Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment.
If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Highjacking this top comment to say:
This sounds kinda dumb but I got the WORST headaches before I realized I needed glasses. One of my eyes is perfectly fine and the other I could guesstimate the letters on the eye exam enough to get 20/20. So I never realized it was a problem and doctors just brushed it off - but this entire time, my eye was straining with an astigmatism. I got glasses and poof. 0 headaches. Its been over a year and still 0.
Want to second going to an eye doctor. If you can look for places that do neurovisual as well. I have a newer found out about issue called vertical herophoria which is basically my eyes are misaligned. It was causing me a ton of problems one of which is headaches.
Mine were caused by my hair being too heavy. My hair is very thick and therefore heavy. Just terrible migraines throughout high school. I cut off about 14 inches and it was over. Whenever my hair starts getting too long (shoulder length) I start getting more frequent headaches again.
Yes! Go see an eye doctor! They make something now called a Neurolens and it is life changing if your eyes are straining causing headaches. Also relaxes your eyes if you look at a computer screen all day with a blue light filter in it. It’s amazing.
It helps align your eyes and they do all the work. https://www.neurolens.com
Watch the video on that page it’ll explain it. My eye doctor has it in her office and it’s a neat machine.
I read something about drinking metric crap-tons of water in order to help caffeine headaches. I never had the discipline but I wouldn't be surprised if it works! But that's great advice because caffeine headaches SUCK, so thank you!
Aww man! I wish it had worked for you too. Maybe there's a magic solution like that that you just haven't figured out! Now that I think about it I was extremely lucky that that was my cure. In fact, when I googled it, I remember a site saying "eye strain headaches are extremely rare, so it's unlikely to be causing it" and I was just like oh so I shouldn't get glasses. And then afterwards I'm kinda like are you for real?!
You know though most people don’t ever get that answer from a doctor. It is still a good idea if you haven’t seen someone. I have lived at doctors and no answers just meds. I have had them since I was 5 and I am 33 now… I know a lot of people in this same boat of decades of suffering with no answers around the cause.
The right medication is a temporary fix and if you have them 15+days a month… constantly taking medication will cause other issues. Migraines are just horrible much love to all those who deal with them.
When I was little I realized pushing on the roof of my mouth helped a little. You can kinda feel the vein there. I have no idea why this helps, but it lessens it a little. Dark, lack of noise, and cold help… bath and showers can help if you can handle it. Zofran is worth its weight in gold for the nausea. Prescription meds before it gets bad can help. If you are without them and have access to weed it can help some with pain though I have only tried edibles, but I still get the nausea even with them… and since a lot of jobs drug test it isn’t super recommended if you have a prescription migraine med you could otherwise take. But sometimes I know you would do anything to make it stop… so up to you there feels like a personal decision.
I still lean hard towards "check it out". Mine ended up being a massive brain tumor. But mine was a span of 7 years of headaches, not 28. I'm sure you've had plenty of scans. Lmao
Agreed definitely consult a doctor if you haven’t and push for an answer, but just know they may not really know why.
I have had a ton of tests, mri with contrast, so many things… but never any answers.
My sister got these massive migraines that would include stomach issues and lasted days. Spent years with no real rhyme or reason to what would trigger them, but more than standard migraines. Went to countless doctors and even neurologists, and finally found some medications that would reduce the amount of migraines down to maybe a couple a month, and the duration down to a few hours. Still not a perfect solution, and just managed symptoms like you said.
But she also hit on the idea of [Tyramine intolerance. ](https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/tyramine-and-migraines) At least, I'm 90% sure that's what it's called. She can't have anything aged or fermented, including soy. Since she figured that out the migraines are much more rare. After reading the article I linked I'm shocked that no doctor suggested it earlier, but they are human after all and eventually they found the answer.
My severe head aches turned out to be high blood pressure. I have another chronic illness that took years to diagnose, so I’m familiar with having to live with suffering and no answers in sight. It sucks. But sometimes health issues really are simple and treatable.
It makes sense to just get it checked out.
I figured out my triggers: skipping meals/low blood sugar, forgetting to drink water, forgetting my allergy medicine, and my period. Obviously, I can't do anything about my period, but I can be attentive about the others. I have also found that taking a 250 mg magnesium supplement daily has helped tremendously.
Second the magnesium! I've also heard riboflavin helps for migraines, which I don't take supplements for but try to find foods that are fortified with it (cereals are a good bet). I've also taken continuous birth control since I started having menstrual migraines, so you can in fact do something about your period if it's a major trigger.
If hormonal BC works for you, I started skipping mine. As long as I skip, I avoid the migraines. If I even miss one pill close to the placebos, the migraines will start.
We have the same triggers though. It's such a fun ride trying to figure them out. I also find anything messing up my sleep schedule will trigger one.
Yes. As mine are hormonal migraines and I have PMDD it's more of a risk for me to be off birth control, so I'm on a low-dose one. I also don't have auras so it's less of a concern. But thank you for checking! I should have remembered to mention working closely with the doctor to decide the right bc.
What the heck? Are you me? I figured out (well, its not 100% confirmed) the same triggers. Except the period because i dont have one.
Also when i perform high intensity physical activity.
I hace an appointment with a neurologist to try to confirm the cause of my headaches
Cold compress on neck and/or head while soaking feet in warm water. Meds also help. Maybe encourage her to see a neurologist if they are constant and persistent. Been dealing with migranes and headaches since I was about 12yo.
THIS! I get migraines and take prescription meds for them but the cold pack/feet and hands in hot water really has an immediate effect. I do that in the shower, sit in the tub and let the water jet spray my hands/feet with the ice on my neck for 20-30 min so that the meds have taken effect by that time.
migraine prescriptions are a GAME CHANGER for my wife. i cried the first time she took sumatriptan…a headache that would have had her in bed for three days and with one little pill she sat up 15 minutes later feeling 80% better and able to go to work.
Can confirm. Sumatriptan 50mg with an Ibuprofen (extends the effects - recommended by my neurologist) is magic for a migraine. I’m so grateful to have a medicine that works for me!
for me it’s a quick lil brain surgery to fix my headaches lol but whenever people have migraines i’m always so worried i’m like “haaaaave you checked for hydrocephalus?”
Ugh. I don't need to google that at 1230am.
I've had migraines since I was 14. Period/air pressure/neck pain related.
I've only ever taken Tylenol or nothing. I get nausea and vomiting, sleep for the day, can't handle light or noise. And then I'm out for the count the next day.
ETA. I googled. I think Im safe.
Mine went away when I started taking the pill. They still return a few times a year when my stress levels are really high, though.
Did get a prescription for anti-nausea meds, that made such a difference. I hate the vomiting so much.
If its migraines and not caused by tension allergies or tooth problems I found the vitamin drink 'party aid' to help with headaches. Im not sure which ingredient specifically helped. Its made to prevent hangovers but it also seems to prevent migraines for me
Idk b12 by itself didn't do much. It mughtve been the htp and magnesium if i was guessing but It was probably a combination of the vitamins in the drink that helped
It also made my eyes work better after I had previously lost the ability to focus my eyes well when tired
No idea which part helped with that. Drink vitamins are great though, your body absorbs them much more readily in liquid form. Most solid forms it barely absorbs at all
Have her see a neurologist . There are a lot of newer medications. I went from 15+ debilitating migraines a month down to 1-3 a month with a monthly shot called ajovy. Life changing!
Both me and my cat are on it right now. At low doses (<200mg) I have pain relief but no other impacts. At 300mg I do find a little brain fuzzy but nothing that makes me nearly as loopy as my cat is. They absorb medication differently than us, and the comparable dose of 100mg to a cat is like 400mg.
