Disclaimer: The instructions I offer here in this post (and in all my posts about herbs and home remedies) are what I use personally at home. Of course the standard disclaimer goes: I am not a doctor and don’t prescribe medicines or herbs, this is just what we have done here for generations with great results.
I do occasionally suffer with a Migraine headache. They aren’t as bad as they used to be and I chalk that up to menopause. Yes, the “M” word actually does offer a few benefits. But I still get them now and then and they really do hurt. They seem to be worse in the fall and winter so I thought I’d share with you how to make a tincture that will help with these nasty headaches.
I have used Feverfew for these headaches for over 20 years. I just go outside, pull a leaf off and pop it in my mouth. I bite down on the leaf and though bitter, the oils in the plant usually relieve the pain before it gets started good.
But in the winter when the plant isn’t growing outdoors and my brown thumb rears its ugly head with my indoor herbs, I was out of luck. And since I’ve been on somewhat of a Tincture Kick lately, I figured, why not?
I don’t particularly like tincture taste, it kind of burns. I could make tinctures with glycerin, but I prefer to use more old fashioned ways so I use vodka or pure grain alcohol or even brandy. The alcohol pulls the oils from the plants and its the oils that do the trick.
Now, Feverfew is quite bitter. I don’t like it either but I figured if I put some other herbs in the vodka with it, it might taste better. I used Feverfew, Spearmint and Lemon Balm. Spearmint and Lemon Balm are often used for headache as well as Feverfew.
I mashed equal amounts of the herbs into a half pint jar, covered with vodka let it sit for about 4-6 weeks. Now its winter time and I have strained the liquid off, put the used herbs in the compost bin and bottled up the liquid in a dropper bottle.
At the first sign of a migraine, which for me is the aura, I’ll start taking the liquid, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time. I’ll increase the dosage if needed. Many herbalists recommend using 30 drops every 2 hours for an acute attack and 30 drops 2 times a day to prevent migraines.
Feverfew contains a sesquiterpene lactone called parthenolide. Parthenolide is believed to be the primary active chemical responsible for alleviating both the severity and the frequency of migraine headaches. For more information about how Feverfew works on migraine headaches see the article at Webmd
The picture below shows the kind of dropper bottles I use. That’s elderberry tincture on the plate.
You can purchase Feverfew, Spearmint and Lemon Balm at Mountain Rose Herbs. I am not an affiliate these are just links for you to use if you like. They also carry tincture bottles and droppers.
You may be interested in these other tinctures I make:
Elderberry Tincture
Oregano Tincture
Violet Tincture
Hello and welcome! I'm Sylvia Britton, and I've been online since 1996 offering encouragement and help in the spirit of Titus 2 and Proverbs 31 at Christian Homekeeper. CHK is the original Homekeeping site on the internet
Hi Sylvia, I’m assuming you don’t use the Feverfew flowers, just the leaves for this tincture. Are the flowers used for anything? I have a lot of Feverfew. It seems to grow anywhere! I new it was used medicinally but wasn’t sure how. Thank-you for this post. It will get me started in the right direction. Merry Christmas!
Janet,
The leaves, stems and flowers of Feverfew are all medicinal and can be used in tinctures. Thank you for stopping by and for your question!
Thanks Sylvia for the information. Do you happen to have a list of other things Feverfew is good for?
My Modern Herbal book by M. Grieve states:—Medicinal Action and Uses—Aperient, carminative, bitter. As a stimulant it is usefulas an emmenagogue. Is also employed in hysterical complaints, nervousness and lowness of spirits, and is a general tonic. The cold infusion is made from 1 OZ. of the herb to a pint of boiling water, allowed to cool, and taken frequently in doses of half a teacupful.
A decoction with sugar or honey is said to be good for coughs, wheezing and difficult breathing. The herb, bruised and heated, or fried with a little wine and oil, has been employed as a warm external application for wind and colic.
A tincture made from Feverfew and applied locally immediately relieves the pain and swelling caused by bites of insects and vermin. It is said that if two teaspoonfuls of tincture are mixed with 1/2 pint of cold water, and all parts of the body likely to be exposed to the bites of insects are freely sponged with it, they will remain unassailable. A tincture of the leaves of the true Chamomile and of the German Chamomile will have the same effect.
Planted round dwellings, it is said to purify the atmosphere and ward off disease.
An infusion of the flowers, made with boiling water and allowed to become cold, will allay any distressing sensitiveness to pain in a highly nervous subject, and will afford relief to the face-ache or earache of a dyspeptic or rheumatic person.