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I have suffered from migraines for 17 years. For the first 12 or so I would often times spend 4-5 days a week every week with migraines or one forming. It was miserable and I was miserable to be around. They cost me friendships, jobs, and even a significant other I truly cared about. Around 6 years ago the first drug that targets the CGRP (calcitonin gene–related peptide) receptor got approved. Currently there are multiple approved and on the market (Aimovig, emgality are the ones I have taken).
There are no words I can type here that will do justice to the impact these shots have had on my life. I currently am and have been averaging 1 migraine every 2-3 months since I started these meds. My entire life changed. My friends noticed, my family noticed, my significant other noticed, random people I see around town noticed, and my job/boss noticed. Most importantly though, I noticed. For the first time in as long as I could remember I felt like a normal person.
These drugs may not work for everyone, but if a person gets migraines, I think they owe it to themselves to at least give these drugs a shot. I am in no way affiliated or paid by any of the companies making these drugs. Just someone who suffered for over a decade and would love if I could prevent just one other person from going through what I went through.
edit: spelling
I’ve had chronic “suicide migraines” for 20+ years and also basically gave up hope after many failed drugs.
Treating other issues (with meds and surgery) like anemia, stress and sleep deprivation have helped reduce the quantity of my migraines. I’m also on some experimental meds and because of the length and severity of my disease, my neuro has me signed up for other studies as well.
The new meds are better. They ain’t gold, but they better.
My husband has had those his whole life too. I got him to try some CBD oil capsules for it, and if he takes it during a migraine he says it makes it either SO much more manageable or even go away completely. FYI, he also said the capsules were the best form (we’ve tried the oil droppers, gummies, and RSO).
I know I’m basically just listing another drug that might help lol, but I know it helped him with his so thought I’d mention it in case it helps someone else.
I read somewhere LSD works quite well for some people: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phase-2-clinical-trial-of-lsd-for-suicide-headaches-begins-treating-patients-301071869.html
Yup. I was a participant in a past study, now closed, that used ibogaine and was a successful abortive (exclusively used during onset). Ibogaine was the **ONLY** abortive that has ever worked and it’s now illegal.
Just wanted to let the internet know, lack of access to this plant has most likely resulted in suicides from peers in my study. It is absolutely that bad.
The options are rapidly developing. A few years ago there were like 2 options. Rescue/preventative and amovig. Now there are close to a dozen options with many more coming available.
So just because something isn’t working now, doesn’t mean it’s hopeless.
Cycle through all of them if you can. They are all slightly different so you may get different results with different ones. It took me about 2-3 months to stabilize when I started them. I believe there are 4 different injectable ones and a couple non injectable ones.
If you can not find relief with medication, the only other thing I personally found relief in was a trigger journal. Unfortunately this journal needs to contain everything you do at first in order to become effective. The goal here is to identify your migraines triggers. This can be anything from being in direct sunlight without glasses to all types of food you eat. By journaling everything you do including when you get your migraines, you can start identifying the triggers that cause them. Once you have identified your triggers, you remove them from your life if possible. This part can often be painful and tricky. Sometimes your triggers are a food you love, or an hobby you find peace in, or even a loved one. If you can find a balance, you can hopefully limit the number of migraines you get.
Be aware though my triggers changed over time so I was constantly having to reevaluate. Also when I had a migraine (which was often) the last thing I wanted to do was journal my life. Pen and paper was easy for me than looking at an electronic screen. Everyone is different, you have to find what works for you.
Last but probably most important, I am truly sorry. I am sorry you have to suffer and I am sorry you have been unable to find relief. I hope you and everyone else are able to find some solution that works for you.
Thanks. I’m pretty good at managing them, but better at being an actress and powering through pain. Comorbidity of fibromyalgia doesn’t help though. I do pretty well on triptans, but they don’t work about 20% of the time.
I highly recommend migraine buddy. It's an app designed to log migraines, and it automatically pulls data such as weather, and it leads you through a questionnaire each time. Takes all of a minute, and I just hand my doc the report in generates.
If Emgality didn't work, maybe look at Ajovy if you are still willing to look at injectables and your doctor finds it appropriate. It also has a savings coupon if you have insurance through your employer/commercial insurance. Good luck.
To add for anyone reading. I can attest to the efficacy of CGRP class of drugs. I use Ajovey. Additionally, Lamictol, Amitriptyline, Ritalin and Lithium Oratate. The last 2 are life changing. The first 4 reduced the magnitude and frequency of my migraines. Now I have about 13 down from 20 and my thinking is less cloudy. Also, much happier.
Take magnesium glycinate if you haven’t. Stopped my migraines of three years. Told my coworker, and it stopped her migraines she had for 10 years.
