TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Facebook account [archive] is spreading content claiming that salt can cure headaches or migraines in less than 5 minutes. The video provides instructions starting with placing a pinch of salt under the tongue and then drinking a full glass of water.
The content, shared on April 15, 2026, states that the sodium in salt quickly restores electrolytes in the blood. Furthermore, salt is claimed to reduce swelling in the brain's blood vessels and stop migraine pain signals before they worsen.
But is it true that salt cures migraines quickly?
FACT CHECK
Tempo's Fact Check team verified the above claim by contacting lung doctors and trusted health articles. The results show that consuming salt can only relieve headaches triggered by fluid or sodium deficiency. However, it is ineffective if the headache is caused by other factors.
Zubairi Djoerban, Professor of Medicine at the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Medicine, said that headaches and migraines are mostly triggered by fluid, sodium, or salt deficiencies. Salt consumption restores electrolyte balance, returning sodium levels to normal, and relieving migraines.
When headaches are caused by sodium deficiency, Zubairi said consuming a quarter teaspoon of salt can help. However, he cautioned that migraines can also be caused by muscle tension. In these different situations, salt intake does little to relieve the pain.
Zubairi emphasized that the root causes of migraines vary from person to person, so treatment depends heavily on the underlying trigger. "Different causes require different treatments," Zubairi told Tempo on Friday, May 1, 2026.
Zubairi also warned of the risk of excess salt, which can trigger high blood pressure and headaches. A person should undergo a medical examination to determine the exact cause of a headache.
According to the health website Healthline.com, salt intake can help relieve migraine symptoms in certain situations, but can actually be a trigger in others. Migraine symptoms caused by low blood sodium levels are known as hyponatremia.
This condition has two main causes. First, migraine attacks can be triggered by dehydration when the body sweats due to hot weather or exercise. Drinking water with a high salt content can help hydrate the body. Second, migraines can occur if daily salt intake is below the body's needs.
Conversely, a 2021 study of 224 women and 38 men found a link between high blood sodium levels and migraine duration. These findings suggest that higher salt intake may actually worsen migraines.
CONCLUSION
Tempo's verification concluded that the claim that salt can quickly cure migraines is partially true.
TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM
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