Daily Health Tips - Healthy Living Column
Natural Home Remedies For Abdominal Migraines In Children & Adults
Natural home remedies for abdominal migraine in children and adults
Aside from the use of medications as a remedy for abdominal migraine, other methods such as homeopathy and yoga can also be effective.
The following are some natural home remedies for abdominal migraine in children, as well as for adults:
Avoid food triggers
Foods such as chocolate and processed meat have been linked with abdominal migraines. Thus, excluding such foods from your child’s meal is a simple, yet effective way of preventing abdominal migraine.
Hot water
Placing a bag containing hot water on the abdomen, or massaging the abdomen with a cloth soaked in hot water can help to relieve abdominal pain during episodes of abdominal migraine.
Yoga and meditation
Stress and anxiety have been associated with abdominal migraine. Yoga poses like Virbhadrasana can be beneficial in controlling stress. Also, meditation can help to reduce the effects of stress and anxiety on the body.
Homeopathy
Giving your child small doses of homeopathic drugs like Pulsatilla can help to relieve abdominal pain associated with abdominal migraine. Even more, it is suggested that, early use of the drugs in children susceptible to abdominal migraines can help in preventing the onset of migraine headaches as they grow older.
Give the person fluids
If your child is having abdominal migraine and leads to vomiting, you should give him/her fluids like water to quell the vomiting.
Essential oils
Essential oils such as lavender oil and jasmine oil can be useful in alleviating the symptoms of abdominal migraine. Massaging the abdomen with a mixture of lavender oil and clove essential oil for a few minutes two times daily can help kids suffering from abdominal migraine. It is important to state, however, that, the essential oils should be used after diluting them in carrier oils and should not be allergenic to the child.
St John’s Wort
This is an herbal plant that is believed to have curative properties against abdominal migraine.
Willow bark extract
Salicin, the extract of bark of the willow tree, is a major ingredient for many over-the-counter medications such as aspirin.
Peppermint tea
Pain in the abdomen can also be alleviated by consuming a cup of peppermint tea. The analgesic and relaxing properties of peppermint come into play here as the pain gradually subsides after taking the tea.
Chamomile tea
Like peppermint, chamomile also has soothing effects that are helpful in reducing abdominal pain.
Ginger
Ginger is a common kitchen ingredient that possesses several medicinal properties. This herb has also been used for treating migraines due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. A recent study discovered that ginger can be helpful in treating migraines without the many side effects of triptans.
Let the child sleep in the dark
According to Mayo Clinic, making your child sleep in a dark and quiet room can help to reduce some symptoms of abdominal migraine. Further, putting an ice compress under the child’s neck while sleeping can also help to reduce stress and promote good sleep.
Linden
Linden, or lime tree, is an herbal plant that can also help in treating migraine. The herb helps to promote sleep, and while its effect on abdominal migraine needs more studies, it can help in reducing stress associated with the condition.
Yarrow
This common Greek herb is believed to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that may bring relief to children suffering from abdominal migraine. The herb can be used in different forms like tinctures.
Evodia
Evodia rutaecarpa is an herbal plant that is popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating abdominal pain and headaches. The analgesic properties of the fruit are helpful in reducing the symptoms of abdominal migraine.
Butterbur
The use of butterbur in treating health conditions dates back to Ancient Greece when a physician, named Dioscurides, used the herb in treating stomach ulcer patients. Afterward, the use of this herbal plant has expanded and can also benefit sufferers of migraines, including abdominal migraine. Symptoms like pain can be alleviated by using butterbur root extract.