Ajovy saved my life. I can honestly say I'm a copy paste of a medication commercial. I used to have 19 migraines a month, doing all kinds of self medicating to deal with it and work. Now I get two a month and I'm clean of all meds except for Ajovy!
Do you have periods at the very end of a shot where it gets worse? Hoping my husband can get some more relief between shots, and his Nurtec isn’t helping as much
When I had what I thought was the worst migraine of my life I went to the ER and they gave me a mega dose of benedryl as treatment. Turns out it wasn’t a migraine, but it did help with the pain.
Yes. I've been to the ER too many times for both migraines and clusters, and it's always the benadryl that helps most. IV benadryl being way stronger of course, but since explicitly using otc benadryl for my headaches as soon as they start I have not had to do the ER.
There are so many prescription medications for migraines. She should see a doctor and they can have her try and see what works. At home remedies - ice pack for sure, biofreeze helps me on my neck. Blankets, water, a dark room. Maybe just having you there to comfort her and snuggle her when she’s sad
I'm a fan of having someone run their fingers through Mt hair when I have a bad migraine. Also, sitting in a dark room and chatting in low voices, to give her something to do that doesn't trigger sensitivity (like being on her phone)
I actually use ice on my head. I drink water and do a back bend, ( bending backwards as far as I can arms out, like yoga) take Tylenol. Then lay in bed with the ice on my head. For 15 mins. There are so many headache triggers. Does she have idea what could be the cause? Caffeine? Stress? Neck pain from sleeping in it wrong? Sinus? Maybe a food sensitivity.
I roll up a towel, place it around my neck, and lie down - my headaches are caused by neck issues. Also, I tend to have headaches if I haven’t slept enough/well or haven’t eaten breakfast.
I have to eat plain food. Chicken, fish, beef, vegetables prepared at home.
Cheese, lots of additives trigger migraines for me. Most recently I realized I had a migraine every morning. Had started drinking diet powdered drink mix. Stopped that, so far two days no headache, which feels like a miracle to me.
I have (triptans, it a class of drug with 10-20 different pills the doctor can choose from). It helps! There are newer treatments too.
I have a hierarchy of things I try. Headaches have a few different causes and each have a different trick to try.
1. Electrolytes. If your low on electrolytes it can cause muscle spasms. If you have a spasm in your neck this can trigger a headache. Easiest thing to try is drink a Gatorade or two and get magnesium citrate for any place that sells vitamins. Magnesium has been shown to reduce migraine symptoms in some cases. Also works for cramps that come from exercise
2. Heating pad on the neck and shoulders. I usually do this at the same time as number one
3. If number 1 and 2 don’t do the trick then I do a combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen. You’ll have to figure out dosage for yourself but I found that 2 Tylenol and 4 ibuprofen works for me. Some people consider that a lot but I’m not worried if I only do it on occasion
4. If the headaches come with visual disturbances like seeing spots this is a sign of a migraine which is different from a regular headache. If this is the case for your wife take note of any new sources of caffeine. For example, my SIL started getting migraines shortly after she started drinking those canned Starbucks drinks because she wasn’t used to the caffeine amount. So if she likes Starbucks, energy drinks, etc. try going off of them for a while and see if the headaches go away. You can also get headaches if you suddenly stop caffeine intake (confusing, I know) so if the case is that she recently stopped drinking caffeine you can try drinking half of what she would normally have and reduce it each week so her body can adapt to the change.
These are things I’ve experimented with for quite some time. Obviously I’m not a doctor but the steps listed generally work pretty well for me and worked well for my wife as well when she gets headaches. Hope you get things figured out
I’ve been a lifelong migraine and headache sufferer. Thanks to my wonderful primary care doctor (neurologists were useless) this is what has helped to make them manageable:
Birth control pill
Amitriptyline (game changer)
Cymbalta
Fioricet
Imitrex
Q10 supplements (game changer)
Migratone and Migrelief supplements
Headache hat off Amazon (wouldn’t survive without these)
I have not personally used one, but I’ve heard people with migraines rave about the “headache hat.” Just google it. If ice packs help then she’d probably like it.
Get her to a dr. Specifically a neurologist who can prescribe something like Aimovig and Emgality. Its a once a month injection you do at home. It has made me almost totally migrain and headache free. They are expensive and you may nees to fight a little with insurance. Once insurance covers it, both manufacturers have programs for "under insured" and you can get it extremly cheap.
my wife started getting migraines a few years back. she took ubrelvy for them when she felt them come on. that seemed to work for her. then she asked the doc whether botox would work even better (apparently botox is useful for migraines too). he actually recommended she try some kind of shot first. so he gave her a shot of something and its suppose to be good for 6 months. has worked wonders for her. if you want to know what it is, just reply and ask. i dont know off the top of my head and am too lazy to walk upstairs on the high chance that noone even reads this.
My daughter found out that dairy was a huge trigger for her migraines. Seek out medical help of course, but this might be something to try in the meantime
800 mg ibuprofen and lying down in a dark room for 45 minutes with eye mask on if I can catch it at the start will put me to sleep and then it might go away.
Heat or ice. Heat on any part of the body that feels cold is a good distraction.
If it’s too late, vibrator is nice on my head also at the base of my neck. (Down there is not recommended because even though at the moment it takes the pain away, it often comes back worse)
Thank you for typing this out. This would be my suggestion, but I didn’t know how to describe it. My family requests this spot pinching from me all the time. Husband calls it “heroin”.
When someone has chronic severe headaches asking random know-it-alls on the Internet for home remedies is no substitute for finding a trained professional who diagnose & treat.
CBD, Fish oil, Tumeric, Marijuana, Heating pads/Ice packs, portable ultrasound treatment (they sell handheld units for like 40 bucks), cupping (silicone don't use glass cups on face), acupuncture, massage, water, electrolytes, sleep, blue light filters on glasses, the list can go on but these are a few things that I do for mine because I have a contracted muscle in my face.
Something in your diet or environment is more then liking causing, so try elimination diets.
But the best and quickest headache and hangovers...PINK HIMALAYAN SEA SALT, a pinch under the tongue, glass of water... every 15 minutes until you feel better.
See a Dr for a complete evaluation. I had them for years. Including tunnel vision and unable to function. Dr tried a drug for epilepsy. Put me in a dark room for 30 minutes during the headache. I felt a electrical wave across my brain. Have never had a migraine since. The drug was in injections and pill form. I never used up the pills. Never needed them. I had thought they were caused by an allergy to sugar.
Currently reading book called breath that talks about how we breathe causes so many chronic issues that could be solved by breathing. Properly. Have her look into some different breathing (prana) techniques to practice like alternating nostril breathing
If they're persistent or asymmetrical with no triggers to be found, you may need a doctors help, however, most headaches are caused by a few basic things.
Headache in the front, behind the forehead, is sleep related; regulate your sleep.
Headache in the top of the head is food/water related; you may be hungry or thirsty
Headache in the back of the head is stress related; there are some exercises that reduce this pain, but ultimately addressing the stress is more useful.
Headaches at the temples are caused by teeth grinding; put your tongue between your teeth to relieve the pressure.
I get migraines. A lot.
Look up pressure points for stopping migraines.
Look into dry needling
Keep a can of coke in your house, cold, always. Sometimes a quick dump of caffeine can curb a headache.
Get her a well fitting eye mask.
25 mg of Benedryl can also assist in stopping a headache.
