If you are not used to taking apple cider vinegar, start by taking one teaspoon and gradually increase the amount. During migraine attacks or when you feel them coming on, you can take two or three tablespoons.
Some people respond to the inhalation of apple cider vinegar in a steam bath to nip a migraine in the bud.
You will need:
- 1/4 cup of ACV
- Roughly 3 cups of boiling water
- 1 cup of filtered water
Instructions:
- Pour ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar into a large bowl, and then fill the bowl halfway with boiling water.
- Place a towel over your head so that it drapes over the bowl, trapping the steam, and hold your face over it. Make sure your face isn’t so close that it gets burned by the steam.
- Do this for 5-10 minutes, or when the water starts to cool down, breathing in and out deeply the whole time.
- When you’re done, use the towel to pat your face dry, and go drink a glass of cool water.
3. Ice Pack
Of all the migraine remedies on this list, this is the most straightforward: Ice numbs pain. Simple.
- Wrap a few ice cubes in a clean towel and place it on your temples, forehead and/or the back of your neck for 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat as needed.
- You can also try alternating hot and cold compresses for about 15 minutes, as needed. For better results, add lavender and/or peppermint essential oils to the water for the compress.
4. Peppermint Oil
Simply put, peppermint oil reduces pain and relieves stress. Inhaled through aromatherapy or massaged into the temples, forehead, and back of the neck, peppermint releases tension and calms the nervous system. (7) Plus, the menthol and methyl salicylate in peppermint are antispasmodics. (8)
Peppermint works quickly and is one of the easiest natural migraine remedies to use.
- Simply drink peppermint tea sweetened with a touch of honey. Repeat as needed.
- You can also massage each of your temples with one drop of peppermint essential oil or a combination of peppermint and lavender oils. Leave it on for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Do this a few times a day until you get relief.
5. Lavender Oil
Phytochemicals in lavender put this herb in the top five essential oils for calming the nervous system and soothing pain and anxiety. Lavender is an anticonvulsive that regulates serotonin, a hormone secreted in the brain whose actions are a contributing factor in the occurrence of migraines.