Most migraine sufferers will tell you that the pain that accompanies attacks is severe and often debilitating. The warning signs of an onset can vary from person to person. My friend Ingrid Mellor notices a fizzy pain behind her left eye along with nausea, seeing spots (which are known as auras), weakness and feeling tightness in her forehead.
On the other hand, my sister, Mariana Uribe, mentions an increased sensitivity to light and sound and a small headache that doesn’t go away (or gets stronger) even after she drinks water. And while neither one can completely stop a migraine attack in its tracks, there are items that they and others who cope with migraine pain turn to when they feel one coming on.
Below, I’ve rounded up a list of items that people who get migraine attacks rely on when they realize that one is about to hit. These at-home pain relief remedies can’t stop the pain from coming, but they can help to mitigate the severity of the symptoms or even just provide a bit of comfort as they get through it, along with their doctor-recommended medication. Take a look and add a few of these to your arsenal so you’re ready to tackle it head-on the next time it happens.
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Amazon
The Neck Rescue massager
My colleague’s close friend, Alison Jaruzelski, swears by this massager that puts deep pressure on neck and spinal muscles. She said, “I got it shortly after I started physical therapy for neck pain and found that my migraines are tied to stiffness in my neck muscles that radiates up into my head.
I find it helps somewhat but it never goes away completely. If I feel a migraine coming on and I have a lot of pain in my neck, I’ll sometimes sit on the couch and lean my neck back on it so I’m doing a little bit of massage while I’m doing my daily work. It’s most effective if I’m fully lying on the ground and putting deep pressure on it but I can’t always do that. My guess is it’s really most effective for people with migraines that also come with neck pain, since it targets muscles at the base of where neck/head meet.”
Amazon
Manta Sleep mask
According to my sister, migraine sufferer Mariana Uribe, “a surprisingly good migraine investment was a Manta Sleep mask, which has a unique design that stops it from putting extra pressure on your eyes, and blocks out all of the light.” It features adjustable, extra-deep eye cups that mold to your face with a soft cotton velour strap that won’t snag or get tangled in your hair.
Amazon
An ice roller
“I also have an ice roller that I use on my face and temples and the small muscles around the eyes that tend to get sore when I have a migraine,” Uribe said. It can provide spot relief for those who don’t have access to full-on cold caps and other devices. It’s small, compact and portable so you can even travel with it. This refreshing device can help perk you up before, during and after migraine pains.
Ban.do
Talking Out Of Turn freezable weighted neck wrap
I’ll take credit for having gifted my sister this weighted, freezer-safe neck wrap from Ban.do a few Christmases ago. Turns out, it’s come in pretty handy for her migraine pain, though her application is more innovative than I originally predicted. She uses it as a makeshift cold cap that she secures to her head with a beanie. Everybody’s so creative! You can use it like she does or as intended to apply cooling pressure on your neck. It’s soft, flexible and unexpectedly cute, too.
Amazon
A neck and shoulder ice pack wrap
If you prefer a neck wrap that will blend in a bit more and has extra upper back coverage, this ice pack wrap is a great option. It’s made with soft, flexible material that won’t burn the skin and can offer up to two hours of relief at a time. Thanks to a little snap button closure, you don’t have to hold on to it to keep in place, so you can try your best to relax.
Amazon
TheraIce cold cap
Or, you can get a real cold cap and skip the hassle of constructing a makeshift one. This cap offers cooling compression around the entire face and head. It can help to provide a fair amount of relief while also blocking out light and helping you to relax. It can stay cold for up to two hours and is made with stretchy, moldable material that cradles the contours of your head and face. It’s available in pink or black.
Amazon
A cooling face mask
Like many, my friend Ingrid Mellor turns to cold compresses when a migraine attack rears its ugly head.
Sephora
Sephora Collection jade facial roller
If an ice roller like the one a few slides up is too much of an extreme hit of cold, you can try a double-ended jade roller instead. Mellor uses it for facial massage to soothe her onslaught of aches and pressure. She keeps it in the fridge so it stays cool but not so cold that it feels jarring or adds stress to her already sensitive skin.
Amazon
Yogi ginger tea four-pack
Ginger and tea are both comforting options that Mellor turns to try and help her relax when her head feels like it’s getting to the point of no return. This ginger tea kills two birds with one stone, and there are studies that suggest ginger can help with migraine pain control.
