Effectively managing migraine symptoms often involves a mixture of medical treatments and self-care.
You may find that some strategies work better for you than others. As a result, it can take some trial and error to find what works best for you.
Read on to learn more about how to manage migraine, including what remedies to try for symptom relief.
1. Keep a migraine diary and avoid triggers
Halfpoint Images/Getty Images
Keeping a migraine diary can help you identify and avoid triggers. When keeping a diary, try to include details about:
- food and drinks you have
- your activities
- your environment
- the weather
- your emotions
While avoiding your triggers may help you prevent a new migraine, it may also reduce the risk of worsening a migraine that has already developed.
For help identifying your triggers and tailoring preventive treatment, consider showing information from the diary to your medical team.
Read more advice for keeping a migraine diary.
2. Rest in a quiet, dark place
Migraine episodes commonly cause sensitivity to light and sound, as well as fatigue.
Resting in a quiet, dark place can help you avoid provoking any sensitivities to light or sound and relieve fatigue. Rest can also help you manage stress, which may worsen or prolong migraine episodes.
Try lying down in a comfortable, calm environment. Use your diaphragm to take deep, slow breaths to help you relax.
Learn more about diaphragmatic breathing, including how to do it and how it helps.
3. Be proactive about self-care in the early stages
Some migraine medications work best if you take them soon after experiencing migraine head pain.
Using symptom relief early can help you better manage your symptoms and improve treatment effectiveness.
Still, always follow your doctor’s instructions for when to take a medication, as the best timing can vary per product.
Learn about the early symptoms of migraine and migraine aura.
4. Develop a written plan
Having a ready-made plan to remind you of your treatment options can help you get quick symptom relief — especially when you’re in pain.
Work with a doctor to tailor your treatment to your symptoms and possible triggers. Your medical team can also suggest self-care techniques and remedies.
When writing down your treatment plan, try to add details such as:
- prescribed medications, including their dosage and how and when to take them
- self-care that has helped you previously
- over-the-counter medications or remedies that a doctor or pharmacist has recommended
Safety with supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) products
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve dietary supplements. This means that supplements may not be checked for safety, accuracy of their claims, effectiveness, or their ingredients.
FDA-approved medications and remedies can also harm your health when used in certain ways. For example, they can have harmful interactions with other medications or may not be safe for people with certain health conditions.
Always talk with a doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medication, supplement, or remedy — even if it is available over the counter.
Dehydration can trigger headaches and migraine. In turn, experiencing a migraine can also increase your risk of dehydration.
Researchers from a 2020 study reported that people who met their recommended daily water intake experienced headaches that were:
- less frequent
- less painful
- less severe
- shorter
Find out how much water is too much and recommended intake levels.
6. Consider the role of caffeine
Caffeine can either trigger or improve migraine and headaches, depending on your individual reaction.
If you think caffeine helps your migraine, try to only use it occasionally for relief. Having more caffeine than usual or not getting your usual amount can lead to caffeine withdrawal, which may trigger headaches.
Talk with a doctor if you think caffeine may affect your migraine symptoms.
Research suggests that massage can help relieve migraine by:
- addressing trigger points, such as tension in the scalp and neck
- calming the nervous system
- improving symptoms such as anxiety, nausea, and sleep problems
Other body therapies, such as acupuncture, may also help soothe pain and other migraine symptoms.
If you try a self-massage, use firm — not hard or painful — pressure on your head. Also, talk with a doctor before trying a home massage device, such as an electric scalp massager.
Read more about massage for migraine.
8. Address teeth grinding and excessive chewing
Older research, such as this 2015 study, suggests that excessive chewing from chewing gum may trigger tension headaches and migraine.
Bruxism, or teeth grinding, may also link to worse headache symptoms.
To reduce headaches, consider avoiding chewing gum. Also, if you suspect you may be clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth, talk with a dentist.
Read about the symptoms of bruxism and other jaw problems.
9. Use a cool or warm compress
A 2023 review of research indicates that cold therapies, such as using a cool compress, can help reduce migraine pain very quickly.
To use a cool compress, wrap an ice pack in a cloth and place it on your forehead or neck.
Some people may also get migraine relief from a warm compress.
One 2020 analysis of studies suggests that consuming ginger may significantly lower migraine pain in 2 hours. Ginger may also help reduce nausea and vomiting linked to migraine.
More research is needed to understand the exact role of different ginger formulations and intake levels for migraine. However, ginger teas, powders, and fresh ginger may help.
Research suggests that meditation may help you manage pain by making it seem less unpleasant or improving your response to it. Meditation can also help you improve or prevent stress, which can affect migraine.
Also, try regular meditation as a way to help prevent new migraine episodes. A 2020 clinical trial suggests that mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques led to migraine improvements such as:
- fewer days per month with migraine
- improved levels of disability
- improved quality of life
- reduced depression
If you’re new to meditation, practice closing your eyes and focusing only on your breathing for 5 minutes at a time, allowing your thoughts to pass by.
12. Monitor your medication intake
It can be hard to keep track of the prescription and OTC medications you have taken while managing a migraine.
However, side effects and complications may occur if you:
- use a medication too frequently
- take too much of a medication
- take different medications and supplements together
Overusing a medication may also lead to a rebound headache.
Consider writing down which medications you take as you go and be careful to never take more than your doctor or the product label recommends. Also, check with a doctor which medications you can take at the same time.
Following your doctor’s treatment and self-care advice is an important part of migraine management.
If you feel like your current treatment and self-care approaches are not helping, talk with a doctor. Also, talk with a doctor if you have concerns about your treatment or symptoms. They can update your treatment based on your needs.
Read more about when to get medical help for a headache and migraine medication options.
Ways to help manage migraine symptoms include:
- following your doctor’s treatment recommendations
- meditating
- staying hydrated
- using a cool compress
- trying ginger or caffeine
- identifying and avoiding triggers
- getting a massage
Alongside medical treatments, some of these tips can help reduce migraine severity, length, and frequency.
Talk with a doctor if you have questions about migraine and its treatment.