5 Best Migraine Remedies in Ayurveda: Try Them Now!

Migraines are a primary headache disorder that usually affects people aged between 35 and 45 years. These recurrent episodes of headaches are more common in women due to hormonal reasons [1]. It is also the third most widespread illness all around the world [2].

Some of the symptoms associated with migraines include nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness. These symptoms can last for 2 to 3 days. Migraine remedies include pharmaceutical medications and lifestyle changes. However, Ayurvedic herbs for migraine treatments are also popular.

Migraine treatment in Ayurveda adopts natural remedies to treat your symptoms.  

Read on to know how ayurvedic medicine benefits you and choose an effective migraine remedy in Ayurveda for yourself.

Migraine Treatment in Ayurveda

• Ginger 

Drinking ginger tea is said to reduce symptoms of migraines such as nausea. The ginger root blocks prostaglandins, compounds responsible for muscle contraction and headaches. You can add ginger to your diet with ease as it promotes overall health.

To cope with migraine symptoms, you should have 2-4 grams of ginger daily. Drink ginger tea or add ginger to your food. Its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the symptoms of migraines. In fact, a study published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine found an association between ginger and reduced pain in migraine patients [3].

• Essential oils 

Inhaling essential oils like lavender, rosemary, and jasmine is a great remedy against migraine symptoms. The soothing scents of these oils reduce pain and tension.  

• Rosemary oil

Helps treat hormonal imbalance, which is a prime cause of migraines in women.

• Lavender oil

Used as an anxiolytic drug, a mood stabilizer, a sedative, antimicrobial, and analgesic agent, this oil helps calm the stress that causes migraines. A recent study suggested that inhaling lavender oil is an effective and safe treatment in managing migraine headaches.  

You can use these essential oils as an Ayurvedic remedy for migraine by massaging your forehead with them [4].

• Sesame oil 

Sesame oil is another Ayurvedic remedy for migraine. Ayurveda associates migraines with an aggravated vata dosha caused due to mental stress or insomnia. Dehydration due to the dry nature of vata can lead to stiffness of muscles and constipation. This further causes headaches. In such a case, sesame oil can offer you relief. Put four drops of sesame oil in your nostrils once a day to treat migraines. The oil relieves gases that cause pressure in your head and relax your body.

• Yoga 

Yoga promotes relaxation with breathing techniques and poses. Doing yoga calms your mind and relaxes your blood vessels. It reduces stress, anxiety, and sensitivity to pain including migraine pain. There are many poses in yoga that promote healthy blood circulation and provides relief from migraines. For instance, the Brahmri Pranayyam or the Honey Bee Pose is especially effective in treating headaches.

Some other yoga poses that work as migraine remedies include cat stretch, child’s pose, lotus pose, and bridge pose. A study published in the International Journal of Yoga found that the group practicing yoga along with conventional care saw a significant downfall in frequency and intensity of migraine headaches [5].

• Panchkarma therapy 

Panchkarma therapy promotes overall wellness purifying the body. It offers calming and detoxifying effect, improves your mood and behavior, improves circulation, and regulates metabolism. This therapy treats headaches by removing toxins contributing to your migraine.

It is also used in the treatment of various lifestyle diseases like obesity, thyroid, diabetes, anxiety, and depression [6]. Some examples of this purification treatment include nasya karma, whole-body massage, sweating therapy, and consuming medicated ghee. Nasya karma is the pouring of medicated oil into the nose and is considered the best therapeutic intervention in Shiro Roga [7].

Panchkarma therapy also involves making lifestyle changes. Around 40% of people around the world currently suffer from migraine headaches. Ayurvedic medicine believes in treating the root cause of disease. Therefore, migraine treatment in Ayurveda focuses on healthy balancing of mind, body, and soul. It can be achieved by making lifestyle modifications, yoga, meditation, a healthy diet, and Panchkarma [8].

Although ayurvedic medicine for migraine, headache, and other conditions can benefit you greatly, don’t substitute it for professional medical help. To address persistent symptoms, consult a doctor. Book an appointment with AYUSH health professionals on Bajaj Finserv Health to get the best ayurvedic migraine medicine as well as other aids for yourself.