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Natural Remedies for Menstrual Headaches or Migraines

| Modified on May 30, 2023
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The cause of migraines can be elusive. But women who experience them monthly have a clue as to the cause.  It is not uncommon for women to experience a bad headache during menstruation or as a symptom of PMS.

Natural remedies for menstrual migraines include stress relief, dietary changes, and hormone balancing.

It is better to work towards improving overall health to prevent those monthly migraines than to try and treat them once you have them.

Borax

Borax can be used to help balance hormones and alkalize the body. This remedy is taken all month long, 4 days on and 3 days off. Add 1/8 teaspoon borax to a liter of water and sip throughout the day. This will also help keep calcium and magnesium levels balanced.

Dietary Changes 

Because fluctuating blood sugar levels can trigger migraines, keeping blood sugar levels even is important to minimize the risk of migraines. Smaller and more frequent meals can help keep blood sugar levels more even. Reducing sugar and carbohydrate consumption will also help to balance blood sugar. High protein snacks instead of crackers and chips will keep blood sugars more even.

Proper hydration is also important. Drink plenty of pure fresh water or herbal tea. Coffee, caffeine drinks, soda pop (including diet soda), and energy drinks should be kept to a minimum.

Supplements to Prevent Menstrual Migraines

Vitamin deficiency can cause countless health problems. Supplements to consider include:

  • Vitamin C
  • Zinc
  • B-Complex
  • Magnesium

Herbs for Menstrual Migraines

Consider taking a daily herbal infusion to balance female hormones and prevent monthly migraines. The following recipe is full of important nutrients for the female system.

  • 2 tablespoons red raspberry leaf
  • 2 tablespoons nettle leaf
  • 1 tablespoon peppermint leaf
  • Place the above-dried herbs in a jar. Boil water in your kettle.
  • Pour 4 cups of water over the herbs.
  • Allow them to steep for 4 hours. (If you do this at bedtime it is fine to allow them to steep all night.) You are not adding any more heat, just allowing the hot and then cool water to extract the important minerals and nutrients.
  • Strain the leaves out of the water.
  • Sweeten with honey if desired.
  • Drink the infusion throughout the day. It can be kept in the refrigerator after you strain the leaves out.
  • You will need to make a fresh batch each day.

Feverfew works well for many migraine suffers regardless of the cause. However, feverfew needs to be taken daily to prevent migraines.

Wild Yam is another herb that can be used all month long to balance hormones and prevent migraines cause by hormonal imbalances.  It may take a few months of regular use to see results.

What to Do If You Have a Menstrual Migraine

  • Drink a glass of water with a splash of lemon juice or lime juice.
  • If possible, lie down with the lights out for 20 minutes.
  • Apply a drop of peppermint and/or lavender essential oil to your palm. Cup your palms over your nose and mouth and slowly inhale and exhale. 
  • Try a dose of skullcap herb or white willow bark. You can buy these in tincture or capsule form.

Have you found a remedy for menstrual migraines or headaches? We would love to hear from you!

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Apple Cider Vinegar

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Posted by Gisela (Lawrence, Massachusetts, Usa) on 07/28/2011
 ★★★★★

I mixed 2 1/2 tbsp of organic apple cider vinegar with 1 tbsp of organic raw honey into 8 oz of spring water and added ice (made from spring water) to treat a full-blown migraine (headache from neck to forehead, blurry vision, light sensitivity, horrible nausea and sensitivity to sound). I also put on sunglasses to help with the light sensitivity and placed a frozen bottle of water at the base of my skull propped up behind me on a rolled up pillow (helps to stop the excess blood flow to the brain, which in turn reduces the pain as well).

I had tried Excederin Migraine with no luck. This migraine was on and off for a few days, a menstrual migraine (I get one before my period, one during my period and one or two after). After drinking about an once, I felt good enough to take off my sunglasses.

I ate a few saltines to help my stomach as the taste of the mixture didn't sit well with my already horrible nausea, that allowed me to drink more of it. I am now about half-way done with the 8oz and feel about 90% better. The saltines helps to majorly combat the nausea.

I want to add that in the past I tried just the organic Apple Cider Vinegar and water for migraines and it only helped after numerous cups and only provided like 50% relief. I believe that using organic raw unfiltered honey made all the difference as it contains beneficial minerals that have healing powers themselves. The oganic apple cider vinegar with the mother in it together with the organic raw unfiltered honey has been the winning combo for me as well as adding the ice to the base of the skull and using saltines for the nausea.

Hope this helps!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Hia Ama (Miamisburg, Oh) on 03/31/2011
 ★★★★★

I too have used ACV with no pleasure to my tastebuds. Thanks Mom! However it has eliminated debilitating menstrual migraines.

