Migraine Headache Tips

Anything that doesn't involve taking a pill.
Thank you everybody for helping me out! All your answers really helped. If only I could give 10 points to everybody, but I can't, so I'll let the community decide who they think made the best answer.
Thanks again!

The first line is NSAIDS, aspirin if you can tolerate it, along with caffeine-at least as much as in a cup of strong coffee (caffieine is a co-analgesic). In the absence of taking any pills… Migraines are often the result of allergies, especially to certain foods, so keep careful track of your daily activities, including food intake. Regular exercise, a good diet, and especially pletny of sleep are critical. Some people actually require quite a bit more sleep than average, up to 10-11 hours a day. Dont force yourself to get only 8 hours just because that's average. If you need more, and arent getting it, you will suffer a myriad of negative effects. Keeping your stress level down, your physical fitness and nutrition up, and getting plenty of rest is probably more effective than most drugs out there. In addition, if you drink coffee regularly, going even a day without it can cause a severe headache- So, with the advice above, be sure you keep a careful log of everything you eat and drink, and your sleep, and see if you can find something that is triggering your migraines.

You have constant migraines? It might be because of your bite.

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I think it's because of the heavy "arms" of the sunglasses, because the pain radiates from the area where they rest on the back/side of my head. What do you guys think? Should I ditch the sunglasses or have them adjusted or what? (I don't want to ditch them, they're really nice!)

Guess it depends on which you like more…the sunglasses, or being migraine-free?

I don't know what to do. I have never felt like this before. Vicodin has done absolutely nothing for it. I'm about 9 hours in. I don't know how much more I can do before I decide to go to the emergency room. I've had short lived migraines before on a weekly basis but this is completely different.

If I do go into the hospital what will they do for me?
What causes this?

First of all sorry to hear your in pain this long. Migraines are hereditary. They occur when blood vessels in ur head dilate and cause throbbing pain , nausea , vision problems and aversion to noise & light. Non medical interventions are dimming the light, allowing fresh air in room, cold compress to forehead as will help constrict blood vessels. Try some caffeinated drinks — sips . It has the action too of consticting blood vessels in head. But watch out for rebound pain. Acupuncture technique by using your finger and put pressure on either side of temples and massage in circular motion. Another good action is wear an eye mask to darken room if very sunny day. Adjust fit so not too tight which in turn will aggravate problem. Practice shoulder shrugs , rotate head up , down and side to side . Take deep breaths through ur nose and exhale through mouth. Empty your mind of all intrusive thoughts concentrate on one word mantra only say it silently in your head. Also eliminate triggers of migraine. eg
certain smells like perm solution, javex. Dont eat food with nitrates eg bacon, cheese, wieners etc. Avoid dairy products . Drink lots of water but not ice cold just cool. Finally see your Doctor as soon as u can to reassess present medication . Changes may have to be made. Ever try Imitrix. They have it in nasal sprays now and this route works much faster than the pills. I also suffer from migraines. Started when nearing my change of life at late forties. Hormone imbalances. Weather changes esg if humid or frosty air in winter, Strong smells trigger them as do lack of sleep and stress..
Go to after hrs clinic if Drs Office closed. If dont have clinic then go to emerg dept of ur local hospital. Bring your medication, health insurance ID. Write down all the food selections you have had in past 24 hrs or if exposed to certain smells as discussed before, or lack of sleep , stress. The nurse at the Triage section will then take your vitals, BP TPR and ask if any allergies etc. Then you go back and wait. Unfortunatley even though ur in a lot of pain the problem is not a Priority in a busy emerg Dept. 'Other ppl may get in to see Dr before u eg. if Car acident victim , An infant who is short of breath, anyone with chest pains etc. When seen by MD a series of tests may be done. And posibly through assessment of all particulars, the triggers discussed etc then a plan of action will be implemented. Eg medication for pain & nausea. Probable an injection to gets into ur system faster. Hopefully u will be in a room alone so can get staff to turn the lights off. Or just take your eye mask if have one with u to hospital. Good luck I know where u coming from , Been in your position many times . Even had a sinus headache which triggered the migraine when I was nursing a bad cold. Going without food for an extended time also triggers migraines. A combination of fasting & stress awaiting surgery gave me one Hell of a migraine on year. Went into surgery with it and came out with it. LOL not really funny though. When I had a futire surgery I discussed this problem with the anaesthesiologist prior to surgery and he allowed me to take the imitrix nasal spray before or after the nex t surgery i had. Oddly enough having surgery not as worrisome as fearing an impending migraine when have to fast after midnight and then find out your operation delayed by 2-3 more hours. Well you should be fine my friend, Try the non medical techniques if still no relief to to EMERG dont be a martyr to PAIN. I hope I have been of some help to you.
TC & Hugs in getting better .