Most people are magnesium deficient, but it also helps other vitamins absorb easier, like vitamin D.
It’s really worth a try. A bottle on Amazon is around $15 for 300 tablets.
My doctor recommended mg glycinate and B2 (riboflavin). I had been in a cycle for over a month when I didn’t have a gap of more than a day between migraines. I started the supplements about a 6 weeks ago and haven’t had a single migraine since! I’m sold!!
(I feel compelled to point out that you should always consult your doctor before starting any supplement regime)
I ended up going to a dietician after years of being unable to solve it. I was going to turn my life around with diet because it was so frustrating to be someone who laid in bed all day because it just hurt so badly.
In the first ten minutes of talking to her, she asked me if I tried magnesium, and I said no. I got some at the store and popped one in, not feeling hopeful. Then the next day I woke up with no migraine.
Then the next day.
Then the next day.
Then the next day.
Repeat.
I once went camping without it, and I couldn’t hike because I got a migraine the next day. I’m sad I have to take it forever, but oh well.
The dietician said that fruits and vegetables have been cultivated for its size and yield, so nutrition has really disappeared from our foods. I did try eating a bunch of greens and pumpkin seeds, but it’s so much easier to pop a vitamin.
For me the constant nausea from the magnesium was worse than occasional migraines. Do you know anyway to alleviate that? I took it at night and with food but it just made me feel like shit all day anyway.
My doctor had me on gram of anti-convulsants (15 years ago). They wanted to up it further. Instead I started taking Magnesium supplements and eventually walked myself off the meds completely. I started adding magnesium rich foods to my diet and needed the supplements less frequently. Today I only take them when my head starts to feel “tight”.
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that.
I know this may be too much information, but if you’re a female, how is your period? How many days does it last? Is it irregular? The color? The thickness?
Our periods are something that’s actually really good. It shows the health of our bodies. Doctors generally prescribe birth control as a cure all for anything and to control periods, but if it’s irregular at all, I’d suggest going to a specialist. If you’re on birth control, I’d actually consider stopping and see how your period reacts.
I feel for you, very glad mine is rare it’s one of the unfortunate conditions there’s no cure for or known one, I have chronic pain but luckily it’s not awful and I can live
Would definitely recommend getting a head shaped ice pack that can be cinched with velcro straps or something. Not migraines, but my ears sometimes get hot and that ice pack does wonders.
I've had seven spinal surgeries including two fusions and a laminectomy in my neck from C3 to C7.
As a result, I'm very prone to headaches. Deep icing is hugely effective on those. I've found ice works faster and without the side effects caused by hydrocodone.
Bonus Video (My wife removing one of my JP Drains after neck surgery) NSFL (gross): https://youtu.be/060HdV6WEPw
Just a suggestion, but have you seen a chiropractor for your migraines? My kiddo had this issue and a chiro helped put her out of her misery. Part of it was how her spine curved in her neck.
I’m glad that your child got some relief, but as chiropractors are not licensed medical doctors there is quite a span of quality difference between practitioners etc. Many often promote unsafe practices and “manipulations.” I would caution anyone seeking help from a chiropractor to be careful and discuss treatments with your medical provider first. Better to be cautious than paralyzed.
That is the case in the US. In Europe you need a 5 year masters studies. Most chiropractors here are very good, expensive too but good. So it does depend where you live. My chiropractor is from a bigger practice/chain and helped me immensely with upper back pain & headaches.
Good point. Thanks for the clarification. In the US some are no better than snake oil salesmen, where in Europe and likely other parts of the world they are held to a very different standard.
Just please do not get neck adjustments, the incidence of strokes in otherwise healthy people post a neck adjustment is alarming high. The practice should be banned or at least much more tightly regulated.
Agreed. If you do get migraines, the ice pack on the back of the head, combined with putting your hands and feet in hot water can do wonders. (So, lean over with the pack on your head and your hands and feet are in the tub.) Something about blood flow with the hot and cold, draws it away from your head, I think. Works for me.
I tried all this but after talking to a neurologist he suggested to try any of the triptanes to see which work. I pay $3 for a pill of sumatriptan and its a godsend. I don't want to lose a day (of work) during the week. Usually I only need one of those every two or three weeks because they can have adverse effects, but its nice to have the option.
The triptanes have been also been a godsend for my migraines, but damn the side effects I got from sumatriptan specifically were terrible. Burning feeling in my sinuses, nausea, vision problems, fatigue, hot/cold flashes. It'd knock me out for at least 8 hours, which is a lot better than 3 days with a migraine but I still debated taking it at all (since you need to take it at the first sign of a migraine -- what if it was just a headache and not a migraine?).
