Those who’ve had migraine attacks will know how terrible they can be. You feel a sharp, intense pain in every part of your head, increased sensitivity to your surroundings and a severe incapability of doing anything at all. So if you’re someone who’s prone to having migraines on a regular basis, then knowing ways of stopping migraine can definitely come in handy for you. 

How to Stop a Migraine via Medicines

Needless to say, the medicines listed below should only be considered when prescribed to you by your doctor. Treating yourself on your own can prove to be disastrous in the long run. 

1. Anti-hypertensives

Also known as Beta-blockers, their original purpose was to treat angina and high BP. Today, however, they are widely used to stop migraines because of they can affect your blood vessels to alleviate your headaches. 

2. Triptans

This umbrella of drugs include medicines like Imitrex and Axert, which have been created specifically to get rid of migraines. They are super effective, but please do keep an eye out for their side effects. 

3. Botox

I know this sounds funny, but hear me out. Originally intended to make rich, old people look younger, Botox has evolved beyond being a wrinkle fixer-upper. Approved by the FDA back in 2010, Botox is now recommended for those suffering from severe migraines like getting them for 2 weeks in a row. And if you ask your neurologist to suggest Botox shots to you for your migraines, you can have them covered by your insurance! Now if that isn’t the best way on how to stop a migraine,then we don’t know what is! 

4. Low-dose estrogen contraceptives

Before your periods start, your estrogen levels dip. In many women, this is the cause for their migraines so if you’ve noticed getting migraines before or during your periods, low-dose estrogen contraceptives are the solution to your problem. 

5. Anti-seizure drugs

This might sound odd, but it’s true. For some people, if not all, out there, drugs like topiramate have shown to decrease their migraine frequency by half, which is remarkable to say the least. 

6. Anti-depressants

Abnormal levels of serotonin in your body can sometimes trigger migraines. These levels can be balanced by drugs like Tricyclics. However, they are seldom prescribed to those who do not suffer from depression. 

How to Stop a Migraine via Foods and Activities

Now that we’re done with medicines and drugs, it’s time for reducing migraine through things you can eat or do at your home. 

1. Understand and manage your triggers

If you have been having your migraines for a while now, you know what your triggers are. If it’s intense light, draw the curtains, switch off your light and lie on your bed. If it’s loud noise, wear noise cancellation headphones. So on and so forth. If you’re not sure what your triggers are, maintain a diary about when you get your migraine and your surroundings at that time. That will help you narrow down your triggers. 

2. Eat nuts

Nuts have an important ingredient called salicin, which is a naturally occurring pain blocker. A lot of current pain medications contain salicin as well. So the next time you’re wondering how to soothe migraines,know that a simple change in your diet might just be the answer you’re looking for. 

3. Apply a little pressure

Sometimes, a good old massage is all you need to get rid of your migraine. So the next time you feel you have a migraine coming on, use your fingers to apply pressure on the pressure points on your temple and scalp to give yourself a good massage. This will help lessen the pain. 

4. Drink grape juice

You might have had a lot of it when you were a child, and now it’s time to gulp down that grape juice like there’s no tomorrow. Of course, your first option is to drink freshly blended grapes, but if that is not possible for you at all, rush to your nearest supermarket to buy yourself a ton of grape juice. 

5. Try ginger root

In case you don’t know, ginger is a very effective natural anti-inflammatory. It also helps relieve pain. When you ingest ginger roots, they begin working on the lipids inside your body, thus calming your nerves. It also helps alleviate feelings of nausea. If chewing on a raw ginger root is too much for you, then you can easily add its extract to a cup of tea and drink that. 

6. Drink caffeine

When taken in small doses, caffeine can actually work on how to stop a migraine. Not many people know that caffeine has its own pain relieving properties. So the next time you feel you’re getting a migraine, rush to the kitchen and make yourself a small cup of coffee! 

7. Change your room temperature

Have you heard of cold and hot therapy when it comes to injuries? Now while heat improves blood circulation to a particular area because of an increase in temperature, decreased temperatures result in reduced blood flow to a particular area, which in turn reduces pain and inflammation very quickly.

Now this is a hit and trial method, because you need to understand which therapy works best for you.Try putting an ice pack on your head when the next migraine occurs, and for the one after that, put a towel soaked in warm wateron your temple. See which method works the most effectively for you. 

8. Try herbs

Apart from ginger, herbs like cayenne, feverfew, dong quai, butterbur, valerian, coriander seed, willow bark extract and peppermint are known to have natural pain relieving properties. 

9. Drink tea

Tea has several benefits, and one of them is relieving migraine headaches, vomiting and diarrhea. Not to mention that once you’re done with your tea, you can use the tea bags for various beauty or health purposes. Green tea and chamomile tea have proven to be especially beneficial when it comes to how to stop a migraine.