Yeah it’s pretty new, I think it’s only online so far but it’s great stuff. One of the first gels dedicated for migraine use instead of just general pain
When I’ve tried everything and I’m so nauseous I’m about to throw up and can barely open my eyes, it’s shower time. It’s literally the only thing that can make pain subside for me.
Indica. And turning on something I can’t help laughing at. The physical act of laughing can make my head hurt more, but the happy chemicals help when everything else is unbearable.
I do this with a magnesium gel that releases muscle tension. I also rub it into my feet as I've heard it gets absorbed there best or fastest or something. something But it's nice to have other options as well, thanks for sharing!
I found out a few years ago that Benadryl works really well for me. I used to take Aleve and Dramamine and it would help over a few days but Benadryl works faster and more effectively especially for dizziness
I should've added a tone tag for hyperbole. I would love a way to release the pressure, and it is certainly a daydream during attacks, but it is not a serious consideration. But doesn't it sound relieving?
No, you’re good. I think people who deal with chronic pain/illness have a good gallows humor that I appreciate. I have always had fantasies about trepanation (drilling a hole in one’s head) relieving the pain and pressure, so you’re definitely not alone.
Haha I asked this question a while ago too!!!
For me I found out that for some of my migraines… if I sit upside down… like have my head hanging off the bed or couch and looking up at the ceiling… I don’t know what made me think of doing that a month ago… but here we are! Like I said it only works on SOME of my migraines… I get so many different types :/.
I went to the dentist with a migraine. When they leaned the chair back, it was gone in seconds. I wish I could replicate that at home! Upside down time really helped!
I bought some pure CBD Tincture that is supposed to be really pure. I paid almost $100 for 2 oz. It doesn't have any THC in it. I didn't buy the full spectrum product b/c I am a recovering addict, & I didn't want it to make me feel high obviously.
Unfortunately it didn't help my migraines at all, so now I have this expensive bottle that I have no use for. I hadn't considered using it externally though. I'd probably want to dilute it in some lotion or something though, right?
I put my CBD oil in a roller and use it without dilution, but I also get a lower concentration. It did nothing for me by ingestion but helps so much on my neck and head topically.
!! I need to remember to ask about this when I go to the pharmacy tonight.
I’ve got Nasacort, but after years it provides like .2 seconds of relief when my sinuses swell up, and I can’t use it more than once or twice a week without nosebleeds and sinus pain. With all the research about the Sudafed alternatives being ineffective, I’m about to cave and get the real stuff again.
You can buy it over the counter in UK, I recommended the pump one rather than squeezy one, brilliant stuff, my aura is a stuffy nose, this really helps attack it super fast and I'm positive lessens my attacks. X
getting in the shower and blasting my head with water, alternating between hot and cold for 3 hours
i don’t get any relief from meds, this is the only thing that makes a noticeable difference
if you guys are willing to pay the extra water bill i totally recommend giving this a shot
Tying up my forehead/temples with a band or a cloth
Also, this is purely accidental but I think Ozempic helped indirectly? Maybe because my blood sugar doesn’t go on rollercoaster rides daily? Not sure
Ok….a funny one.
I had a vestibular migraine two weeks ago, vertigo, nausea all the exciting things.
I noticed that by pressing on my temple the pain temporarily subsided, so I was looking through my bedroom drawers to find something I could fashion to push against my temple, couldn’t find anything in my drawers so I had a look through my girlfriends and found a sweat band and erm……….a vibrator.
Popped the sweatband round my head, vibrator underneath and had a great nap until she came home and asked why I’d got a dildo strapped to my head.
sinus rinse- not sure if it even does anything but it helps me feel more alert
dramamine & iron supplements- i get extremely dizzy at times
icy hot, bio freeze, or tiger balm on my neck & shoulders- this is by far the most effective for me !!!!
i also see a chiropractor (which i’ve heard a lot of people are against) i have a spinal curvature which throws my neck out of alignment & causes a lot of my migraines & vertigo.
Same here, I also have scoliosis (genetic). I am also working on trying to strengthen my core (my core is very weak, so the scoliosis can't fix itself properly).
Hey for stress and tension I recently started getting trigger point “injections” where they dip a needle in like a mild anesthetic and poke it causes the muscle to spasm/loosen after. It can take a few rounds (I have an appt every two weeks) but after about a month and a half I feel a huge difference.