I have always found aromatherapy oils very effective for dealing with non-emergency problems but cannot find any help when it comes to migraines or headaches…
Thank you
I'm a massage therapist and use many essential oils. I also suffer from migraines, and i keep a little tissue dripped with lavender inside my pillow case. It helps me to relax, which causes me to be able to sleep better.
Here is a listing of what I keep handy. Hope it will help for you.

Aromatherapy for Headaches/Migraine
You can find an essential oil recommended pretty much "for whatever ails you." For our purposes, we'll be looking at those oils most often recommended for headaches, Migraine, depression, panic, anxiety, sleep. The chart below lists some of the oils recommended for these needs. Here, also, is a list of ten oils suggested for getting started with aromatherapy. Some experimentation will tell you which combinations work best for you.

Carrier Oils For Headaches/Migraine
Sweet Almond
Apricot Kernel
Avocado
Coconut
Sesame
Lavender
Peppermint
Bay
Melissa
Jasmine
Eucalyptus
Rosemary

For Depression For Anxiety/Panic
Orange
Bergamot
Lemon
Lemon Verbena
Lemongrass
Melissa
Petitgrain
Orange Blossom
Chamomile
Grapefruit
Mandarin
Orange
Juniper
Fir
Basil
Cedarwood
Ylang Ylang
Sandalwood
Frankincense
Clove
Clary Sage
Patchouli

For Relaxation/Sleep 10 To Get Started
Bergamot
Chamomile
Lavender
Mandarin
Sandalwood
Frankincense
Clary Sage
Juniper
Marjoram
Jasmine

Sweet Almond
(Carrier)
Peppermint
Chamomile
Lavender
Lemongrass
Bergamot
Eucalyptus
Jasmine
Frankincense
Clary Sage

Think about your headaches/Migraine attacks. Do they make you feel depressed, anxious, or panicked? Do you need to sleep, but have trouble? Choose some of the oils from the chart, mix one or more with some carrier oil, and give them a try. You can wait until you need them, and mix a small amount in the palm of your hand, or you can mix the oils ahead in a bottle. For example, I tend to experience anxiety and panic during the headache phase of a Migraine attack. I'm also prone to drop or spill things, so I premix oils in a small, roll-on bottle. My Migraine and relaxation/sleep blends are:

Migraine Blend

Fill bottle approximately 2/3 with Sweet Almond Oil
6 drops Lavender Oil (headache/Migraine)
6 drops Clary Sage Oil (anxiety/panic)
6 drops Chamomile Oil (sleep)
12 drops Peppermint Oil (headache/Migraine) Peppermint is also very helpful for nausea.
Cover top with finger and shake. Check the fragrance of the oil. If it is unpleasant to you, add a few drops of whichever oil you prefer to make it more pleasant.
Fill any remaining space in bottle with Sweet Almond Oil, insert the roller ball, and cap the bottle.
To use: Apply to temples and areas of pain. Massage lightly. You can also roll some onto the back of your hand

Relaxation/Sleep Blend

Fill bottle approximately 2/3 with Sweet Almond Oil (For this one, I use a small glass bottle with an orifice reducer — a plastic insert for the opening that allows the oils to come out a drop at a time.
6 drops Lavender Oil
6 drops Bergamot Oil
6 drops Chamomile Oil
Finish filling bottle with Jasmine Oil, 10% in Jojoba Oil. (Pure Jasmine is very potent and very expensive. The 10% formulation is commonly used.)
If you don't like the fragrance of Jasmine, substitute an amount of Mandarin oil to achieve a pleasant fragrance, then fill the rest of the way with Almond Oil.
Insert orifice reducer into top of bottle, then cap.
To use: Variety of uses. Sprinkle a few drops on your pillow, massage your temples, etc.

http://headaches.about.com/cs/alternative/l/aa_aromatherapy.htm

It really hurts! ouchiiiee….. :-<

i don't want to take any pain reliever as i usually does to kill the pain. Help!