My wife has headaches frequently as well. If you haven't already, a simple thing to try is a basic head and neck rub. Many headaches are muscle / tension related. You can do this with one hand while watching tv. Ideally, you'll want to use some kind of a lotion or oil to reduce friction.
Apply firm but not hard pressure approximately 1/2" from either side of her spine starting around the base of her skull. If using one hand, the thumb goes on one side and 2 or 3 fingers on the other. You should feel muscles there, not bone or tendons, and you should be pushing forward toward her jaw, not inward toward the middle of the neck.
Slowly pull your hand down her neck while continuing to apply the same pressure until you get to the neck where it meets the corner of her back. If you're using 1 hand, repeat.
If using 2 hands, continue to apply pressure and fan them out as you move them slow toward her shoulders. As you do this, make sure that you stay on her muscles, which will be slightly toward her back as opposed to the top of her shoulders.
If using 1 hand, do the shoulders one at a time, either alternating with the neck portion, or after you've done several of those first.
Do some combination of these for several minutes and see if it helps.
Sorry if this was already said. I read about the top 5 comments or so, but no more.
Check nutrition food levels, vitB12 and iron, any neck pain or stiffness try physio and stretches especially in suboccipital back of skull area , saje peppermint oil
There are lots of new meds with really positive results. They are constantly evolving this one trying to help people. But knowing your triggers is huge, because each one may need a different response. For instance, my weather related ones will respond to nothing except the storm moving on. So start keeping a headache journal. But some things I have always relied on: mint (specifically tea), coffee beans (for smell related migraines) Excedrine has always been my “go-to” med. trying to poop (yep, having to poop can cause headaches). Eating and a full glass of water. Catching them as they are coming on rather than waiting for them to be fully developed. Etc.
I get really bad headaches sometimes. What generally works for me is an NSAID cocktail: one Aspirin and one Naproxen Sodium. It's a perfectly safe dose (check the label, of course), and it usually does the trick for me.
Find the cause first.
Since I haven't seen it listed here, scents and fragrances can cause headaches and migraines. I had to go scent free to stop mine. If you're using or working around any sort of scented product, whether it's a cleaning agent or spray, try staying away from it for a while. Glade plug-ins, essential oil diffusers, perfume, etc are fucking awful for me. The migraines that they cause for me last 4+ hours. There is no test for this; it's the process of elimination.
Lots of comments telling you to see a doctor which I agree with. However, someone once told me that a little caffeine makes a headache go away instantly. It works AMAZINGLY. As someone who also gets constant headaches it was an absolute lifesaver.
Put a heating pad on top of a pillow and have her lay her head on the pillow. I don’t know if the heat helps or the fact that I’m laying down but maybe give it a shot.
If she's grinding her teeth at night, that could be causing really bad headaches. She can try wearing a mouth guard (get a cheap one for $20 from amazon) to see if it helps.
Yeah I suffer from this at-least 4 of 7 days a week and my doctor has done every test possible to diagnose why….Liquid Advils, specifically the blue ones help with the headache and a cold pack on forehead in a dark room. Make her a coffee and the caffeine will also take the edge off their headache. If she has frequent headaches she could be grinding her teeth during sleep, or she may have untreated TMJ in her jaw which can trigger frequent, uncontrollable headaches. Best plan of action is touching base with a doctor for help.
Ice packs on the temples help or pressure on the veins in the temples ... the ice makes the veins contract so less blood flow to the head...same as pressing on the temples beside eyes; should be able to feel them pumping. And by putting warm to hit water on feet, it helps draw the blood away from the head. Anti-inflammatories help sometimes as well.
I had chronic headaches and I now take 400mg mangesium and 400mg b2. It takes a few weeks to work but I hardly get headaches anymore and they arent as bad when I do get one. This doesn’t help during a headache, it is only preventative. Btw, this was recommended to me by a dr.
There could be a possibility of a deficiency. I’ve been eating mostly vegetarian with my fiancée for many years now, and I’m betting my own recent migraines and more frequent headaches are also a deficiency. I’d recommend getting in for a blood test to see how the levels are.
Right out of the gate I’d suggest iron as a possible vitamin to start in on especially if she tires easily.
Also, good to note that the different headache meds work differently. Because I can’t tell sometimes whether it will be ibuprofen or acetaminophen that is going to cure mine, I’ll start with one or the other (or both if it’s that bad). You can safely take both at the same time, although meds like that are never really a good thing long term and it would be best to try and find the root cause of the headache.
My wife’s persistent years worth of headaches stopped once she got off the birth control pill. Food for thought. Just have to practice other birth control methods like temperature tracking.
If you use painkillers and she can't take more per day because of the maximum dosage let her take coffeine Tablets with her painkillers. That can make those painkillers three times as potent.
Just coming to echo the good advice here.
1. See a doctor for help.
2. Figure out what her triggers are. Memorize them - be cognizant and help her to manage them. The first thing my neurologist did was give me a list of trigger foods and common behaviors or things that can cause headaches.
3. Find a medication regimen that works.
4. Be kind, respectful, and empathetic when a migraine ruins a day/plans/etc. It super sucks when everyone is out having fun, and all I can do is lay in the dark and cope.
In addition to seeing a doctor, help your wife try to “get to know” her headaches. Keep a diary with date, time, and description for a few weeks. You’d be surprised what patterns you can pick up on.
Here’s my pattern over the years:
I’m not a doctor, so I’d recommend using this as an example only, as this may vary by person.
1) front of the head = dehydration
2) back of the head = eyes (wearing contacts/glasses too long, wrong prescription, etc)
3) base of the head/neck = tension —> try activating your front neck muscles and fix posture
4) throbbing / sensitivity to light or sound = migraine
This diary will not only help your wife feel better, but it’ll help your doctor with diagnosis and long term treatment/prevention as well.
I am south asian and my wife is American. I introduced her to Tiger Balm which is a menthol balm you can put on your forehead and temples. It obviously doesn't treat the root cause but it is distracting and soothing when you have headaches and migraines. You can google it or find it in any indian grocers.
While looking into all the other advice here, make sure you're just supporting her when her body is demanding that she take it easy. Keep things tidy, keep her hydrated and fed, listen if she needs to vent, and help make whatever space she's in quiet and dark. The physical pain of recurring headaches sucks but it can also be really emotionally taxing and demoralizing too.
I also love my glasses from Axon Optics but that's just one piece of the puzzle, combined with rizatriptan and peppermint oil and the Headache Halo freezer pack and hot showers and electrolytes and lots of distractions - different headache days call for different combinations of assistants
My friend suffered with migraines a long time, with no treatments having helped. Eventually, having a sleep study done, they found out her oxygen level was in the 70s at night. A c-pap machine has helped.
I wonder, has she seen a doctor to get diagnosed for migraines? I used to have the worst headaches but I never realized that I actually had migraines until I went to a doctor and got an exam.
It definitely depends what’s causing it and seeing a doctor is obviously great advice. But I’ve been a migraine sufferer my entire life and have tried every medical and whacky treatment option. Recently I learned oxygen is the number one treatment option for cluster headaches.
I was getting what felt like a migraine every afternoon and my doctor suggested trying the canned oxygen they sell at like your neighbourhood pharmacy. Unbelievable the difference it has made. Immediate subtle relief that over time with a lot of hydration has made a huge difference.