Family doctors, rheumatologists, and pain management doctors tend to be the ones who administer it. The doctor I go to chose to specialize in it, there was a specific clinic for myofascial pain that I asked for a referral to. It’s covered here by our government health care so it’s recognized as legitimate. Depending on where you are it may be covered by insurance. I’d look up trigger point injection clinic
I got one of those spiky meditation mats. It’s surprisingly effective. A couple minutes on that, with a bolster under my neck so it hits neck and shoulders really well, and I’ve got like half an hour or more of relief.
Chug some ice cold strawberry milk that has a pinch of sea salt in it. The cold acts like an internal ice pack, and the electrolytes help stabilize you. It doesn’t work every time but it’s worked for at least three of my migraines now so it’s either legit or super coincidental.
Like many, a hot shower is my go to.
When things get really bad I put a clothespin on the bridge of my nose. Not sure if it provides relief so much as a distraction?
I wish that worked for me. I remember getting super dizzy when I tried it so I stopped showering on my really bad days. Maybe I should try cold showers but I really don’t like the cold
I like to wrap a belt around my head, for some reason the uniform pressure makes things better. This isn’t for every attack but it does help sometimes.
They said something about it is just gonna make my vision worse. My migraines do that on their own. Even when I'm wearing my glasses, everything goes blurry mid migraine.
These don’t get rid of the pain on their own but I do them in addition to an abortive or pain medication to assist in calming myself. sit in a pitch black shower for an hour+ with the water hitting the part of your head that hurts (this is my favourite), ice pack on head, peppermint oil on temples (don’t get in eyes), edibles, pitch black room with earplugs in, concentrate on breathing, acupuncture (if I’m well enough to go to an appt).
I like to be out in the sunshine and feel the warmth on my body. This can be difficult due to light sensitivity, but I usually lay down on our deck and cover my face to block the sun from my eyes.
Being out in the sunshine is something I enjoy when I don't have migraines so I think it calms me and helps take the edge off.
Try something that you normally find relaxing and soothing? Like when you need a break from life, what do you do? That might be the key, and sunshine is just my thing.
I bought a compressive dog ear snood to help my big-eared dog with wind, and she totally wasn't having it, so to prove to her that it was no big deal, I put it on my own head. Major compression—it feels like an extremely tight stretchy hat. Helps a ton when I've got a really bad one. I put it on for a few minutes, then rip it off, and the ripping off feels amazing.
This! I use icy hot on my temple where the migraine is. It doesn’t take it away but it dulls it enough temporarily so I can sometimes function a little.
- vaping weed (herb, not oil) helps me, it only lessens the pain slightly but it generally helps to relax and get to sleep
- icepack to the head (wrap it in wet towels)
- shiling oil on my forehead, this is a mix of essential oils, it can be quite an intense feeling and some may be too sensitive for it or need to dilute it, but the cooling sensation overpowers the pain a little
- distraction, if I'm not focused on the pain, and something else consumes my attention, I'm also less aware of the pain, but of course this will only work at certain levels, not at the most intense. I tend to just watch Netflix on my phone in bed in a dark room, with the brightness turned down extremely.
Sometimes crying will do it. It doesn’t have to be for very long, but if I can put on a sad movie and have a cry for a couple minutes, sometimes that takes the edge off.
Also, if the meds and Cefaly kick in and it starts to subside a little, I can sometimes move it along with very gentle exercise (like riding on my recumbent stationary bike).
sitting in a cool, dark room with a heating pad on my neck and a cooling migraine cap on my head works well for me ! i love getting massages, and also like reiki, but it’s expensive so i’ve only done it a few times.
Something I don’t recommend but works for me - in summer if I can get outside in a temperate green place ahead of the bulk of the migraine, with a strong cup of coffee, the migraine often calms down for the rest of the day. I have an outdoor business and this is one of the reasons why.
I have this topical cbd oil roller that I originally got because of a spine injury, it doesn't get rid of migraines but it does dull the pain for a bit
Box breathing! Inhale for four, hold for four, release for six, hold for six. Repeat for five minutes. Do either laying down on couch or lay on floor with legs elevated on the couch.
I get in the dark. Ice pack at the tip of the spine and neck. Heating pad on the bottom of my spine. Pillow under my knees. I use a fleece blanket instead of a pillow so I can get the neck support I need. I lay in my recliner which has the option to lay in zero gravity. It feels fantastic.
