Natural migraine relief is the preference of many migraineurs. For some, this is because of the high cost of medicines and also the potential side effects. Some herbal remedies used as migraine treatments may also have side effects, they are usually less serious than with traditional medicines. But other natural methods we can use present very little in the way of cost or risk.



Each of us is unique. No two people have exactly the same migraine symptoms and equally, the results we achieved from different treatments will vary. For natural methods as with medication, what works well for one person may not be so successful for the next. It is good to find out about the experience of others, but you can't base your judgment entirely on that.

Of the many alternative migraine treatments, it may turn out that one, or a combination of them, will turn out to be ideal for you. You have to be willing to give them a try. If you decide to go down the route of herbal, or certain other remedies, you may find that your doctor will oppose your wish, pointing to a lack of scientific research.

To be honest, there could be some truth in this. Most herbal remedies haven't undergone rigorous analysis of their effectiveness. But you can't discount the fact that real people are gaining relief from them. And you have to question the scientific evidence. A new drug only has to perform very slightly better than a placebo to be judged effective.

A short disclaimer here. Writing about particular treatment possibilities does not constitute an endorsement of them. But some people have found them to be effective. You should exercise your own judgment as to whether medical advice is required before trying them. That being said, let' begin:

Chiropractic manipulations or adjustments tend to be scoffed at by the medical establishment. But they have been very popular with migraineurs for many years. Migraine sufferers are said to have achieved excellent results. As many as 80% of headache patients have shown improvement from chiropractic care. How this improvement can be measured and why it works is not clear.

Some people believe that exercise is a trigger for their migraine attacks but I am personally not so sure. Over the years, I have indulged in various forms of vigorous exercise on a regular basis without a problem. But less taxing forms of exercise have been associated with headaches. My view is that it is not the exercise itself, but how you feel about it that causes the problem.

I believe that exercise is beneficial for everyone, including migraineurs. It is just a question of finding what works for you. My current favorite is Tai chi. A surprisingly good workout but also relaxing. Pilates or yoga could be good too. It's worth persisting until you find something you like. Feeling generally fit and healthy has to be beneficial.

Stress is thought to be linked to migraine attacks and we all get enough of that these days. Stress is our reaction to life throwing more at us than we can handle. Over a prolonged period, this will lead to us exhibiting stress reactions, one of which is migraine. Relieving stress is beneficial for everyone.

Any way that we can relax and increase our stress threshold is worth looking at. Meditation is great for this, and technology now provides easy solutions for this. Many good self help courses are available that teach how we can let go of thought patterns and feelings that stop us from enjoying the moment. Don't underestimate this route.

I now believe that our attitude to migraine is one of the keys to dealing with it. This may seem odd but bear with me. I don't think of fighting migraine. Being in a war is not conducive to relaxation. Think about it. Has fighting ever helped you to get rid of a headache? You can suffer less if you accept it rather than resisting.

I haven't even gotten around to some of the easy lifestyle changes you can make that could help. Or how to keep a migraine diary to identify possible triggers.