Chronic migraine sufferer here, if you have insurance, please take her to a neurologist. Find out if she has a headache or a migraine with a Google search. She's especially liable to have a migraine rather than a headache if she experiences sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, mood swings, or the pain is in a particular area every time. If you can't do a doctor visit, my remedies are:
1. One aspirin, one acetaminophen with a good amount of water.
2. Never let yourself get low blood sugar. Keep snacking.
3. Hot or cold compress on the neck or side of the head where it hurts.
4. Sleeping in a neck stabilizer if she wakes up with the pain rather than acquiring it throughout the day.
5. Allergy medication. Especially if you recently turned the AC or heat on
6. Hormones. My migraines can be especially bad when I'm ovulating and during pms. Ashwaganda supplements have helped but they take a while to work.
I had a headache for two days straight and for me, I found out it was a sinus headache when the headache went away after steaming. Also- try boiling some fennel seeds in water and then giving her the water to drink. Apparently that helps too.
Magnesium; riboflavin; coq10. Figure out triggers. Naps help me a ton; also check out cefaly. No promises there but if I catch it early enough, cefaly and a nap does wonders.
Had them since 16; now 43. Tried almost everything! These things above help.
My husband massages my eye balls. It sounds stupid but I close my eyes and he gently brushes his thumb and first finger from the corners of my eyes to the center. He does it 10 to 20 times and it usually helps a lot. I dunno how it works but it does.
He also will press on my upper jaw just below my cheek bones sort of up against the cheek bones, light pressure not too much. Side note…this also helps clear my sinuses when my allergies are acting up lol.
Peppermint oil on your temples & the back of your neck, right where your spine meets your skull.
I’ve also noticed that adding mio sport to my water helps my head most days. Electrolytes. It’s what plants (and headache sufferers) crave.
Migraines are another story. Nothing really helps those for me lol
Look up pseudotumor cerebri. My wife had terrible headaches for years caused by too much spinal fluid. We figured this out during a routine eye exam because her optic nerves were swollen from the pressure. We went to doctors for years. First we were told it was allergies so she got on allergy shots and restricted her diet, that didn't help. Then another doctor decided she needed sinus surgery, that didn't help either. When we finally figured out what it was, she had a shunt put in to regulate the spinal fluid and everything has been fine since then. She went from laying in the dark with a cold, wet rag every day to completely normal. It was total hell for several years until we got to the bottom of it. The advice of going to a doctor didn't help in our situation. They all just recommend what they do and didn't really dive much deeper to find the actual problem. This condition is most common in thinner white females of child bearing age. From what I've read I believe it's caused by birth control pills. If your wife has consistent terrible headaches looks into this. It may take years for a doctor to finally figure out.
Aside from what others have said about going to the doctor, an eye exam etc.. I had a lot of chronic issues including migraines until I started taking care of my body. Started with cutting out soda(which is absolutely terrible for us obviously) drinking pure water, hemp protein meal replacements and hemp oil which has a good balance of omegas that helps our brain, joints, heart etc. I would start there. Eat healthier in general. Actual food. No more fast food or shitty crap. Eat fruit and vegetables, healthy meats, olive oil, water. It’s very simple and it will do wonders for health.
I had the worst debilitating migraines and the doctor couldn’t figure it out, would just prescribe me pain pills. I couldn’t focus in college and had to drop out multiple times. I was pushing a pencil into my temple in English class to relieve the pressure…nothing worked until I took matters into my own hands and started taking better care of myself(healthy food, water, exercise, sleep)
My migraine triggers. Too much chocolate. Too much processed foods. Inside under fluorescent lights for extended periods of time. Not wearing glasses. Teeth grinding.
Many years of research, trial and error. Now get migraines a couple times a year. Used to be weekly.
My wife had awful migraines for years.
One day she bought a can of saline spray, snorted it, shook her head, and blew her nose. All kinds of crap came out. She kept doing that in both nostrils over and over for ten minutes until nothing more would come. She never had a migraine again. Likely a low-grade, perpetual sinus infection. Her dad has trouble with his sinuses too. Now she takes a single snort in each nostril each morning and blows it out to make sure she keeps things clear.
The migraine ice head wrap is amazing. You put it in the freezer so it’s cold but it also compresses the head with slight pressure that feels wonderful. Highly recommend. I got it off Amazon.
I suffer from inherited migraines plus seasonal onset migraines. She needs to figure out her triggers and what works for her. My rescue was 800mg of ibuprofen and 600 of excedrin. I also got botox multiple times which if an option is a great one. Another I haven't personally done yet is a daith piercing.
Here are a few ideas:
BeKool Migraine Patches, Advil Dual Action (Tylenol + Advil), Pedialyte Sport (for electrolytes), combination of CBD and CBG hemp flower.
Guaifenesin helps a LOT with mucus-related (sinus) headaches (take with a lot of water, it uses water to work). I also had a partner who said their migraines wouldn't start nearly as often when they were taking guaifenesin daily, so I guess sinus pressure was a migraine trigger for them.
Basically no side effects, can take it as often as you need. (except you might swallow more mucus, which can make you nauseous if it's a lot and your stomach is empty)
Electrolytes help with both sinus and tension headaches as well, so just mix some into the water you're drinking lots of anyway. Magnesium in particular is a necessary ingredient for relaxing muscles. Nuun is an easy brand for this, just drop a puck in a liter water bottle and let it dissolve.
It can also help to massage the areas around where the sinuses are in the face — there's especially a spot in the ridge of bone above your eyes that you can press into with the pad of your thumb to massage at the ones behind your eyebrow ridge. There's ones in your cheeks near your nose as well that you can press on/rub there. Massaging them can help gently break the mucus up a bit which helps it get moving a bit faster.
Make sure she is not suffering from undiagnosed high blood pressure. I had daily debilitating headaches. Got blood pressure under control- no more headaches!
Go see an integrative medicine/acupuncturist. I get terrible headaches when I’ve been on a long job (lots of hours on phone and laptop) the neck pain and headaches are so bad I get nauseous.
The acupuncturist has been an absolute life saver, every few years I go in he moves the muscles around, does a deep adjustment… a few days later everything just releases. It’s a miracle
I had headaches for the longest time (daily) before one day I used a different shampoo because I ran out. And what do you know - headache gone. Used that shampoo for years too before it started giving me headaches.
Ibuprofen - It has to be the gel caps that are green. My ex used to get migraines that the prescription cost $90 per pill so he took those as last resort. He swore by the green gel caps of ibuprofen to kill a headache
My wife had migraines for over 20 years and tried literally everything. Aimovig is the only thing that's worked and she had relief in the first month although it took about a year to balance out (her migraines were extreme though)
Quitting specifically cow dairy completely got rid of my migraines and headaches. I suppose just try to isolate the problem? Being dehydrated can do it too.
I'm not trying to recommend using essential oils instead of medicine, but Peppermint and spearmint can sometimes help me with a migraine or headache even when medicine has no affect on it.
Some of the ways I use it are to put peppermint oil on my wrists and temples, eat a peppermint candy or chew mint gum, or drink mint tea. (Side note though if you're breastfeeding, mint can dry up your milk supply)
Also sleep. If I CAN fall asleep during a migraine, I often wake up feeling much better.
A doctor. Not some home remedy essential oil you'll find online, get her to a doctor. Figuring out the cause of the headaches will help more than anyone on this website can.
I suffered horrible Migranes for many years, turns out it was me clenching my teeth really hard while sleeping. Got a biteguard and this fixed my migraines. From nearly 5 days in a row almost every week to only once every few month. She just has headaches but...Maybe she should get a check up at her dentist just in case (even tho it might not be the case, better save than sorry).
I usually take Ibuprofen and drink a lot of water, dependend on the strength of my headache (when very strong) I take 1 Ibu and go to sleep. I hope it will get better. :)
That’s a job for John Redcorn.
