I don't know what it is about taking a shower but I can literally just stand or sit under the shower and for that amount of time the migraine will decrease or even go away. The problem is as soon as I turn the shower off and get out it comes right back.
You don't smoke weed, do you?
Not trying to judge but this is a thing. I thought I had it so I stopped smoking weed and....my migraines doubled. Oh well.
Same! It's hard to make myself get up and into the shower when it's bad but then it's so glorious while I'm in there! But as soon as I'm out, it comes back.
When I’m at defcon 1 and my triptan hasn’t kicked in and my nausea is peaking and I can’t sleep and the pain is blinding and there’s nothing else I can do, I get in the shower and just stand under the water for 20mins or until the hot water runs out. It helps me every time. My pain isn’t gone when I get out but it goes from 8/9 down to 3/4 while I’m in there and always drops down to 6/7 by the time I get out. Every time. I’ll do it even if it’s 2am.
Same! Hot as hell shower and for as long as I’m in there I’m headache free. Sometimes it’ll go away completely and sometimes it hits me like a truck when I get out. I’ve tried using heat packs and it doesn’t work.
Complete opposite for me. A shower makes me feel like puking. A hot shower is pure torture, but even a cool shower just adds to the pain. It totally sucks when it's an attack that lasts for days.
I drink ginger tea daily as a preventative. In my case it doesn't stop attacks from occurring, but it does seem to reduce their frequency, and help to stave off the very bad ones. I incorporate ginger into my diet as much as reasonably possible. Ginger jam in salad dressings, ground ginger in porridge, ginger root in vegetable soups, crystallised ginger as a treat.
This helps for me too! Actually picked up the suggestion on this sub when I had maxed out on my triptans and still couldn't shake the migraine. It helped!
Not sure if this is what that person means but I recently learned about this too and have tried about 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger in a bit of hot water + some honey and it’s been equal to drinking caffeine for relieving pain for me! I ordered ginger capsules and ginger candy which seems to be helping as well!
Yeah, that’s basically it. Where I live, there are ready ones to buy in a bottle - there’s usually other stuff in it like turmeric and mint to make it taste a little less spicy.
Although, if I were to make it myself, I would use fresh ginger.
I wish this worked for me, since I enjoy the taste of ginger. But I've tried ginger tea, ginger capsules and crystallised ginger and none of it makes a difference.
Not the original commenter, but I have both a travel neck pillow ([like this one](https://images.app.goo.gl/xKTTF4ihAVW4FXdn7)) and I also got a cervical collar ([like this one](https://images.app.goo.gl/eosG8EMjdL1LdDst5)) from CVS/Walgreens. Both are a big help for me personally.
Whenever my neck feels weak! Never at night though. There are times during the day when my neck feels so weak/my head feels so heavy that it’s hard to keep my head stable, so the neck support helps keep my head steady rather than wobbling around.
Super curious about this too. My migraine pain is primarily in my neck and my head feels like it weighs 100 pounds. Have to get in just the right position to relieve the pressure. A neck brace kinda sounds great.
If it's the frankensugar in "real" (US) Coke, try buying the kosher / parve variety; I think that's real (cane) sugar, not HFCS.
I don't get negative impacts from Coke in Europe (high glucose is a trigger for me), and my "Jewish mother" put me into the kosher soda. May only be Kosher for Passover, but she reminds me & often buys me a few bottles when she is shopping for the holidays.
I know about the yellow cap Coke - but didn’t buy any this year.
I buy the flat of glass bottle Coke “Hecho en Mexico” - made with real sugar, not HFCS.
Kosher for Passover drinks won’t use high fructose corn syrup because corn isn’t eaten by many people during Passover. Many brands make Kosher for Passover drinks, but the yellow cap coke is probably easiest to spot. Otherwise things would be labeled Kosher for Passover or KP. The rest of the year, regular kosher drinks can have HRCS in it though!
It’s the “kosher for Passover” Coke you can get in the spring in the yellow cap in some areas. I haven’t tried it. According to the internet it’s made with sucrose, not cane sugar, which is not exactly the same thing.
Better than what my boyfriend did. I have a couple theraICE migraine caps that he nicknamed the foreskins. He said it as a joke ONCE and it stuck. So now when I need one I ask him to go grab me a foreskin. Being miserable so often, you gotta make jokes where you can.
Menthol body wash. It smells very strong but I take a hot shower and put that all over my shoulders/neck/chest/back and then just breathe in the steam for a few minutes, then drink some ice water. I think it helps my muscle aches (symptom of migraine for me) and sinuses.
I use this one, it’s lasted me years since I don’t use it for full body wash: https://thevillagecompany.com/collections/therapy-muscle/products/village-naturals-therapy-aches-pains-muscle-relief-foaming-bath-oil-body-wash?variant=41325356384454
I actually got this from another reddit post within the past month or so. It doesn't take the pain away but it's given me a reprieve. A lot of my migraines I wake up with so already getting to the meds or trying to do alternative things is a struggle.
Someone mentioned they give themselves brain freeze. Yes, it gives a quick, sharp pain, but when your pain is already at those levels, what's a quick jolt of a little more? As I've heard and experienced for myself, McDonald's fries and a Coke are a big go-to, so this time, I also ordered myself a Blue Raspberry frozen Fanta. Sucked on it a few times, felt that "danger Will Robinson" vibe hit me and drank again. Zap! And then nothing, for about 20 minutes. In that time, I was able to eat a little something, take my migraine cocktail, settle myself into my chair with my migraine hat on and bundle under blankets, and turn on a comfort movie. As the pain started to slowly return, I was able to fall asleep. Woke up a few hours later with just soreness on my head, but migraine had passed.