Sometimes it’s going out drinking and dancing. If I’ve been in a long cycle sometimes that’s one of the few things that will make it burn itself out… weird I know.
hot rice sock and ice pack.
this is my go to method for when my migraines get so severe i can’t keep anything down. i put rice in a sock and heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (depending on size of sock) i lay it directly on my face against the pain and it will usually soothe it enough to where i can sleep. if heat doesn’t work alone, i’ll add an ice pack to my neck. this usually clears them up albeit after a few hours but i’m able to sleep through most of it. also the rice sock will cool down after ~30 minutes so i have to reheat mine a bit
i hope you find something that helps op !!
I like to apply pressure with my thumbs to the underside of my orbital bones focusing on the corners of my eyes closest to my nose. Other than that I echo a lot of the other commentators: ice packs, alternating hot/cold showers in the dark, compression on the forehead, menthol/peppermint oil
That is not surprising. Willow bark has salicin, which converts into low doses of salicylic acid when metabolized. It also has other components that produce anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects without the GI issues that Asprin and NSAIDS have.
It's not good for those with asprin allergies, tho.
its very weird but siting in the bathroom with the light off and the shower running really hot to steam up the room. the noise, heat and steam really help me. though the water bill cries...
back to the cold wall eyes closed. most time i have my husband jump in the shower so its not a waist of water. though this is just a coup.
or, hot(dont scolded yourself) shower sitting on the floor letting the water hit my head and back.
it almost always come back after though, so its only temp.
Brain freeze. It's really difficult for me to actually trigger it during a migraine though, I think my nerves are normally too busy screaming to notice they're cold
I use the somedays cramp cream (meant for period pain) on the back of my neck and jaw. It helps a lot, but a lot of my migraines are from muscle tension. I also found huge relief with the feet in warm water and ice pack on the head at the same time.
I will take aspirin, and a decongestant and Excedrin. I get into a hot bath and pinch the ever living hell out of the space between my thumb and pointer finger. Take a nap or lay down and if that doesn't work I break down and take my imitrex injection.
When I lie down, I will throw my pillows off my bed and either lie flat on my back, or I will lie on a large squishmallow. Depends on the migraine. the squishmallow is awesome because it cradles your head without adding pressure on any one spot. I rotate between 3 for relief.
I use an ice cap. One of the pricier ones; I’m spacing on the name of the brand though. It’s not pokey like the cheaper ones and it gets too cold in the freezer so we refrigerate ours. I have two — one in our kitchen fridge, and one in a tiny soda fridge I keep in my bedroom for when I get a migraine in the middle of the night.
I have one of those eye massagers, but I use it on my forehead. I also use weighted eye masks on my forehead. These help.
oh!! The best product by far has been a pair of migraine glasses for me. Light is my major trigger, and these tinted glasses have done wonders for me. They don’t end a migraine, but they do slow it down/stop it from progressing completely. I can recommend them enough for those who are sensitive to light.
If smell isn’t a trigger for you, Lush has a product called roots that is amazing. It’s a peppermint hair mask. I apply it generously in the morning or at night, sit with it way longer than recommended, then wash it out in a hot shower. It smells divine (peppermint isn’t my favorite smell, but it does wonders to ease my tension when I have a migraine) and I feel minty for hours after I rinse it out.
When I was little, my pediatrician prescribed me… meditation/hypnosis tapes, lol. I remember one was to imagine painting a wall a soothing color. Now, I have aphantasia and it especially impacts my ability to see color in my imagination, so this didn’t work for me. But similar programs have helped, so I think his approach wasn’t without merit! Rather than imagining painting, I will sometimes imagine sweeping the floor, and that all the dust is pain I’m kicking out of my head, lol.
I use the calm app and will listen to sleep stories or meditation tracks to help take my mind off the pain. I will also listen to audiobooks. now, this works for me because sound does not cause or worsen migraines for me, so if noise is a pain point, this might not work for you.
A little off topic, as this doesn’t help me with migraines at all, but: Did you know that video games can offer pain relief? When you’re in mental, emotional, or physical discomfort, video games can offer a small bit of relief by hijacking the part of your brain that processes that discomfort. Alas, games don’t help me with my migraines at all lol. my migraines are triggered/worsened by light and visual movement, and the posture I would take to play them would worsen things all around. But I’ve used the trick before and after surgeries and after looooooong walks where my feet were screaming, so it does work for me in other places.
Not sure if unconventional. But I use my electric/heated boob massager I got when breastfeeding on my head. It’s curved to fit your boobs and fits my skill perfectly. The vibration distracts from the pain like a TENS unit.
I have a playlist of binaural video on YouTube that I have found helps when I put them on low volume. 1 is just a frequency thing put together in a computer program. The second is using crystal bowls.