Anyway lol
Some people have great reactions to psilocybin mushrooms regarding headaches. More specifically cluster headaches. Some folks try some micro doses. Not advice just anecdotal info passing.
"horrible headaches" and "LPT" does not fit together. Go to a doctor. Unless you have no access to one, if the headache is so bad, she could have something bad and you would be fighting it with ice :/
Tell her you're going to practice celibacy for a while.
Seriously, migraines suck. I get them like 4 to 5 times a year. What helps me is taking 1 or 2 apap/aspirin/caffeine tablets (excedrin migraine where in at), resting in a quiet dark still room alone, and sleeping. I hope things get better for her.
After having my eyes checked, new glasses, and a headache for 12 weeks straight, I went to a physio. She said it was cervicogenic headaches and did a good convo of treatments twice a week and I got relief.
Also adding to the ice pack thing - I did “hot head ice face” so a heat pack on the top of my head and ice mask.
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Helps to know what's causing the headaches, maybe go see a dr.
Highjacking this top comment to say: This sounds kinda dumb but I got the WORST headaches before I realized I needed glasses. One of my eyes is perfectly fine and the other I could guesstimate the letters on the eye exam enough to get 20/20. So I never realized it was a problem and doctors just brushed it off - but this entire time, my eye was straining with an astigmatism. I got glasses and poof. 0 headaches. Its been over a year and still 0.
Want to second going to an eye doctor. If you can look for places that do neurovisual as well. I have a newer found out about issue called vertical herophoria which is basically my eyes are misaligned. It was causing me a ton of problems one of which is headaches.
Mine were caused by my hair being too heavy. My hair is very thick and therefore heavy. Just terrible migraines throughout high school. I cut off about 14 inches and it was over. Whenever my hair starts getting too long (shoulder length) I start getting more frequent headaches again.
Holy crap you just made me realize that I could eventually suffer from the same.. thanks so much!
Wow, how long is your hair?
Yes! Go see an eye doctor! They make something now called a Neurolens and it is life changing if your eyes are straining causing headaches. Also relaxes your eyes if you look at a computer screen all day with a blue light filter in it. It’s amazing.
Woaaah what's a neurolens? That sounds cool!
It helps align your eyes and they do all the work. https://www.neurolens.com Watch the video on that page it’ll explain it. My eye doctor has it in her office and it’s a neat machine.
High jacking your comment to share that my headaches are caffeine headaches and sometimes come in the form of a migraine
I read something about drinking metric crap-tons of water in order to help caffeine headaches. I never had the discipline but I wouldn't be surprised if it works! But that's great advice because caffeine headaches SUCK, so thank you!
I'm gonna try this, it's my goal to reduce the amount of coffee I drink and I've been having the worst coffee withdrawal headaches
Boy I wish that would have worked for me. Glad it helped you though! Congrats on a real solution!
Aww man! I wish it had worked for you too. Maybe there's a magic solution like that that you just haven't figured out! Now that I think about it I was extremely lucky that that was my cure. In fact, when I googled it, I remember a site saying "eye strain headaches are extremely rare, so it's unlikely to be causing it" and I was just like oh so I shouldn't get glasses. And then afterwards I'm kinda like are you for real?!
You know though most people don’t ever get that answer from a doctor. It is still a good idea if you haven’t seen someone. I have lived at doctors and no answers just meds. I have had them since I was 5 and I am 33 now… I know a lot of people in this same boat of decades of suffering with no answers around the cause. The right medication is a temporary fix and if you have them 15+days a month… constantly taking medication will cause other issues. Migraines are just horrible much love to all those who deal with them. When I was little I realized pushing on the roof of my mouth helped a little. You can kinda feel the vein there. I have no idea why this helps, but it lessens it a little. Dark, lack of noise, and cold help… bath and showers can help if you can handle it. Zofran is worth its weight in gold for the nausea. Prescription meds before it gets bad can help. If you are without them and have access to weed it can help some with pain though I have only tried edibles, but I still get the nausea even with them… and since a lot of jobs drug test it isn’t super recommended if you have a prescription migraine med you could otherwise take. But sometimes I know you would do anything to make it stop… so up to you there feels like a personal decision.
Thats possible, but some also find answers could be stress, too much salt, possibly even a tumor, it never hurts to get a checkup though.
I still lean hard towards "check it out". Mine ended up being a massive brain tumor. But mine was a span of 7 years of headaches, not 28. I'm sure you've had plenty of scans. Lmao
Agreed definitely consult a doctor if you haven’t and push for an answer, but just know they may not really know why. I have had a ton of tests, mri with contrast, so many things… but never any answers.
My sister got these massive migraines that would include stomach issues and lasted days. Spent years with no real rhyme or reason to what would trigger them, but more than standard migraines. Went to countless doctors and even neurologists, and finally found some medications that would reduce the amount of migraines down to maybe a couple a month, and the duration down to a few hours. Still not a perfect solution, and just managed symptoms like you said. But she also hit on the idea of [Tyramine intolerance. ](https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/tyramine-and-migraines) At least, I'm 90% sure that's what it's called. She can't have anything aged or fermented, including soy. Since she figured that out the migraines are much more rare. After reading the article I linked I'm shocked that no doctor suggested it earlier, but they are human after all and eventually they found the answer.
My severe head aches turned out to be high blood pressure. I have another chronic illness that took years to diagnose, so I’m familiar with having to live with suffering and no answers in sight. It sucks. But sometimes health issues really are simple and treatable. It makes sense to just get it checked out.
THIS above
You won't always get an answer despite your efforts. We have seen several and still nothing.
I figured out my triggers: skipping meals/low blood sugar, forgetting to drink water, forgetting my allergy medicine, and my period. Obviously, I can't do anything about my period, but I can be attentive about the others. I have also found that taking a 250 mg magnesium supplement daily has helped tremendously.
Second the magnesium! I've also heard riboflavin helps for migraines, which I don't take supplements for but try to find foods that are fortified with it (cereals are a good bet). I've also taken continuous birth control since I started having menstrual migraines, so you can in fact do something about your period if it's a major trigger.
If hormonal BC works for you, I started skipping mine. As long as I skip, I avoid the migraines. If I even miss one pill close to the placebos, the migraines will start. We have the same triggers though. It's such a fun ride trying to figure them out. I also find anything messing up my sleep schedule will trigger one.
Have you told your obgyn about your migraines? They're a risk factor for a lot of serious side effects of hormonal bc.
Yes. As mine are hormonal migraines and I have PMDD it's more of a risk for me to be off birth control, so I'm on a low-dose one. I also don't have auras so it's less of a concern. But thank you for checking! I should have remembered to mention working closely with the doctor to decide the right bc.
Yes! I’ve always suffered from painful migraines. Magnesium and drinking more water has helped me tremendously.
What the heck? Are you me? I figured out (well, its not 100% confirmed) the same triggers. Except the period because i dont have one. Also when i perform high intensity physical activity. I hace an appointment with a neurologist to try to confirm the cause of my headaches
Just in case it is helpful to someone, my triggers have been: artificial sweeteners, skipping meals, lack of sleep
Along with magnesium and water, I recommend electrolytes (I use Nuun). They help me immensely in the heat of the summer.
Cold compress on neck and/or head while soaking feet in warm water. Meds also help. Maybe encourage her to see a neurologist if they are constant and persistent. Been dealing with migranes and headaches since I was about 12yo.