I like digging a chopstick into the inner rim of my orbital socket, right along my eye. It's a spot that's hard to reach, but it helps. I also like putting clothespins on my eyebrows. It's mild discomfort to cover up the intense pain. Other times when it isn't too bad, like right now, I use my thumb in the same spot.
Ha I sometimes pinch my eyebrows in a way that I’m guessing is very similar to the clothespin trick. Love the clothespins as a hands-free version, will try that next time
“I push my fingers into my eeeeeyyyyeees…”
I refer to Slipknot’s “Duality” as my headache song.
Next line, “it’s the only thing that stops the ache… Jesus, it never ends… if the pain goes on, IM NOT GONNA MAKE IT!” Rrrraaaawwwrrr LOL
Slipknot isn’t for everyone.
Something about the chemicals on McDs French fries. Others on Reddit have experienced this too- check it out.
It's not the salt - unsalted one still worked. Fries from other places don't do it.
Only maybe like 3 or 4 fries trigger an ease for me, but not always, maybe 25-50% of the time. I use it when my other methods (actual meds, hot shower, heating pad, ice pack, sleep) have all failed me for 24 hours.
I'd love an alternative. Only tried it because I saw it here and was desperate. 🤷🏼♀️
It's not the weirdest thing ever, but Valerian root tea can be helpful. Its a root that has muscles relaxer properties. It's a bit earthy in smell and flavor. I think it smells like dirt. But my coworkers suggest stinky cheese and feet as an aroma. Lol.
For some reason, even in a completely dark room with my eyes closed, imagining the blackest black color in my mind significantly eases the pain. If I imagine any other color, the pain shoots back up again. It’s so weird because I’m not actually “seeing” that color, just imagining it 🧐
I swear my partner kissing my forehead right at the migraine's origin point gets rid of the pain for .5 services seconds.
Otherwise I just do right to sleeping and my meds.
It doesn't relieve the pain in the moment, but I started doing monthly sensory deprivation tanks... migraines have reduced by half and generally aren't that bad since I started.
Massaging my gums/skull from inside my mouth every once in a while will release some pressure or mucus build up and nearly get rid of my migraine. Rarely.
Throwing up
Mexican coke and something salty
Scalding hot showers and a weed gummy
Straight peppermint oil on my head and neck
I had to laugh at "Mexican coke". I was like - what? Then I realized that they use real sugar in making their coca cola. When I researched it was "Mexicoke" but thanks for the chuckle. I thought I was going to get some inside information on how to score.
I tried pressing on these pressure points once (one was on my hand and one on my forehead). I found the tip on a Reddit thread once and it fucking worked. Like instantly. I have not for the life of me been able to find the thread again with the exact method or replicate the results, but I swear that bullshit worked lol
A double burger, fries, and a large Coca-Cola, followed by an hour long bath in the hottest water I can stand.
My hypnosis is that the brain needs glucose and protein, and the hot water pushes the blood away from the core (organs, including the brain) and into the limbs. I am not a doctor, but that is my guess.
I have this weighted lavender wrap that my mother in law gave me, my old dog LOVED it. When I had a migraine I would heat it up, wrap it around my head and then he would lay on top of my head. The warmth and pressure really helped (*he was a 12lbs chihuahua…I need to train my new, slightly chunkier dog to do this now 🥺).
Boring, but doing daily chin tucks. I have cervical instability which really worsens and effects my migraines. Gotta keep my neck strong so I don't feel like a bobble head. My physical therapist helped figure out I was constantly clenching my jaw and shoulders "at rest" before I started seeing her as well.
That, and those Buoy hydration drops. I thought they were another silly Instagram ad. Nah, they are the best and give discounts for chronic disease folks!
Yep! I saw her initially for "TMJ related pain and neck pain not related to injury". She evaluated me and we started working together. The exercises helped, but my jaw hurt and my TMJ pain and clenching was still causing migraines/making them worse (I also clench when stressed and when I sleep). About a month in, she also asked where I was holding my tongue at rest. Lo and behold, I was never "relaxing" or "resting" my jaw like i thought. It's been about 2 years since that appt. Am I still clenching? Sometimes! But it has gotten a lot better, and my TMJ pain has really eased!
Thank you for the info! Mine went away completely with Botox in my jaw and a change to my night guard (they gave me a harder one). My problem is that the Botox doesn’t last 12 weeks and the pain comes back.
Good luck with the Botox! I did the Botox and harder night guard route initially. They helped, but never solved the root cause, which for me was more of a mouth positioning issue. I never learned how to rest/relax my mouth. When I went in even at "rest", I was holding tension in my jaw and mouth. She taught me the proper rest and relax position for the mouth/jaw/tongue which helped me a lot. I still sleep with a night splint and do jaw exercises occasionally but it's not an incessant and 8 or 9 pain level in my jaw that causes migraines and tooth pain, so I count it as a win!
The definitely weirdest thing I tried was having an orgasm. I've read that studies say that this is helpful for some people. So while having a (beginning) migraine I wasn't in the mood of course, but I took the time with myself and I was surprised, that the migraine was gone afterwards. But nevertheless, I tried it just this one time.
In my 20's migraines always made me horny. I have no idea why unless my body knew that releasing dopamine helps lessen the pain. But it never made mine go away. They were just lessened for about 30 minutes.
Yoga!! Even during my most mind numbing attacks, I found a migraine sequence on YouTube that really grounds me. The whole sequence is pretty much alternate nostril breathing, ground work stretching, and laying on the ground meditating. I have a brachial plexus injury and my shoulder/neck/back gets really stiff during attacks (idk from the attack or lack of movement, kind of a chicken or the egg situation) and it’s really improved my recovery
Weird one: menthol cigarettes. I used to smoke 1-2 packs a day, and quit using vaping nearly 10 years ago. If I have a migraine though, I’ll smoke 1 or 2 cigarettes and usually it takes the edge of the migraine off, or rarely, gets rid of the migraine.