I have one more thing to add to the list of things to try for healing and well being. Stop referring to ailments as "yours". So many people claim illness as their own... My headaches... My ulcer.. My PMS. Stop!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sukie (Lake Los Angeles, CA) on 02/01/2007
 ★★★★★

My boyfriend recently told me about Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with apple juice as a cure for sore throat, colds etc... I remember hearing about ACV in the 70's for weight loss but never knew how to take it. I did some research and found this site and decided to try it. I AM CONVINCED THAT ACV IS A MIRACLE CURE!! Remember the old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"? Well I thought it can't hurt so I started drinking 2 t. of ACV with 6 oz. apple juice twice a day, 5 days ago. I have increased energy, decreased appetite and for the first time in 10 years I did not get a menstrual migraine with my period this morning. I've been taking Maxalt at least twice a month for years for hormonal migraines and did not need it today. That in and of itself has made me a believer. My boyfriend has also reported increased energy and general overall well being. We will continue to drink ACV daily. Thank you for this great site!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Nicolette (Dunedin, FL) on 07/23/2006
 ★★★★★

I suffer from menstrual migraines for the last 7 months & I have allergies to many medications so all I can take is extra strength tylenol. I have tried many home remedies because I usually have a migraine for 1-2 entire days without taking medication. I had this migraine for 14 hours & within 10 minutes of drinking the mixture my headache was gone! Thank you so much!!

Blackstrap Molasses

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Posted by Kelly (Orlando, Fl) on 10/14/2017
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Editor's Choice

I was starting to get migraines with auras. I could see zig zag lines which made it hard to read. They would last for a few minutes and then progressed to lasting several hours. It would happen once or twice a month around my period. After the aura I would feel out of it for several hours with a slight headache.

I had been reading about blackstrap molasses' health benefits and decided to put a little in my coffee each day. I did not take it for the ocular migraines as I did not realize it would help with that. I was just trying to be healthier in general. Once I started doing this, the ocular migraines stopped for about 3 months. Then I went on a long vacation where I did not take the BSM during which I got my period and also a bad ocular migraine. So now I do not stop taking it. It has been several months later and I have not had another recurrence after going back on the daily BSM in my coffee.

I use organic unsulfured black strap molasses. I put about a teaspoon in my coffee and I have 2 -3 cups of coffee daily. I am thankful for natural remedies and I pray for wisdom and I have been able to solve several health issues naturally.

Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Karen (Union, KY) on 11/09/2006
 ★★★★★

This is the first time I've tried blackstrap molasses for my monthly migraine, which I have had for several years. Nothing I tried seem to prevent this from happening, I could only medicate after it started. This is the first time I haven't had one after using the Molasses. I took a couple of spoonfuls in the morning and took it to work and used a couple of times during the day. I use an organic unsulphered brand. So glad I have found this, no more migraine this month. I really can't believe this, still waiting to see if one comes on.

Butterbur

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Posted by Krisn (La, Ca) on 08/18/2011
 ★★★★★

I began suffering from migraines during my menustral cycle in my late 30's my ND suggest Butterbur no more migraines I take one Butterbur when I feel it coming on and I do not get a migraine. in fact I suggested it to my sister who has migraines for years and she couldn't believe it finally something that works consistenly AMAZING

Colloidal Silver

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Posted by Katydid (TX) on 05/23/2021
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I've had headaches EVERY month, around *that* time of the month, for over 20 years. It gets old real fast, and my periods last a week. So a fourth of my entire adult life is always lived with a headache. Not the mild kind, either. The kind where sometimes laying down in a dark space is the only thing that keeps me from being physically sick.

Over 20 years, as you can imagine, I have tried hundreds of remedies. Yes, folks. Hundreds. Dozens of medications. Dozens of folk remedies. An insane amount of eastern medicine cures. Massive lifestyle changes. Exercise changes. Every detox I could find that suggested it may help. Supplements, vitamins, and literally every cure listed for headaches here on Earthclinic, too. Most things made them worse. I found a few things that seemed to help a very tiny bit, but nothing that was either safe to take long term, or that ever worked well. Doctors sent me to specialists, who told me all my scans and numbers look great and they have no idea why I have headaches. But here's more pills that don't work I can take to try to mitigate the pain. Thousands of dollars later, I've found a super cheap cure for myself.

Last month I had no headaches. Not one. I'm not in menopause yet, so I still have a period...and I do assume my headaches can be tied to something hormonal. I couldn't think of one thing I'd recently changed to grant me such a blessing. While I have tried changes in the past for headaches, I hadn't tried anything to get rid of the headaches recently. And then my daughter reminded me that late last month I went on a colloidal silver regime. It became so automatic that I didn't think of it as what cured my headaches. I took it to experiment with some other health issues that I was hoping it would help with. I did not ever expect it to help my headaches.

It's too soon to tell if it's going to help with those other things. But I was shocked to not have a headache for a week, for the first time I can ever remember, and I have to assume it's from the CS. I looked so long and so hard, and have taken the darndest things in desperation to try to fix this; so I hope my post can help someone else like me.