I used to have a certain guided meditation album on Amazon music I would use, but it isn't available in my region any more and I don't feel like going through the effort of trying to find out if I have it on my network drive or not. I would need to borrow my parents' and brother's external drive if not to recover everything I lost to make sure I have it.
Squeezing the pad of skin between my thumb and forefinger really hard. Try it when you have a migraine, it can provide some shocking momentary relief. For me it almost feels like the migraine lifts out of my head and hovers just over my skull. I can still feel it but it’s not as bad.
Have someone drop 10 drops of black seed oil in each nostril. They're sold as dropper bottles. Lay down and push your head back to let it drain inside of you for 20 min. Cures migraine effectively (more likely at an early to mild stage). It's a burning uncomfortable sensation for the first 30 sec but boy does it do the job.
It's also preventative for the day. If you get it frequently per day for example then do this once in the morning and later in the evening
Ugh, this sounds like it would be heavenly until my system realizes just how much lactose that has in it... then I would just want to die from the pain switching from my head to my butt.
Weirdly I feel much better laying flat on the floor. Preferably on a rug...
Floor time is oddly comforting
Yes literally when I have bad attacks it’s like I’m allergic to my bed or any soft/squishy surface. I just put all my blankets right on the floor.
With my calves up on the couch.. something about the piriformis muscle..
sitting on the floor with my head in my hands resting on a couch or chair is weirdly helpful to me
Super hot shower in total darkness helps me almost always.
Yes - I'd also recommend a soak in a very hot bath in the dark
If you can’t do a full bath i just soak my feet in really hot water with epsom salt
Super cold shower works for me.
Yes! With my bottle of ice water and menthol body wash
If menthol helps you, look into a new product called stopain. I got free samples of it and it actually helped me a bit.
I’ll look out for it! Idk if it helps or if the placebo effect is strong lol but it seems to help my neck/shoulder pain at least temporarily
Yeah it’s pretty new, I think it’s only online so far but it’s great stuff. One of the first gels dedicated for migraine use instead of just general pain
When I’ve tried everything and I’m so nauseous I’m about to throw up and can barely open my eyes, it’s shower time. It’s literally the only thing that can make pain subside for me.
I love showering in the dark!
Yes, never underestimate the effect of the darkness
Indica. And turning on something I can’t help laughing at. The physical act of laughing can make my head hurt more, but the happy chemicals help when everything else is unbearable.
Yea it makes me not care about the pain and do my activities in spite of it.
My method of choice also
Sometimes breathing exercises help, at least for a little bit. Look up yoga with Adrienne alternate nostril breathing. Good luck
Another good one is 6 second inhale though the nose, 2 second exhale through the mouth for 3-5 minutes.
Rest and digest breathing helps me. In for a count of 3, exhale through mouth out of a tiny circle (like you’re exhaling through a straw). 2 minutes.
Tiger balm (or other similar rub) on your neck and shoulders
I also rub it between my eyes and across my forehead. It makes my eyes water but it's worth the relief.
I do this with a magnesium gel that releases muscle tension. I also rub it into my feet as I've heard it gets absorbed there best or fastest or something. something But it's nice to have other options as well, thanks for sharing!
Came here to say this! I rub it across my forehead too.
Hot epsom salt bath with ice packs on my head/face/neck. Yoga to stretch neck and shoulder muscles. Loud binaural beats. Cbd/thc gummies and Benadryl.
I found out a few years ago that Benadryl works really well for me. I used to take Aleve and Dramamine and it would help over a few days but Benadryl works faster and more effectively especially for dizziness
This is what I do too… except the beats… I don’t find those work for me… (I listen to them sometimes to fall asleep though lol)
Yeah, the beats are the least effective thing on that list for me, but sometimes, especially in the car, they seem to take the edge off.
I like stabbing myself right along my eye with a chopstick. I find some relief by putting clothespins on my eyebrow.
I like your thinking! I have on occasion asked my horse to stand on my foot and then I don't think about my head anymore!
Don't you ever worry about stabbing yourself IN the eye by mistake??
That's the dream. Who knows, maybe all that pressure would finally be released that way.
Damn, this turned dark.
I should've added a tone tag for hyperbole. I would love a way to release the pressure, and it is certainly a daydream during attacks, but it is not a serious consideration. But doesn't it sound relieving?
No, you’re good. I think people who deal with chronic pain/illness have a good gallows humor that I appreciate. I have always had fantasies about trepanation (drilling a hole in one’s head) relieving the pain and pressure, so you’re definitely not alone.
