For those of you that haven’t had the pleasure, a migraine is a vascular headache that is usually unilateral (but it can certainly be bilateral too), and it causes all sorts of unpleasant symptoms, (Pain, sensitivity to light, nausea, vertigo….) It can be difficult to find the right type of migraine relief.

They can be rather inconvenient and make it difficult to function, depending on intensity. I, personally, get them once a month, which means they are hormonal. Some people get them all the time.

In the past, I would go to my room, curtains drawn, and do my best to sleep it off. Now that I have kids, I don’t always have that luxury. So, here are some things I do for migraine relief:

**This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and order something, I may get a small commission. It does not, however, change the price for you.**

1. Ice pack

I put an ice pack wherever the throbbing is. Since its a vascular headache, anything to send blood away from the area helps. And that is exactly what an ice pack does. If you would like to make one at home, you can find out how here. 

Do not leave the pack on for more than 10-15 minutes, be sure to leave it off for at least 15 minutes, then you can use it again. (Suggested use.*)

2. Aromatherapy

I’m not completely sold on the whole “essential oils cure everything.” But I do know first hand, they can be of value.

For a migraine, I use Peppermint Essential Oil. I dab a little under my nose and on my temples. My eyes usually water like crazy at first, but my head always feels better. (This works for a cold too.)A few things I learned in an aromatherapy class a few years ago: (Keep in mind, I am no longer practicing and the wellness field is changing all the time. Bottom line, if in doubt, do some research or ask a professional.)

-Use the good stuff! If you have to do a bit of research to find good, quality oils, do it. There are a lot of knock-offs out there and they aren’t as effective.

-If you don’t like the smell, it won’t benefit you. Sounds silly, but if your body is rejecting it, do not force it!!

Lavender is helpful for a migraine as well as peppermint, but ever since I was pregnant, I’ve had an aversion to it. So I personally stick with the peppermint.

-Do your research (again)! Not all oils are beneficial to everybody. Yes, they are natural, but just because they’re from nature, does not necessarily mean a pregnant woman should be using it. Marijuana is natural too, but you didn’t see me smoking it when I was preggo. So if you’re pregnant, nursing, or have any other reservations, ask a professional. There are plenty of oils that are safe for a pregnant woman to use, but it’s always better to check.

-Be sure to keep them out of reach of your children!!! Not all essential oils are safe to ingest!!!! My son gulped a bit of my peppermint oil. Fortunately, it was safe. But unfortunately for my little guy, it burned like a mother F. Not his words, mine.

3. Excedrin Migraine

This is always my last resort and it is not a cure-all. That said, so far, it has helped me every time. On a pain scale of 1-10 (where an 8, you’re in tears), it takes my pain from a 7, down to a 2 or 3. I still know it’s there, but I can move around without vomiting. I’ll take it!

4. Altoids

The last time I had a particularly bad migraine, we happened to have altoids on hand. For some reason, they were the only things I could imagine eating at the time. They not only helped soothe my nausea, but also some of the head pain.

I know a list of four things isn’t very long. But these four things are the ONLY things that have given me migraine relief. And it has taken me years of testing things out to find what works and what doesn’t![Tweet “After years of trial and error, I have found a few things that help relieve my migraines.”]

If you suffer from migraines, I hope these tips help you the next time one hits.

What do you do when you have a migraine? I’m always open to more suggestions!

*I am not a medical professional, these are things I do personally that have helped me. This is not a sponsored post, however, there is a link to one.

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