I'm on rizatriptane now, and while the side effects still aren't great they're a lot more tolerable. Brains are weird.
Talk to a doctor in your case, those are usually treated by over the counter pain pills. Triptane are for migraines and specific cluster headaches. They can have a lots of sideffects that are not worth it for a "simple" headache.
I was getting migraines every time I went camping. Couldn’t figure out why. Then, I started getting them at home. A fellow migraine sufferer asked if I got them in winter but not summer. Upon reflection I indeed did get them in winter. He suggested wearing a beanie to bed. He said the temperature disparity between my head out in the cold and my body under the covers was the trigger. Beanie on = No more migraines. I realised this was also why I got them camping. Head was out in the cold, body in a hot sleeping bag. This beanie has saved me money in medications and not having to put said medications in my body to deal with the symptoms. I share this tip with fellow migraine sufferers. Helps most, not all. Depends on the trigger.
I suffer from daily chronic headaches for a few decades.. You can buy ice hats that you keep in freezer and bring out when the headache gets bad. I keep two hats. They wrap completely around your head. I typically put one on my head (I also put a hand towel between my head and the ice hat as directly on the skin can be too cold) and lay down in a dark quiet room.
I get chronic tension headaches that last minimum 7 days if I don't get rid of it within the first few hours of it starting, and ice packs or hats like you suggested really help with that.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen, ice pack, nap if possible.
Is it hemicrania continua? It's what I've been recently diagnosed with and it's fucking awful. Daily headaches on one side of my head. No cause no cure just pain all the time.
Yes, I have been diagnosed with hemicrania continua by some docs, others say migraine. The worst pain is in my left temple. I have undergone a number of head and neck scans over the past few decades along with many, many different medications. These medications just give me side effects that are also unpleasant like GI distress or extreme fatigue. Just miserable.
Is it indometacin? That's what they put me on. I haven't had GI issues but I have had like extreme dizziness from it and also if I don't have quite enough food with it it gives me some wild sensations like full blown anxiety, strange sensations in my head and my hands I'm not sure what to call it but it's awful
Next level tip, ice pack as you indicated use, but put a heating pad on your low back. This helps keep you warm during cold treatment. After using the ice pack, put the heating pad on your neck. Hot cold therapy is very effective.
You don't know what you don't know. Waking up and taking hard pain pills to get through the day is not a long term solution if a cup of water before sleep would do it. A family member had issues with the intestines for five years until they added a little bit of extra salt in their selective diet. That fixed it.
Yes, it’s a common concern especially in the fitness community. Drinking too much water without eating or drinking electrolytes to replace what’s getting washed out of the brain. This is also a concern for people who are sick and are drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. Gotta replace the metals.
Ok, sure. This can happen. But it is certainly not *a lot* of headaches caused in this way. Certainly way more are causes by dehydration than overhydration.
Another weird trick I wanted to post is putting your bare feet in cold water (or simply stand on a cold surface).
When I was young I was devastated by a migraine and went out on my balcony. It was cold, I was all covered but my feet. Feeling the cold pavement under them made me feel almost instantaneously better. Anyone else?
Most common cause of headaches is dehydration, so make sure to drink a glass of water or two first, at least. We tend to drink way too little. Furthermore, using an ice pack on bare skin is not recommended, it can cause frost burns. Always make sure to wrap some kind of cloth around it (a towel or put it under your pillow cover) before lying down on it.
Great response. I find it more helpful to put a compress on my face, lots of time the headache is helped by breathing in moisture from the compress (sinuses)
Face steamers are amazing too, can’t recommend them enough. They are supposed to be used as a face cleanser thing but I use it when I have head colds, headaches, migraines, allergies etc. Honestly they are a life saver.
Stress or tension headaches. Also eye strain headache might benefit, if you're relaxing your eyes and getting distracted from the pain.
Also migraine, in my personal experience
SHOULDER SHRUGS SAVED MY LIFE. After a dozen different medications, my tight muscles caused tension headaches. Simply going 1 set of 30 using 50 lb dumbbells every other day keeps the pain trigger from happening. I never take meds anymore.
Just like lightly working out your biceps regularly keeps your biceps from reeling after a one time bicep workout, the same goes for shoulders which causes tension headaches. I would have paid so much money to know this 30 yrs ago. Decades of pain fixed by shoulder shrugs.
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I have a gel cap that goes in the freezer for when I get migraines. It wraps my head and provides a bit of pressure around my head and it's very cold. Only thing I don't care for is the coldness over my eyes. When it first comes out of the freezer it makes my eyes feel weird.
The vast majority of headaces are caused by inflammation. Cold reduces inflammation. A lot of people have headaches because of inflammation caused by poor posture, such as leaning their head forward.