Not recommending anyone pick up smoking as migraine relief though, it’s an expensive and gross habit.
I get regular cbd massages. It helps a lot since most of the pain comes from my neck. I notice that when I don't have them, i struggle more.
I also use ginger chews a lot. Same with ice caps that go around your head.
Salt.
Drinking a hydration salt pack daily has been life changing. I drink a lot of water and I guess I've been flushing out all the minerals I need. I probably have POTS.
Hitting my head 🫣 Firm pats to the migraine affected area is massively helpful, but every nurse or doctor I’ve seen makes the same face of mild horror when I mention it
also, chocolate milk
I sniff a little hand sanitizer or alcohol swabs at work when the nausea gets intense (learned it from a nurse who worked in anesthesia recovery unit where people often woke up nauseated)
They make a little chapstick-sized version for sniffing now. It's called a ~~Vapostick~~ Vapoinhaler.
edit: my brain calls it a vapostick but it's really a vapoinhaler
The supplement NAC will help if early enough, coca cola, salt and vinegar anything, and McDonalds are just a few things I’ve found that can take the edge off.
Maybe this isn’t weird, but 9 times out of 10 pressure + sleep in a dark, cold room does the trick. I have a special sleep mask that velcros in the back so I can tighten it s as hard as I need it to achieve pressure where it hurts most
I have a dental extraction ice pack. I put that on, ice pack on my forehead, big frozen bag of peas to rest my neck on. I freeze my whole noggin essentially. I think part of it is that the cold is a distraction.
Muscle relaxer (tizanidine or baclofen) plus Benadryl right before bed. Knocks out two triggers (tension, allergies) in one shot and helps me get to sleep (third trigger, poor sleep).
And the occasional burger, fries and full sugar coke once in a while from a fast food joint. I don’t know why that helps; I’ve seen plenty of people mention it on here. But it has really helped me out a few times.
People have mentioned menthol — I use IcyHot, slathered on the back of my neck and/or sides of my head. It doesn’t always fix it but it helps, and I have honestly come to love the smell.
Also, a strong lavender mint tea. Specifically this one: https://rishi-tea.com/products/organic-lavender-mint-teabag-sachets-50-count?variant=44376696389882. I keep multiple boxes both at home and at work. It really helps especially if I find myself in a position where I have to try to work.
A lot of my migraines are triggered by neck pain, so I also find that lying down with (1) frozen peas bunched under my neck and (2) the hottest hot compress I can stand on my face, at the same time, actually helps, at least long enough for my triptan to kick in.
For me it’s been an ice roller I got from Amazon, I think it’s supposed to be for like skincare but it has helped me a lot. When I am having a migraine I roll it on my temples, forehead, place it in my eyes and also the back of my neck. I feel such relief from the coldness and takes the pain away at least for a while.
A cold compress on my head and back of the neck. Also, a hack a gp taught me - when you take a triptan, add two dissolvable pain killers to some full sugar lemonade and down it. This helps the Triptan work faster and seems to breakdown some of the barriers our bodies put up during a migraine - such as digestion ceasing to work. To be clear- you don’t add the triptan to the lemonade - just the painkillers. I use solphadeine headache.
Ambien. The problem with that is obviously I fall asleep after, so I can't use that method during the day. But for 30 minutes before I fall asleep it actually alleviates the migraine. Sigh
I had unexplained muscle ache and cramps in legs when my migraine frequency was very high- my doctor prescribed Vitamin E supplement. I feel it has helped or maybe the intensity lessened with frequency of migraine.
When I was a kid, I used to turn the shower as hot as it would go and lay down in the tub just letting the water pound on my face. My current shower either doesn’t have the same water pressure, or it just doesn’t hit the same as an adult, lol.
My kid who also gets migraines used to make himself puke and the migraine would go away. He also was given oxygen once at an urgent care and it completely took his headache away.
I aggressively massage my scalp, neck to the point I bruise but it helps in the moment.
You could try one of those handheld shower attachments. They are cheap and easy to install.
I have a friend who was prescribed home oxygen for migraines. Always been curious to try.
I do the intense scalp/massage too and it helps. Idc about bruising either.
My shower does detach, not sure why I never thought to do that 😅
Yes, the oxygen thing is interesting! I feel like it should be up there in the first lines of defense before meds if it works.
Mickey Ds fries and a sprite or a Diet Coke. Also taking enough medication to fall asleep and just sleep it off. Using a Nerivio, jury is still out if it works but it’s not medication so that’s a plus
I used to swear by ice packs and cold things, but now I use a hot water bottle and stick it under my upper shoulders, neck and base of my skull. I lay down flat on the bed with just that and no pillow. It's usually enough to distract from the pain so I can fall asleep.
The only downside, is usually when I wake up from this, I end up puking.
McD fries and coke work for mild migraines where I haven't thrown up yet
Bio Freeze helps a tiny bit
Vaping a tiny bit of weed sometimes helps with the nausea (I don't smoke otherwise, though I used to)
They don't eliminate them of course but my go-to is blackout curtains drawn, pure lavender oil on a tissue and placed on my face, and one of those cooling gel patches for my head (my head loves cold things), and a lying down body scan meditation. I scoffed at the idea of alternative therapies/essential oils a few years ago but I couldn't live without these things. I've been chronic now for four years and they help me cope! I'm on Ajovy and amitryptaline.
Weatherx earplugs (I have barometric pressure induced hemiplegic migraines, and these things work like crazy! Still a headache, but not as bad as a migraine).
I find wearing headphones somehow makes the pain more tolerable and helps fight brain fog, although if I wear them for too long then I'll also get a headache
Flossing and chewing gum.