The CS I'm taking is actually store bought (so highly unlikely to even be true colloidal silver even though it's labeled as such. I don't care if what I'm taking is technically ionic silver or colloidal. It's amazing. I am now making mine at home, since this worked so well for the headaches and is so much cheaper to make that way.) But my dosage was 1 tablespoon, 2x/day, 12hrs apart. I was taking 30ppm, but I believe I can probably drop that down to 15ppm. If that works I will continue to drop it to once a day instead of twice.

I know many of you already have CS on hand for other things. I honestly never expected it to do a darn thing for my headaches. I have no idea why THIS would work. It shouldn't. Nothing else did. But last month...no headache. And this month my period just ended. Again, no headache. So it works for me, and I hope it can work for you too. It may have to be taken as a preventive measure to work, since I take it daily. Or it may be something I can take just as needed when I feel a headache coming on. My situation is a little unique since I am taking the CS for other reasons at the moment. But if you use this for your headache, let me know if you use it as a preventative or immediate cure and what happens. I hope it works as well for you as it is for me!

Replied by Viji
(Bangalore, India)
05/27/2021

Hello Katydid,

How are your headaches now? I have been having similar hormonal headaches for the last 30 years with progressively increasing intensity. Could you please let me know the local brand of CS that helped you? Thank you

Replied by Viji
(India)
01/07/2022

Hi Katydid,

Does colloidal silver continue to work for you? Do you need to take it periodically to ward of the beast or was it a one shot cure? Just got out of a severe menstrual migraine and all I wanted to do in the last 3 days was to just die and never open my eyes again :-(

This happens during ovulation also for me as a double whammy every month.

Thanks.

Replied by Katydid
(Katy, TX)
05/27/2023

I'm sorry, I don't recall the brand I was taking, as I make my own now. But I do recall I did make sure it had good reviews. Honestly I think most store bought "colloidal silver" is the same and very likely ionic instead, but it worked. I have found that once in a very great while I have to add RIBOFLAVIN, 25 mg to ward off the menstrual migraine. I'll make a post on that soon, as I feel that will help more people who may be wary of CS.

To the other poster - I still take the CS almost daily, as I find it has other benefits - so I can't tell you if it would have worked just taking once or not. I'm not willing to drop it to find out, LOL. I am on the smaller 15ppm dose now and just so darn grateful to not have this issue anymore.

Madelyn
(Idaho)
05/30/2023

Hi Katydid, I can't thank you enough for posting this! I am going to give it a try! So your current maintenance dose is a tablespoon of 15ppm colloidal silver once daily? I'm going to order some riboflavin to have on hand as well! Menstrual migraines are the worst!

Colloidal Silver + Riboflavin

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Posted by Katydid (Katy, TX) on 05/27/2023
 ★★★★★

Riboflavin, 25mg; aka Vitamin B2 for Menstrual Headaches

So I have posted previously of using Colloidal Silver as a cure for menstrual headaches. That still works great, for me. But once in a great moon I was still getting a residual ache - much less than before and I could work through them, but still annoying.

In doing more research into various products, I came across an old study about Riboflavin 25mg (also known as vitamin B2) versus a proprietary blend of a daily dose of riboflavin 400 mg, magnesium 300 mg, and feverfew 100 mg. That is on Pubmed if you care to look. Now this brand product alone did not help me much when I tried it years ago, so I personally don't recommend it for a few reasons.

BUT. Now I'm on CS so things may have changed. When I combined just the 25mg of Ribovflavin into the CS I'm already taking, (Not the mix! JUST THE RIBOFLAVIN) it has completely cleared my rare milder headaches. And it's a much safer dose than the brands contain with many of their ingredients, for example if you look at Migrelief+M's ingredient list you'll see they have these same ingredients plus a possibly toxic amount of B-6 that should NOT be taken daily if you read the negative reviews - yet that's how they want their product used.

So I skip the brand names and I've been taking both. The CS I take daily, but the riboflavin I only take a couple days before headaches would usually start and then throughout my period. Many times I get lazy and don't take it at all unless I feel mild pressure, since the CS usually fixes the headaches alone.

The study notes this dosage of riboflavin (25mg/day) helps roughly 40-44% of menstrual headaches. Very much worth a try! And the lower dosage worked the same or better than the high one so don't bother upping dosage and wasting money. You can try adding in some feverfew and magnesium but it did not seem to help the study members. (I have tried both of those in the far past and not had results but your mileage may vary.) The study did not include CS (colloidal silver) use at all, so this may be a good fit for those of you somewhat leery of using CS. Please note the study had DAILY use of riboflavin - although I don't use it that way it'd probably be best to start there if you're not also taking CS. Good luck to all my suffering friends out there.


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