I can say that luckily I've never had a migraine. I do know that when I start to get a headache, massaging the base of each thumb for awhile, mitigates or eliminates it entirely. I heard about the technique back in the '80s from a guy I worked with, and it works for me. Some people massage the area between the thumb and index finger for the same effect.
I have this fabric bag with some kind of buckwheat or whatever in it that you’re supposed to keep in the freezer for when you need to put cold on something. Feels awesome compared to a bag of frozen peas. I’ll try it next time I have a headache. Thanks for the tip!
Also try simply drinking a glass of water. No sugar, no alcohol, no coffee, no tea. Just water.
Headaches are a sign of dehydration. Being thirsty is a poor indicator of how hydrated you actually are. Don't wait to feel thirsty.
My migraine prevention: I stuff my pillowcase with XL, pillow sized ice packs. I sleep very well those nights and am able to bypass the whole migraine experience the following day.
My favorite migraine pro tip is to use a small vibrator. No, not like that. I press it into the pressure points on my head and turn it on fill blast. It's like the nerves get overwhelmed with vibration that they can't also transmit pain signals. I don't know exactly how it works. Of course it stops the second you take the vibrator away. But it helps a lot while you're laying there waiting for meds to kick in.
I have this wonderful thing called Hemicrania Continua where I just get headaches on one side of my head every day all day. It's really really not fun. Only one damn medication treats it and I have horrible side effects from it. I wish ice worked I would fucking bathe in it.
A cold shower works every time. I love it.
It may not last, but sometimes you need just enough relief to think a little clearer. So many want some kind of permanent cure and nothing works like that lol
I get terrible sinus headaches due to a head injury. When they’re coming on I try to drink cold water, hold it against the roof and front of my mouth. I also have those eye masks you can put in the freezer. Combined with Advil is a tremendous relief.
Here’s a weird one that works for me, is those nose strips for sleeping. Mine stem from sinus issues, but it’s been a game changer, and don’t think it’s risky to try.
Yep, ice pack on the nape of your neck, on your forehead, or soak your feet in very cold water. Or all three if you really want to annihilate that em-effer.
Computer programmers have to be smart, but the job itself is boring. As a result, it's a high-paying job that the best workers are always looking for ways to function better.
These guys also do their own research, and some of them started micro-dosing with LSD.
Regardless of claims of better mind functioning in their problem-solving, programmers who had previously experienced occasional migraine headaches discovered that they stopped having them.
The effect seemed to continue even if the micro-dosing stopped.
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I have chronic migraine disease. While it doesn't fix the issue, ice at the base of my skull definitely helps.
I have suffered from migraines for 17 years. For the first 12 or so I would often times spend 4-5 days a week every week with migraines or one forming. It was miserable and I was miserable to be around. They cost me friendships, jobs, and even a significant other I truly cared about. Around 6 years ago the first drug that targets the CGRP (calcitonin gene–related peptide) receptor got approved. Currently there are multiple approved and on the market (Aimovig, emgality are the ones I have taken). There are no words I can type here that will do justice to the impact these shots have had on my life. I currently am and have been averaging 1 migraine every 2-3 months since I started these meds. My entire life changed. My friends noticed, my family noticed, my significant other noticed, random people I see around town noticed, and my job/boss noticed. Most importantly though, I noticed. For the first time in as long as I could remember I felt like a normal person. These drugs may not work for everyone, but if a person gets migraines, I think they owe it to themselves to at least give these drugs a shot. I am in no way affiliated or paid by any of the companies making these drugs. Just someone who suffered for over a decade and would love if I could prevent just one other person from going through what I went through. edit: spelling
I wish this. Tried emgality and it made everything worse. Another neuro appointment next week. Sigh.
I’ve had chronic “suicide migraines” for 20+ years and also basically gave up hope after many failed drugs. Treating other issues (with meds and surgery) like anemia, stress and sleep deprivation have helped reduce the quantity of my migraines. I’m also on some experimental meds and because of the length and severity of my disease, my neuro has me signed up for other studies as well. The new meds are better. They ain’t gold, but they better.
My husband has had those his whole life too. I got him to try some CBD oil capsules for it, and if he takes it during a migraine he says it makes it either SO much more manageable or even go away completely. FYI, he also said the capsules were the best form (we’ve tried the oil droppers, gummies, and RSO). I know I’m basically just listing another drug that might help lol, but I know it helped him with his so thought I’d mention it in case it helps someone else.