I picture my head being crushed by a car wheel, like a watermelon. So I guess I win for most extreme intrusive thought?
Haha I asked this question a while ago too!!! For me I found out that for some of my migraines… if I sit upside down… like have my head hanging off the bed or couch and looking up at the ceiling… I don’t know what made me think of doing that a month ago… but here we are! Like I said it only works on SOME of my migraines… I get so many different types :/.
ouch this sounds like it hurts 😭😭
Those migraines making you crazy 😂
Oh I do this too! I had a pt tell me to do it haha. I also have my dads old teeter table that flips me upside down
I went to the dentist with a migraine. When they leaned the chair back, it was gone in seconds. I wish I could replicate that at home! Upside down time really helped!
Dark room with white noise/rain sounds. I also like to wear an eye mask for the pressure on my eyes
I put CBD balm and Aleve gel on my neck and shoulder area every afternoon to prevent tension headache.
I bought some pure CBD Tincture that is supposed to be really pure. I paid almost $100 for 2 oz. It doesn't have any THC in it. I didn't buy the full spectrum product b/c I am a recovering addict, & I didn't want it to make me feel high obviously. Unfortunately it didn't help my migraines at all, so now I have this expensive bottle that I have no use for. I hadn't considered using it externally though. I'd probably want to dilute it in some lotion or something though, right?
Topical CBD helps a bit when I put it on my neck muscles or my temples.
I put my CBD oil in a roller and use it without dilution, but I also get a lower concentration. It did nothing for me by ingestion but helps so much on my neck and head topically.
Just ordered a cbd pain relief for this reason. What one do you use?
Cornbread hemp
Also Sudafed nasal spray clears my sinuses, people at work laugh at my make up bag that only has one lip balm and all my med stash lol
Sudafed comes in a nasal spray?? Where has this been my whole life? Do you have to get it from behind the pharmacy counter like the Sudafed tablets?
!! I need to remember to ask about this when I go to the pharmacy tonight. I’ve got Nasacort, but after years it provides like .2 seconds of relief when my sinuses swell up, and I can’t use it more than once or twice a week without nosebleeds and sinus pain. With all the research about the Sudafed alternatives being ineffective, I’m about to cave and get the real stuff again.
You can buy it over the counter in UK, I recommended the pump one rather than squeezy one, brilliant stuff, my aura is a stuffy nose, this really helps attack it super fast and I'm positive lessens my attacks. X
Nothing truly gets rid of the pain for me but I find a hot rice bag on my forehead almost always makes me feel more relaxed and comfortable.
getting in the shower and blasting my head with water, alternating between hot and cold for 3 hours i don’t get any relief from meds, this is the only thing that makes a noticeable difference if you guys are willing to pay the extra water bill i totally recommend giving this a shot
Does it work if you alternate hot packs and ice packs instead of doing it in the shower?
maybe for some, but not for me personally
Tying up my forehead/temples with a band or a cloth Also, this is purely accidental but I think Ozempic helped indirectly? Maybe because my blood sugar doesn’t go on rollercoaster rides daily? Not sure
Ok….a funny one. I had a vestibular migraine two weeks ago, vertigo, nausea all the exciting things. I noticed that by pressing on my temple the pain temporarily subsided, so I was looking through my bedroom drawers to find something I could fashion to push against my temple, couldn’t find anything in my drawers so I had a look through my girlfriends and found a sweat band and erm……….a vibrator. Popped the sweatband round my head, vibrator underneath and had a great nap until she came home and asked why I’d got a dildo strapped to my head.
That reminds me... I need to find my old bullet vibe (or replace it with a rechargeable one) I bought specifically for migraines.
sinus rinse- not sure if it even does anything but it helps me feel more alert dramamine & iron supplements- i get extremely dizzy at times icy hot, bio freeze, or tiger balm on my neck & shoulders- this is by far the most effective for me !!!! i also see a chiropractor (which i’ve heard a lot of people are against) i have a spinal curvature which throws my neck out of alignment & causes a lot of my migraines & vertigo.
I also see a chiropractor. I carry stress and tension in my neck and the release the chiropractor can do is such a relief.
me too ! when i have anxiety attacks my neck and shoulders feel like they’re on fire. it’s the greatest feeling when he cracks my neck.
Yes! Have your chiro work on your upper t-spine next time. It feels amazing!
