Q. I heard a caller on your radio show talk about cayenne pepper to treat migraines. I have been using this treatment myself for a number of years, and I believe I know why it works, for me anyway.
One of my migraine triggers is sinus pressure, usually caused by allergies. The hot pepper helps clear my sinuses and bring relief. Wasabi and other spicy foods work well too.
I also find that a Neti pot keeps my migraines at bay. Since discovering this, I have gone from having migraines that would last for days two or three times a month to one or two migraines a year that I can usually treat and be rid of.
A. Thanks for sharing your story. Some headache sufferers may want to try your preventive approach of rinsing the sinuses with saline. Others may be interested in using cayenne or wasabi to cut a migraine short.
We discuss various medications and non-drug alternatives in our Guide to Headaches and Migraines. Some readers report that the opposite approach, eating ice cream or a slushy to induce “brain freeze,” is effective at stopping a migraine attack in its tracks.