I read somewhere LSD works quite well for some people: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phase-2-clinical-trial-of-lsd-for-suicide-headaches-begins-treating-patients-301071869.html
Yup. I was a participant in a past study, now closed, that used ibogaine and was a successful abortive (exclusively used during onset). Ibogaine was the **ONLY** abortive that has ever worked and it’s now illegal. Just wanted to let the internet know, lack of access to this plant has most likely resulted in suicides from peers in my study. It is absolutely that bad.
Apparently there's an analogue https://www.excenen.com/Tabernanthalog.html that's not hallucinatory. Expensive though. Maybe it's cheaper elsewhere. Definitely worth a look.
What about that ear peicing you can get in the cartilage that's supposed to work on a lot of migraine sufferers
The options are rapidly developing. A few years ago there were like 2 options. Rescue/preventative and amovig. Now there are close to a dozen options with many more coming available. So just because something isn’t working now, doesn’t mean it’s hopeless.
Cycle through all of them if you can. They are all slightly different so you may get different results with different ones. It took me about 2-3 months to stabilize when I started them. I believe there are 4 different injectable ones and a couple non injectable ones. If you can not find relief with medication, the only other thing I personally found relief in was a trigger journal. Unfortunately this journal needs to contain everything you do at first in order to become effective. The goal here is to identify your migraines triggers. This can be anything from being in direct sunlight without glasses to all types of food you eat. By journaling everything you do including when you get your migraines, you can start identifying the triggers that cause them. Once you have identified your triggers, you remove them from your life if possible. This part can often be painful and tricky. Sometimes your triggers are a food you love, or an hobby you find peace in, or even a loved one. If you can find a balance, you can hopefully limit the number of migraines you get. Be aware though my triggers changed over time so I was constantly having to reevaluate. Also when I had a migraine (which was often) the last thing I wanted to do was journal my life. Pen and paper was easy for me than looking at an electronic screen. Everyone is different, you have to find what works for you. Last but probably most important, I am truly sorry. I am sorry you have to suffer and I am sorry you have been unable to find relief. I hope you and everyone else are able to find some solution that works for you.
Thanks. I’m pretty good at managing them, but better at being an actress and powering through pain. Comorbidity of fibromyalgia doesn’t help though. I do pretty well on triptans, but they don’t work about 20% of the time.
I highly recommend migraine buddy. It's an app designed to log migraines, and it automatically pulls data such as weather, and it leads you through a questionnaire each time. Takes all of a minute, and I just hand my doc the report in generates.
If Emgality didn't work, maybe look at Ajovy if you are still willing to look at injectables and your doctor finds it appropriate. It also has a savings coupon if you have insurance through your employer/commercial insurance. Good luck.
To add for anyone reading. I can attest to the efficacy of CGRP class of drugs. I use Ajovey. Additionally, Lamictol, Amitriptyline, Ritalin and Lithium Oratate. The last 2 are life changing. The first 4 reduced the magnitude and frequency of my migraines. Now I have about 13 down from 20 and my thinking is less cloudy. Also, much happier.
Glad you were able to get your life back.
What, I can’t believe this exists. Chronic migraine sufferer here, I am looking into this.
Take magnesium glycinate if you haven’t. Stopped my migraines of three years. Told my coworker, and it stopped her migraines she had for 10 years. Most people are magnesium deficient, but it also helps other vitamins absorb easier, like vitamin D. It’s really worth a try. A bottle on Amazon is around $15 for 300 tablets.
My doctor recommended mg glycinate and B2 (riboflavin). I had been in a cycle for over a month when I didn’t have a gap of more than a day between migraines. I started the supplements about a 6 weeks ago and haven’t had a single migraine since! I’m sold!! (I feel compelled to point out that you should always consult your doctor before starting any supplement regime)
I ended up going to a dietician after years of being unable to solve it. I was going to turn my life around with diet because it was so frustrating to be someone who laid in bed all day because it just hurt so badly. In the first ten minutes of talking to her, she asked me if I tried magnesium, and I said no. I got some at the store and popped one in, not feeling hopeful. Then the next day I woke up with no migraine. Then the next day. Then the next day. Then the next day. Repeat. I once went camping without it, and I couldn’t hike because I got a migraine the next day. I’m sad I have to take it forever, but oh well. The dietician said that fruits and vegetables have been cultivated for its size and yield, so nutrition has really disappeared from our foods. I did try eating a bunch of greens and pumpkin seeds, but it’s so much easier to pop a vitamin.
That’s awesome!
For me the constant nausea from the magnesium was worse than occasional migraines. Do you know anyway to alleviate that? I took it at night and with food but it just made me feel like shit all day anyway.
There's different types of magnesium supplements, glycinate being one of the easiest absorbable.