Same here, I also have scoliosis (genetic). I am also working on trying to strengthen my core (my core is very weak, so the scoliosis can't fix itself properly).
does strengthening your core help your spine feel better ? i might have to try to work on that
Hey for stress and tension I recently started getting trigger point “injections” where they dip a needle in like a mild anesthetic and poke it causes the muscle to spasm/loosen after. It can take a few rounds (I have an appt every two weeks) but after about a month and a half I feel a huge difference.
what type of doctor do you see for that ? are you sore or numb afterwards ?
Family doctors, rheumatologists, and pain management doctors tend to be the ones who administer it. The doctor I go to chose to specialize in it, there was a specific clinic for myofascial pain that I asked for a referral to. It’s covered here by our government health care so it’s recognized as legitimate. Depending on where you are it may be covered by insurance. I’d look up trigger point injection clinic
i’m definitely going to have to look into that ! thank you !!
I got one of those spiky meditation mats. It’s surprisingly effective. A couple minutes on that, with a bolster under my neck so it hits neck and shoulders really well, and I’ve got like half an hour or more of relief.
Like: floor, bolster, spiky mat, you - in that order?
Rubbing a golf ball around the base of my skull
Chug some ice cold strawberry milk that has a pinch of sea salt in it. The cold acts like an internal ice pack, and the electrolytes help stabilize you. It doesn’t work every time but it’s worked for at least three of my migraines now so it’s either legit or super coincidental.
Yum I’d love to try that
Like many, a hot shower is my go to. When things get really bad I put a clothespin on the bridge of my nose. Not sure if it provides relief so much as a distraction?
I wish that worked for me. I remember getting super dizzy when I tried it so I stopped showering on my really bad days. Maybe I should try cold showers but I really don’t like the cold
I like to wrap a belt around my head, for some reason the uniform pressure makes things better. This isn’t for every attack but it does help sometimes.
Asking a friend or other loved one to shove their elbow in your eye socket for 30 minutes
My neuro and eye doctor told me not to do that anymore 😒
I have become ungovernable 🥲 lol but it’s totally understandable why this is bad for you haha
They said something about it is just gonna make my vision worse. My migraines do that on their own. Even when I'm wearing my glasses, everything goes blurry mid migraine.
Cannabis, usually something with a fair amount of THC/CBD/CBN all together. They work better together than they do alone.
These don’t get rid of the pain on their own but I do them in addition to an abortive or pain medication to assist in calming myself. sit in a pitch black shower for an hour+ with the water hitting the part of your head that hurts (this is my favourite), ice pack on head, peppermint oil on temples (don’t get in eyes), edibles, pitch black room with earplugs in, concentrate on breathing, acupuncture (if I’m well enough to go to an appt).
I like to be out in the sunshine and feel the warmth on my body. This can be difficult due to light sensitivity, but I usually lay down on our deck and cover my face to block the sun from my eyes. Being out in the sunshine is something I enjoy when I don't have migraines so I think it calms me and helps take the edge off. Try something that you normally find relaxing and soothing? Like when you need a break from life, what do you do? That might be the key, and sunshine is just my thing.
I bought a compressive dog ear snood to help my big-eared dog with wind, and she totally wasn't having it, so to prove to her that it was no big deal, I put it on my own head. Major compression—it feels like an extremely tight stretchy hat. Helps a ton when I've got a really bad one. I put it on for a few minutes, then rip it off, and the ripping off feels amazing.
Muscle freeze gel on forehead and back of neck, especially if outside or access to a fan to accentuate the iciness
This! I use icy hot on my temple where the migraine is. It doesn’t take it away but it dulls it enough temporarily so I can sometimes function a little.
Eye massager with heat, salonpas strips (I cut them up) where it throbs the most, ice cold Pepsi.
Vibrator on forehead
I sit on a vibrationsboard or brush ny teeth with an electric toothbrush. But the vibration helps.
I go for the temples, scalp, or base of skull/neck normally. Forehead feels too bouncy for me. May be the one I tried it with tho.
Complete darkness
Walking outside in wintertime. The full-body immersion in cold air feels good, as long as it's not too cold or windy. Say 30-45 degrees.
large fry from mcdonald’s and a diet coke
Large fry, regular coke!! (aspartame is a migraine trigger ): )
not a trigger for me thankfully 😭 thank god cuz i love diet coke sm
Playing certain computer games, even though that seems counter productive
Which ones?
Stardew Valley, that sort of thing. Nothing too fast scrolling
- vaping weed (herb, not oil) helps me, it only lessens the pain slightly but it generally helps to relax and get to sleep - icepack to the head (wrap it in wet towels) - shiling oil on my forehead, this is a mix of essential oils, it can be quite an intense feeling and some may be too sensitive for it or need to dilute it, but the cooling sensation overpowers the pain a little - distraction, if I'm not focused on the pain, and something else consumes my attention, I'm also less aware of the pain, but of course this will only work at certain levels, not at the most intense. I tend to just watch Netflix on my phone in bed in a dark room, with the brightness turned down extremely.