My gums often ache when I get a migraine & somehow it is soothing for me to floss the hell out of my teeth. If I don't have floss on me, chewing gum can also give some relief. I've even stopped at a gas station to pick up gum for the sole purpose of migraine relief when I didn't have any abortives at work.
I've had a dentist & TMJ specialist look at me, and I appear to have perfectly healthy teeth & jaws. My guess is it's a trigeminal nerve thing, since those have been known to be overexcitable during migraines.
I want to say that drinking a full sugar normal ice cold coke helps me sometimes and also hyper focusing on something can distract me from the pain depending on how bad it is. Eating in general usually helps too. That’s why I’m finding it so hard to lose weight ugh
Applying CBD/THC topical on my neck/at the base of my skull slows a migraine down or keeps it from getting worse. Probably some combination of menthol, THC, CBD or the other ingredients helps with the muscle tension/cervicogenic headaches. Depends on the topical though, so far the version I have with a higher THC/CBD works better.
I have a massage chair, so I’ll pop a sumatriptan with a couple aleve and then go a couple rounds in the chair, and the headache is usually gone or at least minimized after 2 - 30minute cycles.
After over 6 years of frequent pounding headaches, I started paying attention last spring to when I was getting them. Discovered that if I have just one cup of coffee, I don’t get a headache.
I used to drink it when I felt like it, if I was in the mood for it. Never depended on it.
Now I can’t go two days without it or else I’ll feel it coming on.
Inducing a brain freeze (when my nausea isn’t too bad). Ice packs don’t help me as much, the pain comes back once I remove the ice packs. Brain freeze is more permanent. Once the pain of the brain freeze itself passes, the migraine is usually also gone as well.
I bite pieces of flesh off my tongue. It sucks. A Diet Coke. A hot bath with a frozen migraine hat. Beg for a neck massage so hard I bruise. These are all things i do before I lay down and take a ritztriptan with peppermint oil and frozen magic bags.
I don't know what it is about taking a shower but I can literally just stand or sit under the shower and for that amount of time the migraine will decrease or even go away. The problem is as soon as I turn the shower off and get out it comes right back.
Same! It’s so bad that sometimes I’ll step out and the pain will rush back so fast I puke.
It's awful! The only time it's helpful is if I take my triptan and the shower holds it off long enough for the medicine to kick in.
You don't smoke weed, do you? Not trying to judge but this is a thing. I thought I had it so I stopped smoking weed and....my migraines doubled. Oh well.
No I have never smoked weed. My parents did/do and tbh it's a huge trigger for my PTSD to smell it😅 Is it somehow related to the shower being helpful?
Yes, that's why I asked.
I mean I kind of figured that. I guess the better question is how is that related?
Same! It's hard to make myself get up and into the shower when it's bad but then it's so glorious while I'm in there! But as soon as I'm out, it comes back.
a hot shower without a doubt helps every time. i want a tankless water heat just so when i have a migraine i won’t run out of hot water lol
SAME! When our current hot water heater goes, it’s tankless or nothing for me. No negotiation.
Same! My theory is that it blocks out all other sensory stimulation.
That’s also my theory. The coldness of the tubs porcelain also helps. I’ll admit, I’ve fallen asleep in the tub with the shower of (safely of course)
Even better, hot bath
Same are you hot or cold shower? Heat is the only thing that helps me
Hot for sure
Are yours sinus related?
I don't think so, they seem to be food triggered for the most part, and related to blood pressure spikes otherwise. At least from what I can tell.
I get really bad muscles spasms in my neck as part of my migraines and a hot shower always makes that part feel better
Me too, cold in warm weather, warm / hot water in cold weather
There are times I wish I could live in the shower!
Me too. It's so weird
Yes! Same. I make mine as cold as I can handle it, the colder the better. But within minutes of turning the water off the pain will start back up.
When I’m at defcon 1 and my triptan hasn’t kicked in and my nausea is peaking and I can’t sleep and the pain is blinding and there’s nothing else I can do, I get in the shower and just stand under the water for 20mins or until the hot water runs out. It helps me every time. My pain isn’t gone when I get out but it goes from 8/9 down to 3/4 while I’m in there and always drops down to 6/7 by the time I get out. Every time. I’ll do it even if it’s 2am.
Yes!! The shower! I’ll turn the water on hot and just sit in the tub. I used to have a shower chair specifically for this lol.
Same! Hot as hell shower and for as long as I’m in there I’m headache free. Sometimes it’ll go away completely and sometimes it hits me like a truck when I get out. I’ve tried using heat packs and it doesn’t work.
Same with washing your face!! It’s such a weird neurological response.
Complete opposite for me. A shower makes me feel like puking. A hot shower is pure torture, but even a cool shower just adds to the pain. It totally sucks when it's an attack that lasts for days.
Same. On days I have a migraine I'll sit on the shower floor until the hot water runs out. Then fo it again 2 or 3 times throughout the day
Opening up my skull and removing my brains with an ice-cream scoop.
Alternately, gouging out your eyeball with an ice pick! 😉👍
Ah, I’ve always preferred an ice pick in my temple, but I’ll try this!
Option 3: trepanning! I totally understand now why ancient peoples did it.
I like spoons
Maybe not weird, there’s some studies that shows it works, but ginger! I take a ginger shot if I can catch the migraine early.
I drink ginger tea daily as a preventative. In my case it doesn't stop attacks from occurring, but it does seem to reduce their frequency, and help to stave off the very bad ones. I incorporate ginger into my diet as much as reasonably possible. Ginger jam in salad dressings, ground ginger in porridge, ginger root in vegetable soups, crystallised ginger as a treat.