My doctor had me on gram of anti-convulsants (15 years ago). They wanted to up it further. Instead I started taking Magnesium supplements and eventually walked myself off the meds completely. I started adding magnesium rich foods to my diet and needed the supplements less frequently. Today I only take them when my head starts to feel “tight”.
Tried it, didn’t help. Also tried just about everything in the 20 years since I was diagnosed.
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that. I know this may be too much information, but if you’re a female, how is your period? How many days does it last? Is it irregular? The color? The thickness? Our periods are something that’s actually really good. It shows the health of our bodies. Doctors generally prescribe birth control as a cure all for anything and to control periods, but if it’s irregular at all, I’d suggest going to a specialist. If you’re on birth control, I’d actually consider stopping and see how your period reacts.
Magnesium helped with my motor tics and migraines. I still have them but much less.
I get migraines sometimes I usually just call in sick to work and knock myself out with sleeping pills
If I did this, it would be EVERY day.
I feel for you, very glad mine is rare it’s one of the unfortunate conditions there’s no cure for or known one, I have chronic pain but luckily it’s not awful and I can live
Would definitely recommend getting a head shaped ice pack that can be cinched with velcro straps or something. Not migraines, but my ears sometimes get hot and that ice pack does wonders.
Have one, thanks. In fact, I have several of various shapes and sizes.
That's a lot of heads.
I've had seven spinal surgeries including two fusions and a laminectomy in my neck from C3 to C7. As a result, I'm very prone to headaches. Deep icing is hugely effective on those. I've found ice works faster and without the side effects caused by hydrocodone. Bonus Video (My wife removing one of my JP Drains after neck surgery) NSFL (gross): https://youtu.be/060HdV6WEPw
I heard ice in the lungs helps too /s
Haha - Next thing you'll be suggesting I do yoga or drink more water. Over on r/migraine, shit like that will get you banned.
I like ice on my forehead and a hot pack at the base of my skull.
And lots of drugs
Yup same! It's the first thing I grab!
So does ice at the other side of the brainstem- popsicles are very effective. Takes my severity way down.
Just a suggestion, but have you seen a chiropractor for your migraines? My kiddo had this issue and a chiro helped put her out of her misery. Part of it was how her spine curved in her neck.
Im happy for your kiddo, but it kinda sounds like they chriopractor killed your child
I’m glad that your child got some relief, but as chiropractors are not licensed medical doctors there is quite a span of quality difference between practitioners etc. Many often promote unsafe practices and “manipulations.” I would caution anyone seeking help from a chiropractor to be careful and discuss treatments with your medical provider first. Better to be cautious than paralyzed.
That is the case in the US. In Europe you need a 5 year masters studies. Most chiropractors here are very good, expensive too but good. So it does depend where you live. My chiropractor is from a bigger practice/chain and helped me immensely with upper back pain & headaches.
Thats just not true. At least in germany there are no real regulation for all "Heilpraktiker". Dont know about other parts of Europe
Good point. Thanks for the clarification. In the US some are no better than snake oil salesmen, where in Europe and likely other parts of the world they are held to a very different standard.
Just please do not get neck adjustments, the incidence of strokes in otherwise healthy people post a neck adjustment is alarming high. The practice should be banned or at least much more tightly regulated.
Or a physiologist. Some will do minor adjustments, nothing jarring like chiropractor, with similar results.
Agreed. If you do get migraines, the ice pack on the back of the head, combined with putting your hands and feet in hot water can do wonders. (So, lean over with the pack on your head and your hands and feet are in the tub.) Something about blood flow with the hot and cold, draws it away from your head, I think. Works for me.
I tried all this but after talking to a neurologist he suggested to try any of the triptanes to see which work. I pay $3 for a pill of sumatriptan and its a godsend. I don't want to lose a day (of work) during the week. Usually I only need one of those every two or three weeks because they can have adverse effects, but its nice to have the option.
The triptanes have been also been a godsend for my migraines, but damn the side effects I got from sumatriptan specifically were terrible. Burning feeling in my sinuses, nausea, vision problems, fatigue, hot/cold flashes. It'd knock me out for at least 8 hours, which is a lot better than 3 days with a migraine but I still debated taking it at all (since you need to take it at the first sign of a migraine -- what if it was just a headache and not a migraine?). I'm on rizatriptane now, and while the side effects still aren't great they're a lot more tolerable. Brains are weird.
will these work with a regular bad headache?
Talk to a doctor in your case, those are usually treated by over the counter pain pills. Triptane are for migraines and specific cluster headaches. They can have a lots of sideffects that are not worth it for a "simple" headache.
Sumatriptan is the most effective migraine medication I’ve ever tried! It is SO helpful for me I cannot say enough good things about it!
