Quick Tips to Help Manage When you have a Migraine

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  The throbbing, pounding, blurry eyes, dizzying headache began in the middle of the night. I could feel the pounding in my head before I even lifted my head off the pillow or opened my eyes. I knew the next 48 hours would be intense pain and extreme moodiness. When I migraine hits, there is nothing that can help or stop it.

For me, I have had migraines since I was a kid. I specifically remember being at my Gram’s house and coming in and having a headache. My Mom gave me some Tylenol and a Coke and said to lie down for a bit. I was probably 12 at the time.

I’m in my 40’s now so I’ve had 30 years to figure out how to manage when I have them.

This is what I have learned:

Sleep is the only thing that will actually help the situation.

Peppermint oil is awesome! It smells good, it tingles at the base of my skull and I wish I had found it sooner. If you haven’t heard of peppermint oil, I am not a distributor of essential oils. I would recommend Plant Therapy Peppermint Oil, you can grab at Amazon. I started putting 1-3 drops on my finger and rubbing it into the base of my hairline at the nape of my neck a couple years ago. It truly helps to reduce the headache pressure. 

Ice pack at the back of my head is great! Usually after putting some peppermint oil on, I grab the ice pack and then lie down for a while.

Vitamins. Specifically, Vitamin B2 and CoQ10. I started taking these supplements on a daily basis and my migraines have been significantly less. What’s even better, my son who was diagnosed with migraines started taking these supplements and within 3 days he woke up headache free. I was a believer ever since!

Medication. If you don’t have a prescription for migraine meds, Ibuprofen and Tylenol have always been my go-to’s. I would talk to your doctor about how much you can take. I recently spoke to my doctor about my migraines and they gave me a prescription. It is the best thing that has happened to me! I can function without my head pounding. Sometimes the headaches are still there but they are much less than without.

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Once I have done all I can do for the headache, but I still have to take care of my family, I have learned to communicate with them so they work with me.

Keep the space around me quiet.

My children know to stay quiet when Mommy has a headache. They are older now, so they use their headphones with their devices.

Dim the lights and block the sun light. 

Complete only the necessary things. Everything else can wait till the headache stops. It’s okay to let go of a few things while your in bed with a headache. 

Eat what you can. Despite feeling sick to your stomach, eating does help the headache.

Double your water intake. This is huge! I experimented a couple months ago and drank almost 100 ounces of water that day to see if it would help my migraine end early. To my surprise the following day my headache was much less severe. I continued with the water and the headache ended around noon.

Deep breathing, helps you remain calm. Due to the migraine, your body is already fighting something. Your patience is already low and you may cry or scream. What ever you do, try not to hurt the ones you love. The headache is only temporary but the scares of your words are forever.

Unfortunately there isn’t a cure for the migraines yet. You just have to figure out what works best for you. If you suffer from migraines, I would love to hear from you and I will add you to my prayer list.