When I get a migraine, I take 2 capsules of Excedrin Migraine and keep away from children, just like the bottle says…. usually I look like this, but in the complete dark, not dressed in jeans or have my hair and makeup done and under a bazillion blankets. So, not really like this at all, but the same gadget on my face haha!
All jokes aside, I’ve suffered from migraines for as long as I can remember + I swear I’ve gone every possible route to help myself. It’s taken years to find what works – so I’m hopeful that this will help someone out there before they’re years into it as well. For full disclosure, I’m not a doctor + I’m not giving medical advice, just simply sharing what has helped me. I started with a doctor to rule out any scary possibilities that frequent migraines were a side affect of something bigger, and I do think it’s important that you rule that out before relying on anything below. I would also recommend addressing dietary issues, for me – gluten is a major trigger for my entire body and I got them less-frequent after I figured out how to manage that!
- Medication – I took prescription fiorcet and flexeril for YEARS. Now I just take the target version of excedrine migraine.
- Drink your dang water!! I cannot stress how important this is in MANY aspects of your life. Get a good water bottle that you like. Drink through a straw. Find a water flavoring that helps you! My picks:
- Stanley – the quenchers with the straw has got me drinking more water than ever, if none are available, the iceflow series is my next pick!
- Waterdrop – these are non-carbonated and make your water taste like fruit water. They’re packed with vitamins which are super helpful. I love the flavors LOVE and SHIRO (has a tiny bit of caffeine). My code is TT15 if you want to try! They have cute bottles, too.
- Past Tense Doterra Oil – I cant live without this oil. It works better for me than pure peppermint oil to relieve pressure from tight muscles. I rub on my temples (avoid eye area!) and top of neck… at base of hairline. It helps me think about something else other than my pounding head.
- Eyeball Massager – guys, when I first shared this I was terrified you all would think I was losing my mind. I mean, I kinda was because I was so desperate for relief.. but THIS HELPS so so so so much. Braun even uses it. It’s heated, it’s awkward at first but it’s so relaxing and so helpful.
- Neck Massager – This one makes every single gift guide ever, and I think will for like.. ever. They’ve finally started making it in cute colors, too. This is great for massaging shoulders, neck and base of your neck and take tension and attention away from your pounding migraine. It’s also heated. You slip your arms in the loops and choose the amount of pressure it applies. If you’re anything like me and have a hard time slowing down, the loops are long enough that you can still type on a computer while using it.
- Back Massager – This is a hand held one and focuses on one spot at a time that you choose. This one comes with a little guide and shows you how you can use it on your upper back, shoulders, neck, legs + feet, too.
- Sleep Eye Mask – if you need total blackout.. this is for you. I don’t go anywhere without this. It has a cave for your eyes, so it doesn’t smoosh them or put any pressure on them whatsoever, which is so necessary for me with a migraine.
- Silk Mask – I recently grabbed this one and have been testing it out. It’s also so dang good! It’s also got caves for your eyes + I really like the silk feel (and I feel like it’s better for my skin)
- Ice Spoons – I used to use ice rollers, which were successful, buuuut these have been a total level up from those. They are able to be comfortably rubbed in all areas on my face without being awkward, and they actually have liquid inside that freezes, so they stay cooler longer. Not only are these amazing for skincare, they’re great for when a migraine hits. I just rub them around my eye area, back of my neck and forehead.
- Blue Light Blockers – I found that the computer was definitely a trigger for my migraines. These blue light blockers have made a huge difference, and you’ll see me wearing them often, even if I’m not on the computer. They provide my eyes with a lot of relief, and I can definitely tell the difference when I use them vs. when I don’t.
- Neck Hot Pack – it’s linked below because this was majorly something y’all suggested that I just started implementing when I bought this neck pack in January… but this hot pack wrapped around my neck has done wonders!! You just stick it in the microwave for a bit and it’s ready to go. I love that there is no cords attached.
I asked the IG world in a post what they did, and I took the top 10 answers (that didn’t align with above) and threw them together for you all. So many of you said meds – so again, consult with your doc!! What works for me might not work for you, and vise versa so I thought it would be good to include other options that work for others:
- Daith Piercing – This is definitely the top recommended, and I get this in DMs every time I share I have a migraine. You guys are full of success stories for this! If you’re local iris piercing studio is awesome.
- Cutting out artificial sweeteners – so many of you said you had negative reactions to these and it took so long to figure out! Aspartame was one that was a reoccurring issue among a lot of you. it could also be gluten like me, or dairy, or something totally different!! your gut is majorly responsible with the rest of your health. Worth looking into food/additive sensitivities.
- Botox – I actually have used this for clenching issues! I would say that it cleared some of my issues, but I for sure still have migraine issues unfortunately. Usually, you can get your insurance to cover this. If they won’t and you’re local — name drop at elase and you can get it for $9/unit.
- 3 ibuprofen, 2 Tylenol and 1 Benadryl (at once) – This was DMd to me a million times I think! It’s probably awesome if you can go right to bed, Benadryl makes me so sleepy and the non-drowsy has stimulants in it, so it doesn’t really have the same affect if you want to just relax.
- Heat and/or Ice on the back of your neck – I would agree with this!! I do this with heat – but add the massage part. This is the best warm neck wrap. You just throw it in the microwave for a bit and it’s ready to go. My kids fight over this haha.
- Chiropractor – Lots recommended a Chiro adjustment and working with one that specialized in migraines/headaches. I’m not sure of any in the area.
- Acupuncture – not sure how I feel about a billion little needles near my face and neck buuuuut you guys swear it works!
- Any form of caffeine – BUT for some (me) it’s a trigger if you have too much. So be careful!! Most recommended a coke.
- Magnesium – lots said magnesium! I would consult a doctor for appropriate dosage for this, though.
- Magnetic Jewelry – There are a ton of options on amazon, but this bracelet was the cutest one I could find.. HERE are lots of options, though.
- Electrolytes – so many types were recommended: Liquid IV, Gatorade Powder or Liquid + Body Armor
This can sometimes be a really lonnnng journey, but I hope this helps you spark some ideas + make a plan to tackle those dang migraines. If you find something works, I would love to hear from you!! It would be lovely if you added to THIS IG post!
