Top Tips for Dealing with Migraines
Before I dive in, I am not a medical doctor and have no formal credentials to back what I am about to tell you. What I have is about 27 years of chronic migraines.
My mom gets them as well, and I got my first one when I was six years old. I remember it so clearly: It was what I believe to be the last family Christmas dinner we hosted at our house. I remember the green walls, all the people and their blurry faces, and laying down in my mom’s room and her giving me children’s Tylenol and milk. She always had this fixation that a migraine was because I hadn’t eaten which definitely can be a cause however I have learned over the years that mine are very rarely from that and when they are, they present in a very specific way.
So on that note, spoiler alert: A big part of helping your migraines is going to be tracking and noticing patterns. For me, this comes fairly easy. My fulltime job is pattern analysis (more or less) and it is something I have always had a knack for. I remember being ten and realizing that whenever I ate an almond or banana, I got a migraine within 24 hours, I stopped eating them, and migraines continued but got much better. For others though, I know it is not so easy.
My recommendation: Use a couple different tools. If you can, track your food meticulously for a week or so, include exercise, sleep habits, weather patterns in your notes and any physical symptoms.
You can also use the Health app to track migraines over a longer period of time. For folks who bleed, this can be a way to see if they correlate with your cycle in any way.
If you’re looking for more formal support with this, reach out! I’d be happy to play migraine coach for a bit to help you figure out your patterns so you can begin treatment (small investment for time commitment).
Okay so now, how to treat them once they come?
The tracking will help with preventative care, but you still deserve relief in the moment.
Natural Treatment:
Ginger (Internally): Make ginger tea (literally JUST long steep dried ginger in hot water and nothing else), if you don’t get jaw pain, have some ginger chews on hand.
Frankincense Oil: It has not only been studied in maintaining neurological health (I have M.S. and though my migraines haven’t been linked to it, they can be related so it never hurts to support myself!) and can be rubbed on your feet as a longer term support; In the moment rub a drop on the roof of your mouth for a numbing effect.
Peppermint Oil (Topically): I don’t consume peppermint when I have a migraine. I find it too “racey” for that type of pain, whereas for a headache it can be helpful. I have used it for the cooling effect at the base of my neck, though. But, my preference is for:
Migraine Oil: This is one I mix myself. Coconut Oil (carrier oil) + Rosemary (most of this) + Clove (half the amount or less) + Peppermint (just a couple drops) and massage it into your scalp. In a bit, have a cool shower and the oils cool off and it can help a lot with the pain! Rosemary is also an herb linked to helping migraines.
Yoga for Migraines: You can do a YouTube search but here is one that I have found very helpful in the moment and also to prevent them, especially if you get migraines that impact your jaw and neck. Just be gentle rolling on your jaw bone as sometimes you’ll be feeling nerves and not actually muscles being targeted.
Food Elimination: Specifically bananas, avocados, almonds, fermented dairy, and red skinned fruits and foods high in tannins and sulphites. And MSG is a BIG one. There are others, but these are ones I have noticed that have made a difference over the years.
Physiotherapy: If you’re in Kelowna I can recommend an incredible Physiotherapist who has literally changed my life. She does IMS needling and I get it on my jaw and it has made a huge difference for me and the frequency of migraines. She’s also the first practitioner who has taken care to figure out how much she can do, and what she can do, to help me and not trigger a rebound migraine while loosening the muscles. I always thought I had to face the pain to heal, but no, I don’t deserve that and neither do you. Katie at Neumovement has been a god-send.
Acupuncture: Especially if you can track your migraines, you can get acupuncture preventatively a day or so before you know you’ll get one (like if they are linked to your cycle). Kylie Rodger is incredible and I highly recommend seeing her if you have migraines or any sort of complex/chronic health issues.
RMT: Now, if you read that last one and thought “I could never do that because my cycle is so irregular”, pay Kierra Douglas at Teal Lotus Massage a visit. Kierra was the first person to tell me that my bleed was not actually supposed to hurt, and the dark colour I was seeing actually wasn’t normal; And her treatment made a difference in both those things. She does overall registered massage but is also trained specifically in abdominal massage and has a keen interest in reproductive health.
Cool Off: Headaches are representative of a lack of blood flow whereas migraines are due to too much (this is also why Caffeine is a common solution for headaches but not for migraines). Put a cool cloth at the base of your neck, have a cold shower, maybe try one of those ice helmets (though I cannot vouch as I have not tried one myself).
There are lots of other herbs and things used to treat migraines however these are things I have tried and that I have found helped. One other one I would highlight is Magnesium. Different magnesium do different things, so find the one that helps regulate capillaries.
Also, medication is an option. I do take doctor-prescribed medication in addition to the above things, and have found one that works well without destroying my stomach and without negative side effects.
And finally, if you have migraine with aura (funny vision for lack of better terms) please talk to your doctor immediately. Especially if you are also on any form of hormonal birth control. These can be a broader health concern.