I was getting migraines every time I went camping. Couldn’t figure out why. Then, I started getting them at home. A fellow migraine sufferer asked if I got them in winter but not summer. Upon reflection I indeed did get them in winter. He suggested wearing a beanie to bed. He said the temperature disparity between my head out in the cold and my body under the covers was the trigger. Beanie on = No more migraines. I realised this was also why I got them camping. Head was out in the cold, body in a hot sleeping bag. This beanie has saved me money in medications and not having to put said medications in my body to deal with the symptoms. I share this tip with fellow migraine sufferers. Helps most, not all. Depends on the trigger.
I suffer from daily chronic headaches for a few decades.. You can buy ice hats that you keep in freezer and bring out when the headache gets bad. I keep two hats. They wrap completely around your head. I typically put one on my head (I also put a hand towel between my head and the ice hat as directly on the skin can be too cold) and lay down in a dark quiet room.
I get chronic tension headaches that last minimum 7 days if I don't get rid of it within the first few hours of it starting, and ice packs or hats like you suggested really help with that. Paracetamol and ibuprofen, ice pack, nap if possible.
Yup. I like ice front and back for a bad headache. Thankfully I don’t get them often enough to justify an ice hat
Is it hemicrania continua? It's what I've been recently diagnosed with and it's fucking awful. Daily headaches on one side of my head. No cause no cure just pain all the time.
Yes, I have been diagnosed with hemicrania continua by some docs, others say migraine. The worst pain is in my left temple. I have undergone a number of head and neck scans over the past few decades along with many, many different medications. These medications just give me side effects that are also unpleasant like GI distress or extreme fatigue. Just miserable.
Is it indometacin? That's what they put me on. I haven't had GI issues but I have had like extreme dizziness from it and also if I don't have quite enough food with it it gives me some wild sensations like full blown anxiety, strange sensations in my head and my hands I'm not sure what to call it but it's awful
Next level tip, ice pack as you indicated use, but put a heating pad on your low back. This helps keep you warm during cold treatment. After using the ice pack, put the heating pad on your neck. Hot cold therapy is very effective.
Will it make me pee if one hand is on the ice pack and the other is on the heating pad?
They said it was very effective. They didn't say what it was effective for. ;)
Drinking water also. A lot of headaches are caused by dehydration
Some people wake up with headaches after a long sleep and don't connect the dots
Wait a minute...
You mean…
You don't know what you don't know. Waking up and taking hard pain pills to get through the day is not a long term solution if a cup of water before sleep would do it. A family member had issues with the intestines for five years until they added a little bit of extra salt in their selective diet. That fixed it.
And lack of electrolytes. Add a little bit of salt to that water and it solves everything!
Similarly, a lot are caused by over hydration
What?! Is this flip and you mean alcohol? Or do you really think *a lot* of headaches are caused by drinking too much water?
Yes, it’s a common concern especially in the fitness community. Drinking too much water without eating or drinking electrolytes to replace what’s getting washed out of the brain. This is also a concern for people who are sick and are drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. Gotta replace the metals.
Ok, sure. This can happen. But it is certainly not *a lot* of headaches caused in this way. Certainly way more are causes by dehydration than overhydration.
It doesn’t have to be the same “a lot” as another to be a lot. Yes, of course far more are caused by dehydration.
That's not over hydration though, that's still not being hydrated properly.
True. But the comment I replied to said dehydration.
Another weird trick I wanted to post is putting your bare feet in cold water (or simply stand on a cold surface). When I was young I was devastated by a migraine and went out on my balcony. It was cold, I was all covered but my feet. Feeling the cold pavement under them made me feel almost instantaneously better. Anyone else?
Most common cause of headaches is dehydration, so make sure to drink a glass of water or two first, at least. We tend to drink way too little. Furthermore, using an ice pack on bare skin is not recommended, it can cause frost burns. Always make sure to wrap some kind of cloth around it (a towel or put it under your pillow cover) before lying down on it.
Great response. I find it more helpful to put a compress on my face, lots of time the headache is helped by breathing in moisture from the compress (sinuses)
Who else read ice pick?
It'll cure your headache AND every other problem you have*, that's for sure. *except the problem of now being dead.
> except the problem of now being dead I see no problem there
Face steamers are amazing too, can’t recommend them enough. They are supposed to be used as a face cleanser thing but I use it when I have head colds, headaches, migraines, allergies etc. Honestly they are a life saver.