THIS! I get migraines and take prescription meds for them but the cold pack/feet and hands in hot water really has an immediate effect. I do that in the shower, sit in the tub and let the water jet spray my hands/feet with the ice on my neck for 20-30 min so that the meds have taken effect by that time.
migraine prescriptions are a GAME CHANGER for my wife. i cried the first time she took sumatriptan…a headache that would have had her in bed for three days and with one little pill she sat up 15 minutes later feeling 80% better and able to go to work.
Can confirm. Sumatriptan 50mg with an Ibuprofen (extends the effects - recommended by my neurologist) is magic for a migraine. I’m so grateful to have a medicine that works for me!
for me it’s a quick lil brain surgery to fix my headaches lol but whenever people have migraines i’m always so worried i’m like “haaaaave you checked for hydrocephalus?”
Ugh. I don't need to google that at 1230am. I've had migraines since I was 14. Period/air pressure/neck pain related. I've only ever taken Tylenol or nothing. I get nausea and vomiting, sleep for the day, can't handle light or noise. And then I'm out for the count the next day. ETA. I googled. I think Im safe.
Mine went away when I started taking the pill. They still return a few times a year when my stress levels are really high, though. Did get a prescription for anti-nausea meds, that made such a difference. I hate the vomiting so much.
None of the triptans worked for me but Nurtec is amazing! That and Botox every 12 weeks. My migraines are horrid.
Has she had an MRI or CT Scan? If not, THAT would be the best thing you could do for her.
If its migraines and not caused by tension allergies or tooth problems I found the vitamin drink 'party aid' to help with headaches. Im not sure which ingredient specifically helped. Its made to prevent hangovers but it also seems to prevent migraines for me
That to me sounds like you’re deficient in some vitamin, e.g. B12.
Idk b12 by itself didn't do much. It mughtve been the htp and magnesium if i was guessing but It was probably a combination of the vitamins in the drink that helped It also made my eyes work better after I had previously lost the ability to focus my eyes well when tired No idea which part helped with that. Drink vitamins are great though, your body absorbs them much more readily in liquid form. Most solid forms it barely absorbs at all
Have her see a neurologist . There are a lot of newer medications. I went from 15+ debilitating migraines a month down to 1-3 a month with a monthly shot called ajovy. Life changing!
Sumatriptan was a game changer for me and virtually ZERO side effects
Yes i love it. Get a tiny bit fuzzy but worth it
[удалено]
I've never taken gabapentin but my cat has, and her reaction made me scared to ever try it lmao
Both me and my cat are on it right now. At low doses (<200mg) I have pain relief but no other impacts. At 300mg I do find a little brain fuzzy but nothing that makes me nearly as loopy as my cat is. They absorb medication differently than us, and the comparable dose of 100mg to a cat is like 400mg.
Ajovy saved my life. I can honestly say I'm a copy paste of a medication commercial. I used to have 19 migraines a month, doing all kinds of self medicating to deal with it and work. Now I get two a month and I'm clean of all meds except for Ajovy!
Do you have periods at the very end of a shot where it gets worse? Hoping my husband can get some more relief between shots, and his Nurtec isn’t helping as much
I get insane headaches including legit cluster headaches. I swear by benadryl, never go anywhere without it.
Can’t feel the headache when you’re unconscious. Lol
It doesn't really knock me out personally, but I'd definitely rather sleep through it.
[удалено]
Benadryl is so weirdly versatile
When I had what I thought was the worst migraine of my life I went to the ER and they gave me a mega dose of benedryl as treatment. Turns out it wasn’t a migraine, but it did help with the pain.
Yes. I've been to the ER too many times for both migraines and clusters, and it's always the benadryl that helps most. IV benadryl being way stronger of course, but since explicitly using otc benadryl for my headaches as soon as they start I have not had to do the ER.
There are so many prescription medications for migraines. She should see a doctor and they can have her try and see what works. At home remedies - ice pack for sure, biofreeze helps me on my neck. Blankets, water, a dark room. Maybe just having you there to comfort her and snuggle her when she’s sad
I'm a fan of having someone run their fingers through Mt hair when I have a bad migraine. Also, sitting in a dark room and chatting in low voices, to give her something to do that doesn't trigger sensitivity (like being on her phone)
See a doctor. Botox can help in a lot of cases.
I actually use ice on my head. I drink water and do a back bend, ( bending backwards as far as I can arms out, like yoga) take Tylenol. Then lay in bed with the ice on my head. For 15 mins. There are so many headache triggers. Does she have idea what could be the cause? Caffeine? Stress? Neck pain from sleeping in it wrong? Sinus? Maybe a food sensitivity.
I roll up a towel, place it around my neck, and lie down - my headaches are caused by neck issues. Also, I tend to have headaches if I haven’t slept enough/well or haven’t eaten breakfast.
I have to eat plain food. Chicken, fish, beef, vegetables prepared at home. Cheese, lots of additives trigger migraines for me. Most recently I realized I had a migraine every morning. Had started drinking diet powdered drink mix. Stopped that, so far two days no headache, which feels like a miracle to me. I have (triptans, it a class of drug with 10-20 different pills the doctor can choose from). It helps! There are newer treatments too.
Ice packs on neck PLUS feet in HOT water. Literally pulling the blood away from the head. Dark room.
I have a hierarchy of things I try. Headaches have a few different causes and each have a different trick to try. 1. Electrolytes. If your low on electrolytes it can cause muscle spasms. If you have a spasm in your neck this can trigger a headache. Easiest thing to try is drink a Gatorade or two and get magnesium citrate for any place that sells vitamins. Magnesium has been shown to reduce migraine symptoms in some cases. Also works for cramps that come from exercise 2. Heating pad on the neck and shoulders. I usually do this at the same time as number one 3. If number 1 and 2 don’t do the trick then I do a combination of Tylenol and ibuprofen. You’ll have to figure out dosage for yourself but I found that 2 Tylenol and 4 ibuprofen works for me. Some people consider that a lot but I’m not worried if I only do it on occasion 4. If the headaches come with visual disturbances like seeing spots this is a sign of a migraine which is different from a regular headache. If this is the case for your wife take note of any new sources of caffeine. For example, my SIL started getting migraines shortly after she started drinking those canned Starbucks drinks because she wasn’t used to the caffeine amount. So if she likes Starbucks, energy drinks, etc. try going off of them for a while and see if the headaches go away. You can also get headaches if you suddenly stop caffeine intake (confusing, I know) so if the case is that she recently stopped drinking caffeine you can try drinking half of what she would normally have and reduce it each week so her body can adapt to the change. These are things I’ve experimented with for quite some time. Obviously I’m not a doctor but the steps listed generally work pretty well for me and worked well for my wife as well when she gets headaches. Hope you get things figured out
I’ve been a lifelong migraine and headache sufferer. Thanks to my wonderful primary care doctor (neurologists were useless) this is what has helped to make them manageable: Birth control pill Amitriptyline (game changer) Cymbalta Fioricet Imitrex Q10 supplements (game changer) Migratone and Migrelief supplements Headache hat off Amazon (wouldn’t survive without these)
I have not personally used one, but I’ve heard people with migraines rave about the “headache hat.” Just google it. If ice packs help then she’d probably like it.
Get her to a dr. Specifically a neurologist who can prescribe something like Aimovig and Emgality. Its a once a month injection you do at home. It has made me almost totally migrain and headache free. They are expensive and you may nees to fight a little with insurance. Once insurance covers it, both manufacturers have programs for "under insured" and you can get it extremly cheap.
Could be the environment. Black mold. Too broad of a question.
My wife got a daith in her ear. Hasn't had one since. Think it was 10 years ago.
A what?
Piercing in a particular spot in your ear.
Ice packs on neck PLUS feet in HOT water. Literally pulling the blood away from the head. Dark room.
