Herbal Migraine Remedies – Herbs To Relieve Your Headaches

What Does Feverfew Do?

Feverfew diminishes the histamine reaction. You may have heard of a histamine reaction when discussing allergies. Histamines promote inflammation whether due to an allergic reaction or as a precursor to a migraine headache. Feverfew reduces several other inflammatory responses within the body that are responsible for migraine pain too.

The herb is a vasodilator, which means that it restores proper blood flow within the brain; providing relief and prevention of migraine headaches.

Feverfew is considered an herbal bitter. Bitters calm digestive upsets, such as nausea associated with migraines.

Feverfew can also help to relieve dizziness.

You may have tried feverfew or heard from a friend that he or she tried it but it did not work. My response is that you should give it another try. Most people take feverfew incorrectly. They simply do not use enough of it or they only take it when a headache occurs; often at a low maintenance dose rather than an effective higher amount. Note the range of doses which I suggested above. It is a very large range. If a low dose doesn’t work after a couple of weeks, gradually increase it. Feverfew works best when taken on a regular basis.

Safety Considerations Regarding Feverfew

Unless you are allergic to other daisy shaped flowers, feverfew is a safe herb. It should not be used during pregnancy, but fortunately many women experience less migraines while pregnant. No drug interactions have been reported; however, use caution if you are on blood thinners or if you use large amounts of aspirin.

Other Herbs to Try for Migraines

If stress is a precipitating factor, employ the use of relaxant herbs in addition to feverfew. St John’s wort and lemon balm have antidepressant actions. Lavender, oat straw, linden, chamomile, skullcap, vervain, and red clover are useful as well.

If you get migraines due to PMS, take some dandelion leaf to restore proper fluid balance.

Herbal remedies are very effective for migraines. Just remember to take enough herbs and use them on a consistent basis for maximum effectiveness.

Author

This article was written for Insights-on-Health.com in Nov 2013 by Patricia Bratianu RN PhD RH-AHG. Patricia has been a Registered Nurse for almost forty years in a wide variety of settings. As a Registered Nurse, she realized that conventional healthcare was not meeting the needs of all patients. She became an herbalist and obtained a PhD in Natural Health. Patricia is a professional member of the American Herbalist’s Guild, passing the stringent peer reviewed process to become a Registered Herbalist.

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