healthy meals and snacks takes effort, as does making sure you eat them at regular intervals, the payoff of that effort is more energy and potentially fewer headaches or migraine attacks.

Since even mild to moderate dehydration can be a trigger for a migraine attack or headache, get in the habit of having water available to drink at all times, particularly during exercise.

For some people, particular foods or beverages can be triggers. According to Vince Martin, MD, a neurologist and the director of the University of Cincinnati Headache and Facial Pain Center, speaking at the 2021 Migraine World Summit, the three most common food triggers are MSG in liquid form (such as in a soup), too much or too little caffeine, and alcohol. A food diary can be a good way to identify food triggers.

The herb known as feverfew became popular as a migraine remedy in the 1980s when a landmark British study showed that more than 70 percent of participants had less migraine pain after taking feverfew daily. Since then, more studies have demonstrated feverfew’s benefit in preventing and treating migraine pain.

Other research has shown improvement in migraine pain among people who took feverfew daily in combination with white willow, an herbal remedy that contains properties similar to aspirin.

“Feverfew works best as a preventive medicine — it’s not as effective once you have [a migraine attack],” says Amy Rothenberg, ND, a naturopathic physician in private practice in Northampton, Massachusetts. “And white willow, often called nature’s aspirin, can be an effective tool for treating a migraine headache.”

Kriegler cautions that if people are allergic to aspirin or taking other NSAIDs, they shouldn’t use these supplements.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that your body needs but can’t produce on its own. They must therefore be consumed in the diet.

Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids include wild cold-water fish (such as salmon, cod, and tuna), flaxseed, walnuts, and eggs fortified with omega-3s.

Omega-3s are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-blood-clotting effects, which may make them protective against heart disease and stroke.

Consuming more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids may also have some benefit for people with migraine.

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids reduced the duration of migraine attacks by about three and a half hours, although it had no effect on the frequency or severity of attacks.

Another study also looked at the role of another essential fatty acid, omega-6, in chronic migraine and found that reducing omega-6 fats along with increasing omega-3 consumption led to more headache improvement than reducing omega-6s alone.

Omega-6 fatty acids are found in many processed foods that contain corn oil, as well as in flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, and pistachios. The typical American diet contains 10 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids, according to Harvard Health Publishing, and many experts believe that consuming about the same amount of both is healthier for humans.

Magnesium can be taken as a natural supplement to prevent migraine attacks, says Nada Hindiyeh, MD, a headache specialist and the director of headache neurology at the Metrodora Institute in West Valley City, Utah.

In one meta-analysis, oral magnesium was shown to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks. There was also evidence that intravenous magnesium could help reduce the severity of an acute migraine attack within 15 to 45 minutes, and, in fact, intravenous magnesium is often part of treatment for status migrainosus, a severe migraine lasting longer than 72 hours.

Many healthy foods provide magnesium, including bananas, flaxseeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, dark chocolate, and leafy greens such as spinach and Swiss chard.

RELATED: 9 Foods High in Magnesium

Acupressure is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and can improve tightness and tension in the neck and shoulder muscles, which can sometimes trigger or worsen a migraine attack or headache.

According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, acupressure helps relax muscles and improve blood flow. It’s performed by applying firm pressure to stimulate each pressure point. You can do acupressure to yourself or have someone else do it.

A few common pressure points for treating headache include:

• Gallbladder 20 (GB20), also called feng chi, is located by feeling the mastoid (ear) bone and following the groove back to where your neck muscles connect to the skull.
• Triple Energizer 3, or zhong zhu, is found in the groove formed by the tendons of the fourth and fifth fingers, behind the knuckles.

Do-it-yourself scalp massages may be an effective way to alleviate migraine pain.

For some people with migraines, scalp massage will offer relief from pain by helping reduce tension and promoting more robust circulation, says Dr. Rothenberg. “For others, the idea of being touched anywhere, especially the head, won’t be appealing and could make the pain worse. Like many aspects of natural, individualized medicine, nothing will work for everyone.”

Scalp massage is unlikely to be comfortable for people with allodynia, a fairly common symptom of migraine in which people are very sensitive to touch and other stimuli that aren’t typically painful. Allodynia can make even normal activities like brushing hair or resting your head on a pillow very painful.

Although both ice and heat can be used to relieve pain, most people with migraine prefer cold, according to the National Headache Foundation.

Cold packs can be placed on the forehead and temples or on the back of the neck if you prefer. It’s best to keep a cloth between your skin and an ice pack; if you use a commercial cold pack, make sure there are no leaks where chemicals could escape and potentially harm your eyes.

Evidence links low levels of vitamin B12 with migraine. One study compared vitamin B12 levels in 70 people with migraine and 70 healthy people of similar demographics. Investigators found that serum levels of B12 were significantly lower in people with migraine compared with participants without migraine. People with the lowest levels of the vitamin were 5 times more likely to have migraine than those with the highest levels of B12.

Researchers have also tested the effects of daily vitamin supplements containing folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 on migraine. Another study found that 1 milligram (mg) of folic acid in combination with vitamin B6 and B12 was less effective in reducing symptoms associated with migraine compared with a dose previously tested by the same researchers, namely 2 mg folic acid in combination with 25 mg of vitamin B6 and 400 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12.

Extracts from the leaves and roots of the butterbur plant have been used for the treatment of migraine.

One review of evidence on natural remedies concluded butterbur was effective in helping prevent migraine. The analysis included a trial in which the supplement reduced the frequency of migraine by 48 percent, compared with 26 percent in the control group.

On the basis of those studies, the American Headache Society, the Canadian Headache Society, and the American Academy of Neurology all recommended butterbur for use in preventing migraine.

The American Academy of Neurology later retracted its recommendation because of concerns about liver toxicity.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, butterbur products that contain chemicals called pyrrolizidine alkaloids may damage the liver, lungs, and blood circulation, and possibly cause cancer. Consumers should therefore consider using only products that are certified “PA-free.”

Butterbur is usually taken orally and, according to research, the recommended dose is between 50 and 150 mg. Since butterbur can interact with certain drugs, it’s advised that you talk with your doctor before taking it or any other herbal supplement.

While no strong evidence suggests that essential oils can reduce the frequency or severity of headaches or migraine attacks, some people find it relaxing to massage diluted lavender oil, peppermint oil, or basil oil on their temples, or to put a few drops in a diffuser to scent the air.

“Lavender can be calming, and anything that decreases stress is helpful,” says Kriegler.

While lavender oil can be either inhaled or applied topically, you should generally avoid ingesting essential oils like lavender because of their potency, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

As an alternative to peppermint oil, peppermint tea brewed from fresh or dried leaves can also provide a relaxing effect and contribute to proper hydration.

“Basil oil has a long history as a home remedy for relaxation and as an analgesic, or painkiller,” says Rothenberg. “The herb works as a muscle relaxant, so it is especially helpful for headaches caused by tension and tight muscles.”

Before applying any oil to your body, it’s best to dilute it with a carrier oil and perform a skin test on the inside of your wrist to make sure you aren’t allergic to it.

Additional reporting by Becky Upham.