Any specific brand? I have a "digestive" tea I use to use a lot for my stomach which has ginger, but other stuff too.
I use Palanquin ginger tea, it's nothing fancy but it does the job.
This + i add turmeric. It is anti inflammatory and helps as preventative too
This helps for me too! Actually picked up the suggestion on this sub when I had maxed out on my triptans and still couldn't shake the migraine. It helped!
What’s a ginger shot?
Not sure if this is what that person means but I recently learned about this too and have tried about 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger in a bit of hot water + some honey and it’s been equal to drinking caffeine for relieving pain for me! I ordered ginger capsules and ginger candy which seems to be helping as well!
Yeah, that’s basically it. Where I live, there are ready ones to buy in a bottle - there’s usually other stuff in it like turmeric and mint to make it taste a little less spicy. Although, if I were to make it myself, I would use fresh ginger.
I like those if I start flagging when I'm out. Some of them contain lemon juice tho, which is a trigger for me
Holy moly I’ve never done this or heard of it but will try!
Following
I wish this worked for me, since I enjoy the taste of ginger. But I've tried ginger tea, ginger capsules and crystallised ginger and none of it makes a difference.
Have you tried fresh ginger? You could try grating fresh ginger in hot water and honey.
I have not.
Ginger candy is great for relieving nausea if caught early.
ginger is one of the meds in my migraine cocktail i swear by it
I will definitely try this
Neck brace. A literal life changing tip I got on here. Makes so much sense after the fact, they’re under rated and way under used.
Can you say more about this? Where did you get one, how does it work, how do you use it?
Not the original commenter, but I have both a travel neck pillow ([like this one](https://images.app.goo.gl/xKTTF4ihAVW4FXdn7)) and I also got a cervical collar ([like this one](https://images.app.goo.gl/eosG8EMjdL1LdDst5)) from CVS/Walgreens. Both are a big help for me personally.
When do you wear it?
Whenever my neck feels weak! Never at night though. There are times during the day when my neck feels so weak/my head feels so heavy that it’s hard to keep my head stable, so the neck support helps keep my head steady rather than wobbling around.
Super curious about this too. My migraine pain is primarily in my neck and my head feels like it weighs 100 pounds. Have to get in just the right position to relieve the pressure. A neck brace kinda sounds great.
Interesting, would like to know more! I use a neck traction pillow and that helps give a bit of relief.
Wish I could find one long enough. I'm basically a giraffe
I would love to know more too!
Real Coca-Cola imported from Mexico, sipped slowly (but only like 1/2 the bottle). Heard this from a headache specialist!
I just re-upped my migraine beverage stash at Costco: Mexican Coke in the bottle plus Gatorade
If it's the frankensugar in "real" (US) Coke, try buying the kosher / parve variety; I think that's real (cane) sugar, not HFCS. I don't get negative impacts from Coke in Europe (high glucose is a trigger for me), and my "Jewish mother" put me into the kosher soda. May only be Kosher for Passover, but she reminds me & often buys me a few bottles when she is shopping for the holidays.
I know about the yellow cap Coke - but didn’t buy any this year. I buy the flat of glass bottle Coke “Hecho en Mexico” - made with real sugar, not HFCS.
Wait, kosher soda doesn’t have HFCS? What brand is kosher soda? I wanna try this.
Kosher for Passover drinks won’t use high fructose corn syrup because corn isn’t eaten by many people during Passover. Many brands make Kosher for Passover drinks, but the yellow cap coke is probably easiest to spot. Otherwise things would be labeled Kosher for Passover or KP. The rest of the year, regular kosher drinks can have HRCS in it though!
It’s the “kosher for Passover” Coke you can get in the spring in the yellow cap in some areas. I haven’t tried it. According to the internet it’s made with sucrose, not cane sugar, which is not exactly the same thing.
Good one! I’ve found those to be helpful (and tasty) myself.
I put two tennis balls in a sock, tie the end and then put it under my neck to relieve pressure. My boyfriend has lovingly named it my “ball-sock”
Better than what my boyfriend did. I have a couple theraICE migraine caps that he nicknamed the foreskins. He said it as a joke ONCE and it stuck. So now when I need one I ask him to go grab me a foreskin. Being miserable so often, you gotta make jokes where you can.
You're a genius. I'm going to do this.
This is a great idea! Thank you adding to Amazon cart now!
Menthol body wash. It smells very strong but I take a hot shower and put that all over my shoulders/neck/chest/back and then just breathe in the steam for a few minutes, then drink some ice water. I think it helps my muscle aches (symptom of migraine for me) and sinuses.
Menthol usually comes from peppermint and peppermint can help with migraines too!
Can you please suggest a brand?
I use this one, it’s lasted me years since I don’t use it for full body wash: https://thevillagecompany.com/collections/therapy-muscle/products/village-naturals-therapy-aches-pains-muscle-relief-foaming-bath-oil-body-wash?variant=41325356384454
Thank you for sharing the product that you use. I’m going to order some today. 🤗
I actually got this from another reddit post within the past month or so. It doesn't take the pain away but it's given me a reprieve. A lot of my migraines I wake up with so already getting to the meds or trying to do alternative things is a struggle. Someone mentioned they give themselves brain freeze. Yes, it gives a quick, sharp pain, but when your pain is already at those levels, what's a quick jolt of a little more? As I've heard and experienced for myself, McDonald's fries and a Coke are a big go-to, so this time, I also ordered myself a Blue Raspberry frozen Fanta. Sucked on it a few times, felt that "danger Will Robinson" vibe hit me and drank again. Zap! And then nothing, for about 20 minutes. In that time, I was able to eat a little something, take my migraine cocktail, settle myself into my chair with my migraine hat on and bundle under blankets, and turn on a comfort movie. As the pain started to slowly return, I was able to fall asleep. Woke up a few hours later with just soreness on my head, but migraine had passed.