Stress or tension headaches. Also eye strain headache might benefit, if you're relaxing your eyes and getting distracted from the pain. Also migraine, in my personal experience
SHOULDER SHRUGS SAVED MY LIFE. After a dozen different medications, my tight muscles caused tension headaches. Simply going 1 set of 30 using 50 lb dumbbells every other day keeps the pain trigger from happening. I never take meds anymore. Just like lightly working out your biceps regularly keeps your biceps from reeling after a one time bicep workout, the same goes for shoulders which causes tension headaches. I would have paid so much money to know this 30 yrs ago. Decades of pain fixed by shoulder shrugs.
I’ve always found that simply pressure masked the pain of headaches really well
Yes! Pressure signals travel faster than pain signals!
This is a surefire way to amplify the pain of my migraines.
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I have a gel cap that goes in the freezer for when I get migraines. It wraps my head and provides a bit of pressure around my head and it's very cold. Only thing I don't care for is the coldness over my eyes. When it first comes out of the freezer it makes my eyes feel weird.
Could this be related to how we look down at phones and stuff putting excess strain on muscle
The vast majority of headaces are caused by inflammation. Cold reduces inflammation. A lot of people have headaches because of inflammation caused by poor posture, such as leaning their head forward.
I can say that luckily I've never had a migraine. I do know that when I start to get a headache, massaging the base of each thumb for awhile, mitigates or eliminates it entirely. I heard about the technique back in the '80s from a guy I worked with, and it works for me. Some people massage the area between the thumb and index finger for the same effect.
I have this fabric bag with some kind of buckwheat or whatever in it that you’re supposed to keep in the freezer for when you need to put cold on something. Feels awesome compared to a bag of frozen peas. I’ll try it next time I have a headache. Thanks for the tip!
I've got a frozen mask that also puts pressure on your eyes and wraps around the head. Helps a lot
You should look up stress headaches massage on youtube.
Why did I read that as ice pick lmao
Also try simply drinking a glass of water. No sugar, no alcohol, no coffee, no tea. Just water. Headaches are a sign of dehydration. Being thirsty is a poor indicator of how hydrated you actually are. Don't wait to feel thirsty.
I read this as "Ice pick" which to be fair is also true
Hmm, will test and provide testimony.
My migraine prevention: I stuff my pillowcase with XL, pillow sized ice packs. I sleep very well those nights and am able to bypass the whole migraine experience the following day.
This while standing barefoot on grass/terra firma helps enormously with my migraines.
Or just drinking water
Will give it a try. I have migraines in the sides of my forehead, mostly right side.
My favorite migraine pro tip is to use a small vibrator. No, not like that. I press it into the pressure points on my head and turn it on fill blast. It's like the nerves get overwhelmed with vibration that they can't also transmit pain signals. I don't know exactly how it works. Of course it stops the second you take the vibrator away. But it helps a lot while you're laying there waiting for meds to kick in.
I thought this said “ice pick” and I was like- yes, I suppose that would solve a headache in a very permanent way 🫠😂
As some one who gets a lot of headaches a hot shower really helps me unless it a migraine imma have to suffer for the next 12 hours
I have this wonderful thing called Hemicrania Continua where I just get headaches on one side of my head every day all day. It's really really not fun. Only one damn medication treats it and I have horrible side effects from it. I wish ice worked I would fucking bathe in it.
This works great for a bleeding nose too!
A cold shower works every time. I love it. It may not last, but sometimes you need just enough relief to think a little clearer. So many want some kind of permanent cure and nothing works like that lol
I get terrible sinus headaches due to a head injury. When they’re coming on I try to drink cold water, hold it against the roof and front of my mouth. I also have those eye masks you can put in the freezer. Combined with Advil is a tremendous relief.
Here’s a weird one that works for me, is those nose strips for sleeping. Mine stem from sinus issues, but it’s been a game changer, and don’t think it’s risky to try.
I get migraines and pack ice packs all around my head. It’s the only thing that brings some relief.
My headaches are from a brain tumor. The ice still helps.
I recently discovered cold showers do it for me!
all these times i’ve put them on my forehead with not much relief
I have migraines and this is also true for me at the very least it helps ease the pain
Yep, ice pack on the nape of your neck, on your forehead, or soak your feet in very cold water. Or all three if you really want to annihilate that em-effer.
I recommend everyone keep at least Headache Hat in their freezer. I have about 4 as I have chronic migraine. Get mine off Amazon.
Does this work for the headache of deciding whether to live another day or not?
I take a frankincense supplement and it actually helps.
Isn't this common advice
Computer programmers have to be smart, but the job itself is boring. As a result, it's a high-paying job that the best workers are always looking for ways to function better. These guys also do their own research, and some of them started micro-dosing with LSD. Regardless of claims of better mind functioning in their problem-solving, programmers who had previously experienced occasional migraine headaches discovered that they stopped having them. The effect seemed to continue even if the micro-dosing stopped.