My sister and brother have long suffered from migraines. Everyday they get worse and even more unbearable and doctors haven't been able to do anything. Is there a sort of herb that I can use to brew a strong potion that will help them.
There a several herbs that can help with migraines. Peppermint, Rosemary, Ginger, Lavender, Tumeric, and so many more. A good way to figure out the right herb to use is to also understand what is triggering those migraines. Like, if it is stress or anxiety or tension or something else. That really definitely helps pinpoint the herbs you want to use. Though, I think these might be more temporary and you might want something more permanent.
Though, keep in mind, a doctor would be your greatest friend in helping out. I would recommend one before you try anything else. They will be able to find the root cause of these migraines, give you their own recommendations of medications or other remedies, and help you out from there. Another reason why you should visit a doctor is if you're taking certain medications or have certain allergies. Sometimes herbs and different stuff we take do not mix well and will lead to side effects.
The choice is yours in how you want to handle it. I recommend looking into the root of the migraines first. I hope you find a cure to them.
I agree that the first key would be to work with a doctor to figure out potential triggers and/or sources. For some people there is no source-it is a neurological issue which just has to be managed through medication. For others it could turn out to be something deceptively simple like a scent allergy. It isn't uncommon for the alcohol and smell carriers in perfumes to cause people problems.
Though be prepared for a process of elimination as potential causes can be... Elusive. I remember talking with someone who suffered from migraines for 20 years before finally discovering he had an allergy to so.ething in Grapefruit. As soon as he stopped eating them, the migraines all but vanished.
Try keeping a migraine journal. Every day log your routine in detail, and Mar what days and at what times you are encountering your issue. ...And I mean really focus on detail. What time did you wake up in the morning? Any stiffness or pain/kinked neck/etcetera? Was your pillow bunched up oddly or were you laying in a contorted position when you first woke up? What time did you get out of bed? Did you toss and turn for a few minutes? Did you turn on/check your phone first? What position did you sit in while doing so? Did the position place effort or tension into your neck or shoulders for a consistent period? Do you turn on the lights right away, throwing the dark room into light? Or do you stumble around in the familiar dark and let your eyes adjust? Do you wear glasses? Do you put them on right away? We're the lenses clean? Did you have/make any breakfast? If so, what did you eat, how much, and when? Include specific components (like egg, bacon, salt and pepper, toast, orange marmalade, butter).
Do this for the whole day. Track literally everything you can. From weather and sunshine to time spent under halogen/artificial lights. (Particularly those big halogen tunes. Those are hard on -anyones- head. Track who you talk to, your mood, environmental factors, activities, string smells, cleaning chemicals you use or are exposed to, ... everything.
Also, get a carbon-monoxide and radon detector into your living space. Ideally a multi-detector if you can find one. A lot of homes have gases that leach out of the soil and into basements. They can be a huge factor. Don't wait on this. Even f you are in an apartment. Just get them. It is incredibly common and they aren't terribly expensive. They work like a smoke alarm: put it up and forget it.
After a good two weeks... ideally a month or more, go over the journal and pay particular attention to the days where you log a migraine. Review the 24 hours leading up to when it started. Itemize everything you noted and look for repeat occurrences. Then go through the list, pick one potential culprit, and remove it from your routine for at least two weeks. Don't expose yourself to it, completely cut it out, and see if the issue gets better. If not, try the next thing on the list. And so on. It will take time. Potentially a lot of time. But it is a systematic and through way to hunt down potential causes so you can make the changes you need to.
Re: Herbs for migraines By: Lark Moderator / Adept
Post # 4 Nov 20, 2023
You have received some excellent advice already, so I will keep this short. Firstly, they should be tested by neurology to be sure these are migraine headaches. Treatment for stress headaches and vascular headaches will be different from that for migraines, so you need to be sure what you're dealing with.
That being said, there is one herbal remedy for migraines that has undergone medical testing for efficacy and for determining proper dosage and that is Feverfew. Here's a couple of links about Feverfew that you might find useful:
As with any herbal remedy, always discuss this with their doctor as some herbal remedies can interact in unfortunate ways with some other medicines they might be taking.