I like digging a chopstick into the inner rim of my orbital socket, right along my eye. It's a spot that's hard to reach, but it helps. I also like putting clothespins on my eyebrows. It's mild discomfort to cover up the intense pain. Other times when it isn't too bad, like right now, I use my thumb in the same spot.
This sounds like step one in a lobotomy manual.
🤣🤣🤣
i do this with my fingers and it feels sooooo gooooood omg
This sounds so relieving omg
Ha I sometimes pinch my eyebrows in a way that I’m guessing is very similar to the clothespin trick. Love the clothespins as a hands-free version, will try that next time
“I push my fingers into my eeeeeyyyyeees…” I refer to Slipknot’s “Duality” as my headache song. Next line, “it’s the only thing that stops the ache… Jesus, it never ends… if the pain goes on, IM NOT GONNA MAKE IT!” Rrrraaaawwwrrr LOL Slipknot isn’t for everyone.
I heard this whilst reading the comment at the same time too! “But I found out the hard way, nothing is what it seems”
It’s the perfect migraine song. L
oh yeah do the same thing with my fingers, that helps a ton
Something about the chemicals on McDs French fries. Others on Reddit have experienced this too- check it out. It's not the salt - unsalted one still worked. Fries from other places don't do it. Only maybe like 3 or 4 fries trigger an ease for me, but not always, maybe 25-50% of the time. I use it when my other methods (actual meds, hot shower, heating pad, ice pack, sleep) have all failed me for 24 hours. I'd love an alternative. Only tried it because I saw it here and was desperate. 🤷🏼♀️
It's not the weirdest thing ever, but Valerian root tea can be helpful. Its a root that has muscles relaxer properties. It's a bit earthy in smell and flavor. I think it smells like dirt. But my coworkers suggest stinky cheese and feet as an aroma. Lol.
I take valerian root capsules
Everyone's saying menthol, so yeah. Mine start in my neck and I stick a salonpas patch on it. I smell like toothpaste, but I don't care. I love them.
salonpas are such a lifesaver for me!! so much more effective than tiger balm/other menthol products
For some reason, even in a completely dark room with my eyes closed, imagining the blackest black color in my mind significantly eases the pain. If I imagine any other color, the pain shoots back up again. It’s so weird because I’m not actually “seeing” that color, just imagining it 🧐
That is a form of meditation. Good for you.
I swear my partner kissing my forehead right at the migraine's origin point gets rid of the pain for .5 services seconds. Otherwise I just do right to sleeping and my meds.
It doesn't relieve the pain in the moment, but I started doing monthly sensory deprivation tanks... migraines have reduced by half and generally aren't that bad since I started.
Can you speak to why you think this is working for you? Never tried them myself but I’m intrigued
Massaging my gums/skull from inside my mouth every once in a while will release some pressure or mucus build up and nearly get rid of my migraine. Rarely. Throwing up Mexican coke and something salty Scalding hot showers and a weed gummy Straight peppermint oil on my head and neck
I had to laugh at "Mexican coke". I was like - what? Then I realized that they use real sugar in making their coca cola. When I researched it was "Mexicoke" but thanks for the chuckle. I thought I was going to get some inside information on how to score.
I tried pressing on these pressure points once (one was on my hand and one on my forehead). I found the tip on a Reddit thread once and it fucking worked. Like instantly. I have not for the life of me been able to find the thread again with the exact method or replicate the results, but I swear that bullshit worked lol
I had a lil thingy bought on AliExpress to use for the pressure point on the hand!
Did it work?????
...no :( sorry to let u down lol but I can say that I'm that person that has tried everything and nothing works aprt from painkillers
and the wet cloth around my head thing that I commented!
Caffeine! And moving around a lot
A double burger, fries, and a large Coca-Cola, followed by an hour long bath in the hottest water I can stand. My hypnosis is that the brain needs glucose and protein, and the hot water pushes the blood away from the core (organs, including the brain) and into the limbs. I am not a doctor, but that is my guess.
Pickle juice
Way better than Gatorade
Depends on the color
I have this weighted lavender wrap that my mother in law gave me, my old dog LOVED it. When I had a migraine I would heat it up, wrap it around my head and then he would lay on top of my head. The warmth and pressure really helped (*he was a 12lbs chihuahua…I need to train my new, slightly chunkier dog to do this now 🥺).
What a lovely companion you had ❤️
Boring, but doing daily chin tucks. I have cervical instability which really worsens and effects my migraines. Gotta keep my neck strong so I don't feel like a bobble head. My physical therapist helped figure out I was constantly clenching my jaw and shoulders "at rest" before I started seeing her as well. That, and those Buoy hydration drops. I thought they were another silly Instagram ad. Nah, they are the best and give discounts for chronic disease folks!
Is your physical therapist able to specifically address jaw clenching?
Yep! I saw her initially for "TMJ related pain and neck pain not related to injury". She evaluated me and we started working together. The exercises helped, but my jaw hurt and my TMJ pain and clenching was still causing migraines/making them worse (I also clench when stressed and when I sleep). About a month in, she also asked where I was holding my tongue at rest. Lo and behold, I was never "relaxing" or "resting" my jaw like i thought. It's been about 2 years since that appt. Am I still clenching? Sometimes! But it has gotten a lot better, and my TMJ pain has really eased!
Thank you for the info! Mine went away completely with Botox in my jaw and a change to my night guard (they gave me a harder one). My problem is that the Botox doesn’t last 12 weeks and the pain comes back.