Oh I hear you! I've suffered with migraines in the past. But I, thankfully, have not suffered from them in over 7 years since I put the following information into practice in my life:

"The vast majority of migraine headaches may be due to colon congestion or poor digestion. [A cleansing kit, such as] the Cleansing Trio [produced by Young Living], is most important for cleansing the colon. Eye strain and decreased vision can accompany migraine headaches. AD&E [a vitamin supplement produced by Young Living] contains large amounts of lutein, which is vital for healthy vision.

Single [Essential] Oils: Helichrysum and clove.

[Mix] Rosemary with basil, peppermint, melissa, lavender, ylang ylang, German chamomile, Eucalyptus radiata, or marjoram.

[or]

Helichrysum with sandalwood.

[Essential Oil] Blends:

[Mix] Rosemary or peppermint with M-Grain or Clarity.

Supplements: AD&E, polyzyme, Cleansing Trio, Megazyme.

M-Grain is specifically formulated for migraine headaches. Put a couple of drops in your palm (you can also add a drop of peppermint). Rub hands together then cupover nose and breathe deeply. Apply to temples, forehead and brain stem (back of neck and skull). Massage on thumbs and big toes [the places that correspond to your head according to reflexology]. Lavender and basil, layered on temples and forehead [can also help].

Apply 1 drop helichrysum and 1 drop sandalwood to the inside of nasal passages, also on temples and brain stem."

My sister-in-law has been suffereing with migraines a couple times a week for most of her life. She recently started trying the M-Grain essential oil blend that I mentioned above and says it's helping and she gains relief even once the headache has started.

I really hope you get some relief! If you have any trouble finding the products I mentioned above, feel free to contact me.

If you had to compare the pain intensity to something what would you compare it too. A broken bone, concussion, 3rd degree burn, getting stapped etc…
I have a friend that suffers from them and i'm wondering how bad it actually affects you.

Also does anyone have any methods of getting rid of one without taking meds?

There are really various intensity into migraine pain. Even as I suffer from the pain for 4 years now, the pain varies. Sometimes it hurts so badly, I just feel like jumping off the building to end all the pain, other times, it is not so painful- I can still manage to function like study and so on.

There are many other ways to get rid of a migraine. Some people sleep it though. I would if it is not too painful. I did try accupuncture. It did help but rather temporary. Some claim that traditional chinese medicine works. Others claim that "tui na" -chinese manipulative therapy often used in conjunction with acupuncture, moxibustion, fire cupping, Chinese herbalism, tai chi and qigong does the trick… Personally, I think that both are just temporary relief. But others feel that it helps, so to one's own peferences…

I have suffered from migraines for years… am on topamax 150mg per day, and have tried many as needed medications such as immitrex, immitrex nasal, maxalt, and frova. I can’t seem to find anything that works. I am on day three of a headache, and am getting so frustrated with the pain. Any advice?

Hi,I know how you feel so try this,on your hand at the bottom of your thumb and your other finger,where the stretchy bit is,pinch it with your finger nails from the other hand,this is a pressure point and sends more blood too the brain,if it’s on the right side of your head,pinch the right side and left if it’s on the left,also stand up straight and tilt your head foreward,then back to centre and tip your head back,then back to centre,then go left and back to centre then right and back yo centre,do this for a few minutes and sometimes your neck will crack and this can relieve headaches also,oh and move your shoulders around ,like foreward then backwards sort of rolling your shoulders.Ok try these and see how you feel.Goodluck.

It feels like I have pressure in my ears and my back teeth really hurt. I went to the dentist, and I don’t have any cavities or tooth issues. I have also been having migraines every day for the past 7 days (genetic migraines brought on by that ‘time o’ the month’). I’ve had migraines many, many times before, but never with tooth and ear pain.

What’s going on?

the tooth and ear pain sound like it has something to do with your sinuses.

1. it could just be allergy related - have they been bothering you?
2. it could be a sinus infection - any thick/yellow/green snot?
3. it could be barometric pressure related - are you near where the hurricanes are going to be affecting? i know we’re going to get it tonight/tomorrow and my sinuses are bad today

as for the migraines, i get mine related to my TOM too. you can ward them off by taking about 1000mg/day of ibprofin. my dr told me to do this the week before i get my period. its helped a lot. when i DO get a migraine tho, excedrine migraine and some sleep in a dark cool room works wonders.

close your eyes (put something cool on them if you can) - try thinking of something other than your head and relax. try and imagine the pressure draining away from your head and releasing it through your toes. x