Virtual Headache Specialist

The Best Headache and Migraine Solutions Visualized

identify triggers

With frequent headaches and crushing migraines being all too common, we don’t need to tell you how debilitating they can be. That’s why we’re going to explore easy headache and migraine solutions that could help you.

Identify Triggers and Make Lifestyle Changes

The first thing you should do it take a look at the pattern of your headaches and identify any common triggers that may be present in your environment (such as constant bright lights). Simple adjustments to the world around you could make a world of difference.

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hydration

Hydration

If you’re looking for a migraine and headache cure that’s more natural, try drinking more water. Around 1/3 of people who suffer from migraines say they’re triggered by dehydration.

Pay Attention to Your Diet

Finding a headache and migraine cure can be as simple as tracking what you’re eating and how your body responds. Migraine trigger foods like smoked fish, aged cheese, cured meats, alcohol, and more can trigger headaches.

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Herbal Supplements

When turning to herbal and natural supplements as a headache and migraine natural solution, use caution. Some herbal supplements can interact with medications. Talk to your doctor about using magnesium, riboflavin, CoQ10, ginger, feverfew, butterbur, melatonin, or valerian.

Essential Oils

Essential oils have grown in popularity recently, and they can be a great headache or migraine solution. Essential oils to try include lavender, rosemary, peppermint, chamomile, and eucalyptus. A great way to use these oils is in an essential oil diffuser and humidifier.

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Yoga, Meditation, Massage Therapy, Acupuncture and Acupressure

Using pressure points to help relieve a headache (even one as painful as a migraine) is a popular method. Explore yoga, meditation, massage therapy, chiropractor, acupuncture, and acupressure to see if any of these methods help reduce your headache severity.

Consult a Specialist

If nothing seems to be helping, it’s time to consult a headache specialist. An expert will be able to pinpoint the cause of your headaches and recommend the appropriate treatment to give you relief. All migraine patients need an effective abortive (acute) treatment, and if frequency is high, a preventive treatment.

It’s especially important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan if your headaches are severe, frequent, or associated with other symptoms. They can help determine the underlying cause and recommend the most suitable treatment options for your specific situation.

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Try our headache symptom checker tool to learn more about what’s going on with your body, and what types of headaches to discuss with your doctor.

Last Updated on December 4, 2023 by Dr. Eric Baron

Dr. Eric Baron

Dr. Eric P. Baron is a staff ABPN (American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology) Board Certified Neurologist and a UCNS (United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties) Diplomat Board Certified in Headache Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute, Center for Neurological Restoration – Headache and Chronic Pain Medicine, in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed his Neurology Residency in 2009 at Cleveland Clinic, where he also served as Chief Neurology Resident. He then completed a Headache Medicine Fellowship in 2010, also at Cleveland Clinic, and has remained on as staff. He is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. He has been repeatedly recognized as a “Top Doctor” as voted for by his peers in Cleveland Magazine, and has been repeatedly named one of "America's Top Physicians". He is an author of the popular neurology board review book, Comprehensive Review in Clinical Neurology: A Multiple Choice Question Book for the Wards and Boards, 1st and 2nd editions, and has authored many publications across a broad range of migraine and headache related topics. To help patients and health care providers who do not have easy access to a headache specialist referral due to the shortage in the US and globally, he created and manages the Virtual Headache Specialist migraine, headache, and facial pain educational content, blog, and personalized headache and facial pain symptom checker tool. You can follow his neurology, headache, and migraine updates on Twitter @Neuralgroover.