How to Manage Migraines in Ayurveda?

If you are a card-carrying member of the migraine community, you know it is not just a simple headache. Migraine is a neurological condition that, when hit, can be a debilitating, MAKE-IT-STOP experience. The intense, throbbing pain which is accompanied by nausea, and sensitivity to light or sound can last a couple of hours to several days.

Painkillers may provide temporary relief during an attack, but what about preventing future episodes? The fear of experiencing that excruciating pain again can be daunting.

Ayurveda offers an integrative approach to prevent migraine attacks or reduce the severity of symptoms. This traditional form of medicine uses nonconventional treatments, and herbal remedies like Krishna’s Migraine Care Juice, to help manage your symptoms. If you prefer more natural remedies then keep reading to find out more about how to manage migraines in Ayurveda.

Let’s discuss migraine

A migraine is described as a throbbing or pounding pain, often worse on one side of the head. You might also have symptoms like nausea, vomiting, numbness, chills, and sensitivity to light or sound. The symptoms may last anywhere from four hours to three days. After it’s over, people often feel tired and have trouble thinking clearly, which is sometimes called a “hangover.”

Migraines are more than twice as common in women than in men, between the ages of 20 and 45. Women tend to have more severe and chronic headaches and more symptoms.

The exact cause of migraine isn’t completely clear, but most researchers believe they result from unusual changes in certain brain chemicals. When these chemicals increase, they can lead to inflammation. This inflammation, in turn, makes blood vessels in the brain swell and press on nearby nerves, causing pain.

Migraine may also have a hereditary link. People who experience it might have genes that affect how specific brain cells work.

It’s known that individuals with migraine react to various factors and events, known as triggers. These triggers can differ from person to person and don’t always lead to headaches. Typically, it’s a combination of triggers, not just one thing or event, that’s more likely to bring on an attack. Also, a person’s response to these triggers can vary from one migraine episode to another.

Common triggers include:

• Changes in sleep patterns
• Skipping meals
• Sensory stimulations such as bright lights and loud noises
• Hormonal changes, especially during the menstrual cycle
• Stress and anxiety
• Weather changes
• Certain alcoholic beverages, such as red wine
• Excessive caffeine consumption or caffeine withdrawal
• Specific foods like those with nitrates, MSG, tyramine, or artificial sweeteners like aspartame

Types of migraine

There are different types, but the two most common are:

Migraine with aura (complicated migraine): People with this type might experience an “aura” about 10 to 15 minutes before the actual headache hits and resolves within an hour or less. During this time, your vision may become blurry or narrow, and you might see stars or zigzag lines.

Migraine without aura (common migraine): In this type, a person doesn’t have an aura but still has all the other typical features of an attack.

Ayurveda and Migraines

Ayurveda is mainly practised in India for centuries but because of its holistic approach to health, it has gained popularity worldwide.

According to this ancient medicine practice, every person has a type of energy or dosha which are vata (associated with air and space), pitta (associated with fire and water elements), and kapha (associated with earth and water). While everyone has all three doshas, one is usually more dominant. In order to stay healthy, the other two doshas need to remain balanced.

In Ayurveda, any imbalance in the three doshas, especially the Pitta dosha which is responsible for digestion, metabolism, and sharp thinking and any factor that aggravates or creates an imbalance of Pitta is attributed to a trigger that causes migraine headaches.

When Pitta becomes aggravated, it generates heat and intensity that can lead to the pulsating pain and discomfort associated with migraines. Another major factor is the accumulation of Ama aka toxins in your body, which occurs due to poor digestion and unhealthy lifestyle choices. These toxins disturb the harmony of the doshas and further intensify migraine symptoms. Dehydration, spending too much time in the sun or in hot environments, poor dietary habits, inconsistent sleep patterns, skipping meals, and emotional factors, such as stress, anger, or frustration are other common causes of dosha imbalance that make your body more prone to migraine headaches.

Ayurvedic Approaches to Manage Migraine Pain

The Ayurvedic treatment plan for migraine includes a combination of natural methods such as lifestyle changes, a personalised diet plan, herbal remedies, panchakarma therapy and other customised therapies. These approaches are customised by an Ayurvedic practitioner, and they help to rejuvenate your body and mind.

In general, some of the most effective Ayurvedic ways that hinge on promoting doshic balance and providing relief from migraine attacks are:

1. Dietary Changes

Ayurveda believes that the food you eat plays a huge role in determining your health. And the same holds true for managing migraines. Eating the right foods, in the right way can calm your body and mind and reduce migraine attacks naturally.

So, What you eat, how you eat, and maintaining consistent eating schedules all play a vital role in managing migraines.

• Include cooling foods like cucumber, watermelon, apples, and dates in your diet.
• Reduce the consumption of spicy, salty, processed meats, and fried foods.
• Stay hydrated with refreshing and cooling drinks.
• Avoid alcoholic drinks

Along with eating the right foods, avoid skipping meals, staying hungry for longer time and inconsistent eating schedules as such habits can destabilize blood sugar levels and initiate migraines.

2. Herbal Decoction, Krishna’s Migraine Care Juice

This is a natural migraine reliever that is made with a blend of Sonth, Pippali, Ajmod and six other herbs. The herbs present in this decoction have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties which help to calm aggravated doshas that trigger headaches.

Regular consumption of this natural medicine for migraine pain not only prevents migraine attacks but also helps in detoxification, improves blood circulation, and reduces oxidative stress, offering a holistic approach to long-term relief.

3. Yoga

Yoga is a powerful practice that helps align your body with your mind. Practising yoga every morning for at least 15-20 minutes will offer relief from various bodily pains, including migraines.

Following are some common yoga poses that have proven to relieve migraine symptoms and promote relaxation:

• Shishu Asana (Child’s Pose)
• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
• Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose)
• Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)
• Hastapadasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose)

Takeaway

Over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers can provide instant relief from migraine pains, but prolonged use of such medications can lead to complications like medication overuse headaches, which over time can make your condition even worse.

But the Ayurvedic approach for managing migraines doesn’t carry such risks as all the methods are natural and will not cause any side effects. So if you are looking for a safer long-term alternative for migraine relief, include Ayurvedic treatments in your routine.