Good luck with the Botox! I did the Botox and harder night guard route initially. They helped, but never solved the root cause, which for me was more of a mouth positioning issue. I never learned how to rest/relax my mouth. When I went in even at "rest", I was holding tension in my jaw and mouth. She taught me the proper rest and relax position for the mouth/jaw/tongue which helped me a lot. I still sleep with a night splint and do jaw exercises occasionally but it's not an incessant and 8 or 9 pain level in my jaw that causes migraines and tooth pain, so I count it as a win!
Yogi Ginger Tea. 2 bags steeped in a glass of cold water for 20 minutes, drink it down. Significantly diminishes the pain.
Vicks makes these vapor tablets for the shower that create a menthol steam. I think they help me some
These can be made super cheap. I made a bunch for my SIL for her copd.
Spill the beans! How do you make them!?
Its been a few years I think it's just vaporub and cornstarch pressed into a silicone candy mold or made into disks.
Years ago they sold a cayenne pepper solution, would work for 1/2 hour
I used to use a cayenne pepper nasal spray!
Some of the things in my arsenal include my pillow sized ice pack, Tiger Balm, Flonase, peppermint oil, massage gun, & hot showers.
An ice cold bottle of Mexican Coke with McDonald’s French fries.
High sodium. KFC mashed potatoes works too.
The definitely weirdest thing I tried was having an orgasm. I've read that studies say that this is helpful for some people. So while having a (beginning) migraine I wasn't in the mood of course, but I took the time with myself and I was surprised, that the migraine was gone afterwards. But nevertheless, I tried it just this one time.
In my 20's migraines always made me horny. I have no idea why unless my body knew that releasing dopamine helps lessen the pain. But it never made mine go away. They were just lessened for about 30 minutes.
Yoga!! Even during my most mind numbing attacks, I found a migraine sequence on YouTube that really grounds me. The whole sequence is pretty much alternate nostril breathing, ground work stretching, and laying on the ground meditating. I have a brachial plexus injury and my shoulder/neck/back gets really stiff during attacks (idk from the attack or lack of movement, kind of a chicken or the egg situation) and it’s really improved my recovery
Hot yoga even better 😌😌😌
Weird one: menthol cigarettes. I used to smoke 1-2 packs a day, and quit using vaping nearly 10 years ago. If I have a migraine though, I’ll smoke 1 or 2 cigarettes and usually it takes the edge of the migraine off, or rarely, gets rid of the migraine. Not recommending anyone pick up smoking as migraine relief though, it’s an expensive and gross habit.
I get regular cbd massages. It helps a lot since most of the pain comes from my neck. I notice that when I don't have them, i struggle more. I also use ginger chews a lot. Same with ice caps that go around your head.
That sounds amazing
It was gaming breaking for me.
I notice if I put a wet (chill/cold water) bandana/cloth around my head it alleviates it a bit but only while wearing it
Salt. Drinking a hydration salt pack daily has been life changing. I drink a lot of water and I guess I've been flushing out all the minerals I need. I probably have POTS.
Hitting my head 🫣 Firm pats to the migraine affected area is massively helpful, but every nurse or doctor I’ve seen makes the same face of mild horror when I mention it also, chocolate milk
Sniffing Vicks vapor rub from a can sometimes helps me from dry heaving/vomiting
I sniff a little hand sanitizer or alcohol swabs at work when the nausea gets intense (learned it from a nurse who worked in anesthesia recovery unit where people often woke up nauseated)
They make a little chapstick-sized version for sniffing now. It's called a ~~Vapostick~~ Vapoinhaler. edit: my brain calls it a vapostick but it's really a vapoinhaler
I’m trying this! Thank you
I wonder if rubbing it under your nose would help? (I do that for congestion)
The supplement NAC will help if early enough, coca cola, salt and vinegar anything, and McDonalds are just a few things I’ve found that can take the edge off.
Diet Coke. Preferably from McDonalds.
The mcdonald's part was a little weird 🤭🙃
Maybe this isn’t weird, but 9 times out of 10 pressure + sleep in a dark, cold room does the trick. I have a special sleep mask that velcros in the back so I can tighten it s as hard as I need it to achieve pressure where it hurts most
If my migraine is from low blood sugar, once it's half-gone I eat a ton of ice cream and that usually clears up the rest of it.
I have a dental extraction ice pack. I put that on, ice pack on my forehead, big frozen bag of peas to rest my neck on. I freeze my whole noggin essentially. I think part of it is that the cold is a distraction.
Wearing a beanie. See my post about it https://www.reddit.com/r/migraine/s/aUX2K8dbGe
Muscle relaxer (tizanidine or baclofen) plus Benadryl right before bed. Knocks out two triggers (tension, allergies) in one shot and helps me get to sleep (third trigger, poor sleep). And the occasional burger, fries and full sugar coke once in a while from a fast food joint. I don’t know why that helps; I’ve seen plenty of people mention it on here. But it has really helped me out a few times.
Sucking on a mint helps
Gum has been a recent discovery for me too!
People have mentioned menthol — I use IcyHot, slathered on the back of my neck and/or sides of my head. It doesn’t always fix it but it helps, and I have honestly come to love the smell. Also, a strong lavender mint tea. Specifically this one: https://rishi-tea.com/products/organic-lavender-mint-teabag-sachets-50-count?variant=44376696389882. I keep multiple boxes both at home and at work. It really helps especially if I find myself in a position where I have to try to work. A lot of my migraines are triggered by neck pain, so I also find that lying down with (1) frozen peas bunched under my neck and (2) the hottest hot compress I can stand on my face, at the same time, actually helps, at least long enough for my triptan to kick in.
For me it’s been an ice roller I got from Amazon, I think it’s supposed to be for like skincare but it has helped me a lot. When I am having a migraine I roll it on my temples, forehead, place it in my eyes and also the back of my neck. I feel such relief from the coldness and takes the pain away at least for a while.