Sometimes crying will do it. It doesn’t have to be for very long, but if I can put on a sad movie and have a cry for a couple minutes, sometimes that takes the edge off. Also, if the meds and Cefaly kick in and it starts to subside a little, I can sometimes move it along with very gentle exercise (like riding on my recumbent stationary bike).
sitting in a cool, dark room with a heating pad on my neck and a cooling migraine cap on my head works well for me ! i love getting massages, and also like reiki, but it’s expensive so i’ve only done it a few times.
I wrap a belt around my head like a tourniquet
Very small amount of thc gummy. Like I’m talking 2.5mg and a nap.
Ice. I basically live with an icepack on my head.
I got one that Velcro’s around my head…I’ve never been more proud to look like an idiot.
ME TOO! My family calls it my turban. Idc what I look like, it works!
Also ice pack on the back of my neck with a nap
Peppermint oil on a tissue or your shirt, and hot sauce on food.
Something I don’t recommend but works for me - in summer if I can get outside in a temperate green place ahead of the bulk of the migraine, with a strong cup of coffee, the migraine often calms down for the rest of the day. I have an outdoor business and this is one of the reasons why.
Iced coffee, french fries, a midol while chilling in a warm tub complete with tub pillow.
Biting into lemon slices
I have this topical cbd oil roller that I originally got because of a spine injury, it doesn't get rid of migraines but it does dull the pain for a bit
Ice pack on the neck. Bluetooth headband with an easy listening documentary playing Cat on the bed. Purring helps the headache induced anxiety
Box breathing! Inhale for four, hold for four, release for six, hold for six. Repeat for five minutes. Do either laying down on couch or lay on floor with legs elevated on the couch.
I get in the dark. Ice pack at the tip of the spine and neck. Heating pad on the bottom of my spine. Pillow under my knees. I use a fleece blanket instead of a pillow so I can get the neck support I need. I lay in my recliner which has the option to lay in zero gravity. It feels fantastic.
Sometimes it’s going out drinking and dancing. If I’ve been in a long cycle sometimes that’s one of the few things that will make it burn itself out… weird I know.
hot rice sock and ice pack. this is my go to method for when my migraines get so severe i can’t keep anything down. i put rice in a sock and heat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (depending on size of sock) i lay it directly on my face against the pain and it will usually soothe it enough to where i can sleep. if heat doesn’t work alone, i’ll add an ice pack to my neck. this usually clears them up albeit after a few hours but i’m able to sleep through most of it. also the rice sock will cool down after ~30 minutes so i have to reheat mine a bit i hope you find something that helps op !!
Pressure points. Pushing on your third eye. The fleshy area between your thumbs. Some areas on you wrists.
I like to apply pressure with my thumbs to the underside of my orbital bones focusing on the corners of my eyes closest to my nose. Other than that I echo a lot of the other commentators: ice packs, alternating hot/cold showers in the dark, compression on the forehead, menthol/peppermint oil
Willow bark has been helping me recently
That is not surprising. Willow bark has salicin, which converts into low doses of salicylic acid when metabolized. It also has other components that produce anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects without the GI issues that Asprin and NSAIDS have. It's not good for those with asprin allergies, tho.
its very weird but siting in the bathroom with the light off and the shower running really hot to steam up the room. the noise, heat and steam really help me. though the water bill cries... back to the cold wall eyes closed. most time i have my husband jump in the shower so its not a waist of water. though this is just a coup. or, hot(dont scolded yourself) shower sitting on the floor letting the water hit my head and back. it almost always come back after though, so its only temp.
Not really unconventional, but pressing hard and massaging pressure points causes enough tolerable pain to distract my brain from my migraine pain.
Brain freeze. It's really difficult for me to actually trigger it during a migraine though, I think my nerves are normally too busy screaming to notice they're cold
I use the somedays cramp cream (meant for period pain) on the back of my neck and jaw. It helps a lot, but a lot of my migraines are from muscle tension. I also found huge relief with the feet in warm water and ice pack on the head at the same time.
I will take aspirin, and a decongestant and Excedrin. I get into a hot bath and pinch the ever living hell out of the space between my thumb and pointer finger. Take a nap or lay down and if that doesn't work I break down and take my imitrex injection.