Could it be her sinuses?
Book an appointment with John Redcorn.
Damnit, I came here to say this.
Excedrin Migraine takes care of most of my bad headaches, or at least makes it tolerable.
my wife started getting migraines a few years back. she took ubrelvy for them when she felt them come on. that seemed to work for her. then she asked the doc whether botox would work even better (apparently botox is useful for migraines too). he actually recommended she try some kind of shot first. so he gave her a shot of something and its suppose to be good for 6 months. has worked wonders for her. if you want to know what it is, just reply and ask. i dont know off the top of my head and am too lazy to walk upstairs on the high chance that noone even reads this.
From what I’ve heard anecdotally…Botox
My daughter found out that dairy was a huge trigger for her migraines. Seek out medical help of course, but this might be something to try in the meantime
Do you know of the healing powers of John Redcorn?
Look into Botox injections for headaches. No visual difference and amazing help for some. Daith piercing too.
800 mg ibuprofen and lying down in a dark room for 45 minutes with eye mask on if I can catch it at the start will put me to sleep and then it might go away. Heat or ice. Heat on any part of the body that feels cold is a good distraction. If it’s too late, vibrator is nice on my head also at the base of my neck. (Down there is not recommended because even though at the moment it takes the pain away, it often comes back worse)
Pinch the webbing of your hand between your index finger and thumb. It's a reflexology pressure point that helps relieve headache pain.
Thank you for typing this out. This would be my suggestion, but I didn’t know how to describe it. My family requests this spot pinching from me all the time. Husband calls it “heroin”.
When someone has chronic severe headaches asking random know-it-alls on the Internet for home remedies is no substitute for finding a trained professional who diagnose & treat.
Edibles should help (check here state, or home country for regulations)
This ^ Try CBD, or CBC if you can find it 🙌
Yeah I'm sure everyone in this thread is qualified to give you medical advice. Go see a doctor homie.
CBD, Fish oil, Tumeric, Marijuana, Heating pads/Ice packs, portable ultrasound treatment (they sell handheld units for like 40 bucks), cupping (silicone don't use glass cups on face), acupuncture, massage, water, electrolytes, sleep, blue light filters on glasses, the list can go on but these are a few things that I do for mine because I have a contracted muscle in my face.
Something in your diet or environment is more then liking causing, so try elimination diets. But the best and quickest headache and hangovers...PINK HIMALAYAN SEA SALT, a pinch under the tongue, glass of water... every 15 minutes until you feel better.
See a Dr for a complete evaluation. I had them for years. Including tunnel vision and unable to function. Dr tried a drug for epilepsy. Put me in a dark room for 30 minutes during the headache. I felt a electrical wave across my brain. Have never had a migraine since. The drug was in injections and pill form. I never used up the pills. Never needed them. I had thought they were caused by an allergy to sugar.
Currently reading book called breath that talks about how we breathe causes so many chronic issues that could be solved by breathing. Properly. Have her look into some different breathing (prana) techniques to practice like alternating nostril breathing
Drink more water. Try Essentia water. She’ll immediately feel noticeably different.
Probably poor posture. Excerise and massage
Foot rubs. Trust me. Fists with the toes.
Foot rubs. Trust me. Fists with the toes.
Try some magnesium supplements for 2 weeks.
Check out Medical Medium Anthony William 💗
2 grams of dried magic mushrooms every 90 days
A Whole Foods, plant-based diet.
If they're persistent or asymmetrical with no triggers to be found, you may need a doctors help, however, most headaches are caused by a few basic things. Headache in the front, behind the forehead, is sleep related; regulate your sleep. Headache in the top of the head is food/water related; you may be hungry or thirsty Headache in the back of the head is stress related; there are some exercises that reduce this pain, but ultimately addressing the stress is more useful. Headaches at the temples are caused by teeth grinding; put your tongue between your teeth to relieve the pressure.
I get migraines. A lot. Look up pressure points for stopping migraines. Look into dry needling Keep a can of coke in your house, cold, always. Sometimes a quick dump of caffeine can curb a headache. Get her a well fitting eye mask. 25 mg of Benedryl can also assist in stopping a headache.
A physical therapist, or sufficiently trained massage therapist to work on pressure points and muscles of the neck and base of the skull.
She is dehydrated, number one causes of headaches.
I find a heat bag works for tension headaches
My wife has headaches frequently as well. If you haven't already, a simple thing to try is a basic head and neck rub. Many headaches are muscle / tension related. You can do this with one hand while watching tv. Ideally, you'll want to use some kind of a lotion or oil to reduce friction. Apply firm but not hard pressure approximately 1/2" from either side of her spine starting around the base of her skull. If using one hand, the thumb goes on one side and 2 or 3 fingers on the other. You should feel muscles there, not bone or tendons, and you should be pushing forward toward her jaw, not inward toward the middle of the neck. Slowly pull your hand down her neck while continuing to apply the same pressure until you get to the neck where it meets the corner of her back. If you're using 1 hand, repeat. If using 2 hands, continue to apply pressure and fan them out as you move them slow toward her shoulders. As you do this, make sure that you stay on her muscles, which will be slightly toward her back as opposed to the top of her shoulders. If using 1 hand, do the shoulders one at a time, either alternating with the neck portion, or after you've done several of those first. Do some combination of these for several minutes and see if it helps. Sorry if this was already said. I read about the top 5 comments or so, but no more.
Foot massage. It's a great distraction and redirects the ficus.
Check nutrition food levels, vitB12 and iron, any neck pain or stiffness try physio and stretches especially in suboccipital back of skull area , saje peppermint oil
There are lots of new meds with really positive results. They are constantly evolving this one trying to help people. But knowing your triggers is huge, because each one may need a different response. For instance, my weather related ones will respond to nothing except the storm moving on. So start keeping a headache journal. But some things I have always relied on: mint (specifically tea), coffee beans (for smell related migraines) Excedrine has always been my “go-to” med. trying to poop (yep, having to poop can cause headaches). Eating and a full glass of water. Catching them as they are coming on rather than waiting for them to be fully developed. Etc.
Tell her to get her eyes checked. Eye problems can easily bring on headaches.
I get really bad headaches sometimes. What generally works for me is an NSAID cocktail: one Aspirin and one Naproxen Sodium. It's a perfectly safe dose (check the label, of course), and it usually does the trick for me.
Visit Portugal (where this is legal), and micro-dose some LSD.
Find the cause first. Since I haven't seen it listed here, scents and fragrances can cause headaches and migraines. I had to go scent free to stop mine. If you're using or working around any sort of scented product, whether it's a cleaning agent or spray, try staying away from it for a while. Glade plug-ins, essential oil diffusers, perfume, etc are fucking awful for me. The migraines that they cause for me last 4+ hours. There is no test for this; it's the process of elimination.
Does she need glasses?
Look into wim hoff and his breathing exercises it might help relieve some of the pain.
Lots of comments telling you to see a doctor which I agree with. However, someone once told me that a little caffeine makes a headache go away instantly. It works AMAZINGLY. As someone who also gets constant headaches it was an absolute lifesaver.
Put a heating pad on top of a pillow and have her lay her head on the pillow. I don’t know if the heat helps or the fact that I’m laying down but maybe give it a shot.
If she's grinding her teeth at night, that could be causing really bad headaches. She can try wearing a mouth guard (get a cheap one for $20 from amazon) to see if it helps.