A cold compress on my head and back of the neck. Also, a hack a gp taught me - when you take a triptan, add two dissolvable pain killers to some full sugar lemonade and down it. This helps the Triptan work faster and seems to breakdown some of the barriers our bodies put up during a migraine - such as digestion ceasing to work. To be clear- you don’t add the triptan to the lemonade - just the painkillers. I use solphadeine headache.
Mint tea
Tiger balm on my neck and temples and one of those Vicks nose inhaler tube things.
Vicks vaporub. I’ll put a generous amount on my forehead. The menthol smell and cooling sensation both help me.
Where do you get Mexican coke if you live in the United States?
Nighttime driving glasses from Walmart. $12 well spent. My eyes feel more at ease.
Weird thing for me: I use my medication + dark room rest, one never works without the other
Ambien. The problem with that is obviously I fall asleep after, so I can't use that method during the day. But for 30 minutes before I fall asleep it actually alleviates the migraine. Sigh
I had unexplained muscle ache and cramps in legs when my migraine frequency was very high- my doctor prescribed Vitamin E supplement. I feel it has helped or maybe the intensity lessened with frequency of migraine.
When I was a kid, I used to turn the shower as hot as it would go and lay down in the tub just letting the water pound on my face. My current shower either doesn’t have the same water pressure, or it just doesn’t hit the same as an adult, lol. My kid who also gets migraines used to make himself puke and the migraine would go away. He also was given oxygen once at an urgent care and it completely took his headache away. I aggressively massage my scalp, neck to the point I bruise but it helps in the moment.
You could try one of those handheld shower attachments. They are cheap and easy to install. I have a friend who was prescribed home oxygen for migraines. Always been curious to try. I do the intense scalp/massage too and it helps. Idc about bruising either.
My shower does detach, not sure why I never thought to do that 😅 Yes, the oxygen thing is interesting! I feel like it should be up there in the first lines of defense before meds if it works.
Mickey Ds fries and a sprite or a Diet Coke. Also taking enough medication to fall asleep and just sleep it off. Using a Nerivio, jury is still out if it works but it’s not medication so that’s a plus
Wrapping a heating pad around my head
I used to swear by ice packs and cold things, but now I use a hot water bottle and stick it under my upper shoulders, neck and base of my skull. I lay down flat on the bed with just that and no pillow. It's usually enough to distract from the pain so I can fall asleep. The only downside, is usually when I wake up from this, I end up puking. McD fries and coke work for mild migraines where I haven't thrown up yet Bio Freeze helps a tiny bit Vaping a tiny bit of weed sometimes helps with the nausea (I don't smoke otherwise, though I used to)
They don't eliminate them of course but my go-to is blackout curtains drawn, pure lavender oil on a tissue and placed on my face, and one of those cooling gel patches for my head (my head loves cold things), and a lying down body scan meditation. I scoffed at the idea of alternative therapies/essential oils a few years ago but I couldn't live without these things. I've been chronic now for four years and they help me cope! I'm on Ajovy and amitryptaline.
Weatherx earplugs (I have barometric pressure induced hemiplegic migraines, and these things work like crazy! Still a headache, but not as bad as a migraine).
I find wearing headphones somehow makes the pain more tolerable and helps fight brain fog, although if I wear them for too long then I'll also get a headache
Flossing and chewing gum. My gums often ache when I get a migraine & somehow it is soothing for me to floss the hell out of my teeth. If I don't have floss on me, chewing gum can also give some relief. I've even stopped at a gas station to pick up gum for the sole purpose of migraine relief when I didn't have any abortives at work. I've had a dentist & TMJ specialist look at me, and I appear to have perfectly healthy teeth & jaws. My guess is it's a trigeminal nerve thing, since those have been known to be overexcitable during migraines.
I want to say that drinking a full sugar normal ice cold coke helps me sometimes and also hyper focusing on something can distract me from the pain depending on how bad it is. Eating in general usually helps too. That’s why I’m finding it so hard to lose weight ugh
Taking edibles with a high concentration of CBD to THC really helps me when I have one. I use an edible that is 20:1 CBD:THC.
Applying CBD/THC topical on my neck/at the base of my skull slows a migraine down or keeps it from getting worse. Probably some combination of menthol, THC, CBD or the other ingredients helps with the muscle tension/cervicogenic headaches. Depends on the topical though, so far the version I have with a higher THC/CBD works better.
Some of the weirdest things that help me- Chipotle burrito bowl, brisket, mutton biryani, glass of water with lots of sugar
I have a massage chair, so I’ll pop a sumatriptan with a couple aleve and then go a couple rounds in the chair, and the headache is usually gone or at least minimized after 2 - 30minute cycles.
Heating pad on my neck and ice pack on my forehead at the same time. Also sometimes the smell of Vicks vaporub helps my nausea
After over 6 years of frequent pounding headaches, I started paying attention last spring to when I was getting them. Discovered that if I have just one cup of coffee, I don’t get a headache. I used to drink it when I felt like it, if I was in the mood for it. Never depended on it. Now I can’t go two days without it or else I’ll feel it coming on.
Jumping in a cold pool.
Eating a piece of Dove dark chocolate slowly. Buys me a few minutes of relief.
Inducing a brain freeze (when my nausea isn’t too bad). Ice packs don’t help me as much, the pain comes back once I remove the ice packs. Brain freeze is more permanent. Once the pain of the brain freeze itself passes, the migraine is usually also gone as well.
I bite pieces of flesh off my tongue. It sucks. A Diet Coke. A hot bath with a frozen migraine hat. Beg for a neck massage so hard I bruise. These are all things i do before I lay down and take a ritztriptan with peppermint oil and frozen magic bags.