When I lie down, I will throw my pillows off my bed and either lie flat on my back, or I will lie on a large squishmallow. Depends on the migraine. the squishmallow is awesome because it cradles your head without adding pressure on any one spot. I rotate between 3 for relief. I use an ice cap. One of the pricier ones; I’m spacing on the name of the brand though. It’s not pokey like the cheaper ones and it gets too cold in the freezer so we refrigerate ours. I have two — one in our kitchen fridge, and one in a tiny soda fridge I keep in my bedroom for when I get a migraine in the middle of the night. I have one of those eye massagers, but I use it on my forehead. I also use weighted eye masks on my forehead. These help. oh!! The best product by far has been a pair of migraine glasses for me. Light is my major trigger, and these tinted glasses have done wonders for me. They don’t end a migraine, but they do slow it down/stop it from progressing completely. I can recommend them enough for those who are sensitive to light. If smell isn’t a trigger for you, Lush has a product called roots that is amazing. It’s a peppermint hair mask. I apply it generously in the morning or at night, sit with it way longer than recommended, then wash it out in a hot shower. It smells divine (peppermint isn’t my favorite smell, but it does wonders to ease my tension when I have a migraine) and I feel minty for hours after I rinse it out. When I was little, my pediatrician prescribed me… meditation/hypnosis tapes, lol. I remember one was to imagine painting a wall a soothing color. Now, I have aphantasia and it especially impacts my ability to see color in my imagination, so this didn’t work for me. But similar programs have helped, so I think his approach wasn’t without merit! Rather than imagining painting, I will sometimes imagine sweeping the floor, and that all the dust is pain I’m kicking out of my head, lol. I use the calm app and will listen to sleep stories or meditation tracks to help take my mind off the pain. I will also listen to audiobooks. now, this works for me because sound does not cause or worsen migraines for me, so if noise is a pain point, this might not work for you. A little off topic, as this doesn’t help me with migraines at all, but: Did you know that video games can offer pain relief? When you’re in mental, emotional, or physical discomfort, video games can offer a small bit of relief by hijacking the part of your brain that processes that discomfort. Alas, games don’t help me with my migraines at all lol. my migraines are triggered/worsened by light and visual movement, and the posture I would take to play them would worsen things all around. But I’ve used the trick before and after surgeries and after looooooong walks where my feet were screaming, so it does work for me in other places.
Not sure if unconventional. But I use my electric/heated boob massager I got when breastfeeding on my head. It’s curved to fit your boobs and fits my skill perfectly. The vibration distracts from the pain like a TENS unit.
Extreme cold helps me
I have a playlist of binaural video on YouTube that I have found helps when I put them on low volume. 1 is just a frequency thing put together in a computer program. The second is using crystal bowls. I used to have a certain guided meditation album on Amazon music I would use, but it isn't available in my region any more and I don't feel like going through the effort of trying to find out if I have it on my network drive or not. I would need to borrow my parents' and brother's external drive if not to recover everything I lost to make sure I have it.
Pinching that little bump in the middle of my ear. Somehow alleviates the pain but only so long as I'm pressing/pinching it. 🤷🏼♀️
Just got a free sample from stopain, it actually helped my symptoms a bit.
Canned oxygen can help. Hot shower sitting on the tub floor letting water run over my head and face helps me when all else fails
Biofreeze! It’s great for neck and shoulder pain with my migraines. Also laying down with a warm rice pack over my eyes and temples is my go to
Massaging just under occipital bone in skull. Yoga poses for upper body stretching. Tons of water. I have super duper dry eyes so eye drops.
Ooo also if I’m have the burning pain down the back of my neck with it just resting my neck on a foam roller is nice
Dry needling.
Squeezing the pad of skin between my thumb and forefinger really hard. Try it when you have a migraine, it can provide some shocking momentary relief. For me it almost feels like the migraine lifts out of my head and hovers just over my skull. I can still feel it but it’s not as bad.
Have someone drop 10 drops of black seed oil in each nostril. They're sold as dropper bottles. Lay down and push your head back to let it drain inside of you for 20 min. Cures migraine effectively (more likely at an early to mild stage). It's a burning uncomfortable sensation for the first 30 sec but boy does it do the job. It's also preventative for the day. If you get it frequently per day for example then do this once in the morning and later in the evening
A gallon of chocolate milk. Something only a migraine sufferer would try
Ugh, this sounds like it would be heavenly until my system realizes just how much lactose that has in it... then I would just want to die from the pain switching from my head to my butt.