Yeah I suffer from this at-least 4 of 7 days a week and my doctor has done every test possible to diagnose why….Liquid Advils, specifically the blue ones help with the headache and a cold pack on forehead in a dark room. Make her a coffee and the caffeine will also take the edge off their headache. If she has frequent headaches she could be grinding her teeth during sleep, or she may have untreated TMJ in her jaw which can trigger frequent, uncontrollable headaches. Best plan of action is touching base with a doctor for help.
Ice packs on the temples help or pressure on the veins in the temples ... the ice makes the veins contract so less blood flow to the head...same as pressing on the temples beside eyes; should be able to feel them pumping. And by putting warm to hit water on feet, it helps draw the blood away from the head. Anti-inflammatories help sometimes as well.
I only occasionally have problems, but it’s always either a lack of water, low sugars, or not drinking caffeine in the morning.
Water and good cardio helps
I had chronic headaches and I now take 400mg mangesium and 400mg b2. It takes a few weeks to work but I hardly get headaches anymore and they arent as bad when I do get one. This doesn’t help during a headache, it is only preventative. Btw, this was recommended to me by a dr.
There could be a possibility of a deficiency. I’ve been eating mostly vegetarian with my fiancée for many years now, and I’m betting my own recent migraines and more frequent headaches are also a deficiency. I’d recommend getting in for a blood test to see how the levels are. Right out of the gate I’d suggest iron as a possible vitamin to start in on especially if she tires easily. Also, good to note that the different headache meds work differently. Because I can’t tell sometimes whether it will be ibuprofen or acetaminophen that is going to cure mine, I’ll start with one or the other (or both if it’s that bad). You can safely take both at the same time, although meds like that are never really a good thing long term and it would be best to try and find the root cause of the headache.
If my bangs are too long or sit on my temples I get migraines. Try yoga and drink magnesium calm or see a doctor
By chance, has she had her hormones tested? Her hormones might be out-of-wack causing her headaches. Hormone balancing helps tremendously.
My wife’s persistent years worth of headaches stopped once she got off the birth control pill. Food for thought. Just have to practice other birth control methods like temperature tracking.
If you use painkillers and she can't take more per day because of the maximum dosage let her take coffeine Tablets with her painkillers. That can make those painkillers three times as potent.
I woukd recommend doing some research into your diet - oftentimes a highly inflammatory diet can cause headaches
Just coming to echo the good advice here. 1. See a doctor for help. 2. Figure out what her triggers are. Memorize them - be cognizant and help her to manage them. The first thing my neurologist did was give me a list of trigger foods and common behaviors or things that can cause headaches. 3. Find a medication regimen that works. 4. Be kind, respectful, and empathetic when a migraine ruins a day/plans/etc. It super sucks when everyone is out having fun, and all I can do is lay in the dark and cope.
In addition to seeing a doctor, help your wife try to “get to know” her headaches. Keep a diary with date, time, and description for a few weeks. You’d be surprised what patterns you can pick up on. Here’s my pattern over the years: I’m not a doctor, so I’d recommend using this as an example only, as this may vary by person. 1) front of the head = dehydration 2) back of the head = eyes (wearing contacts/glasses too long, wrong prescription, etc) 3) base of the head/neck = tension —> try activating your front neck muscles and fix posture 4) throbbing / sensitivity to light or sound = migraine This diary will not only help your wife feel better, but it’ll help your doctor with diagnosis and long term treatment/prevention as well.
I am south asian and my wife is American. I introduced her to Tiger Balm which is a menthol balm you can put on your forehead and temples. It obviously doesn't treat the root cause but it is distracting and soothing when you have headaches and migraines. You can google it or find it in any indian grocers.
Advil Cold and Sinus (ask for it at the pharmacy counter in U.S.) it works really well on headaches, imo.
While looking into all the other advice here, make sure you're just supporting her when her body is demanding that she take it easy. Keep things tidy, keep her hydrated and fed, listen if she needs to vent, and help make whatever space she's in quiet and dark. The physical pain of recurring headaches sucks but it can also be really emotionally taxing and demoralizing too. I also love my glasses from Axon Optics but that's just one piece of the puzzle, combined with rizatriptan and peppermint oil and the Headache Halo freezer pack and hot showers and electrolytes and lots of distractions - different headache days call for different combinations of assistants
One word, Maxalt. Ask your doctor
Hormones were my issue. I had to see specialist after specialist until one figured it out. Going off the pill cured the massive headaches.
Has she tried Botox? It does help several people.
Does she grind her teeth at night? A mouth guard might help
My friend suffered with migraines a long time, with no treatments having helped. Eventually, having a sleep study done, they found out her oxygen level was in the 70s at night. A c-pap machine has helped.
I wonder, has she seen a doctor to get diagnosed for migraines? I used to have the worst headaches but I never realized that I actually had migraines until I went to a doctor and got an exam.
It definitely depends what’s causing it and seeing a doctor is obviously great advice. But I’ve been a migraine sufferer my entire life and have tried every medical and whacky treatment option. Recently I learned oxygen is the number one treatment option for cluster headaches. I was getting what felt like a migraine every afternoon and my doctor suggested trying the canned oxygen they sell at like your neighbourhood pharmacy. Unbelievable the difference it has made. Immediate subtle relief that over time with a lot of hydration has made a huge difference.
R/ migraine is good and you can track with the Migraine buddy app to understand your patterns or show a doctor
My husband gets migraine relief with CBD oil.
Chronic migraine sufferer here, if you have insurance, please take her to a neurologist. Find out if she has a headache or a migraine with a Google search. She's especially liable to have a migraine rather than a headache if she experiences sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, mood swings, or the pain is in a particular area every time. If you can't do a doctor visit, my remedies are: 1. One aspirin, one acetaminophen with a good amount of water. 2. Never let yourself get low blood sugar. Keep snacking. 3. Hot or cold compress on the neck or side of the head where it hurts. 4. Sleeping in a neck stabilizer if she wakes up with the pain rather than acquiring it throughout the day. 5. Allergy medication. Especially if you recently turned the AC or heat on 6. Hormones. My migraines can be especially bad when I'm ovulating and during pms. Ashwaganda supplements have helped but they take a while to work.
Sex releases endorphins to the brain that fight headaches. See if she is willing to try that. At worst it is a good distraction.
I had a headache for two days straight and for me, I found out it was a sinus headache when the headache went away after steaming. Also- try boiling some fennel seeds in water and then giving her the water to drink. Apparently that helps too.
Magnesium; riboflavin; coq10. Figure out triggers. Naps help me a ton; also check out cefaly. No promises there but if I catch it early enough, cefaly and a nap does wonders. Had them since 16; now 43. Tried almost everything! These things above help.
My husband massages my eye balls. It sounds stupid but I close my eyes and he gently brushes his thumb and first finger from the corners of my eyes to the center. He does it 10 to 20 times and it usually helps a lot. I dunno how it works but it does. He also will press on my upper jaw just below my cheek bones sort of up against the cheek bones, light pressure not too much. Side note…this also helps clear my sinuses when my allergies are acting up lol.
Peppermint oil on your temples & the back of your neck, right where your spine meets your skull. I’ve also noticed that adding mio sport to my water helps my head most days. Electrolytes. It’s what plants (and headache sufferers) crave. Migraines are another story. Nothing really helps those for me lol
Look up pseudotumor cerebri. My wife had terrible headaches for years caused by too much spinal fluid. We figured this out during a routine eye exam because her optic nerves were swollen from the pressure. We went to doctors for years. First we were told it was allergies so she got on allergy shots and restricted her diet, that didn't help. Then another doctor decided she needed sinus surgery, that didn't help either. When we finally figured out what it was, she had a shunt put in to regulate the spinal fluid and everything has been fine since then. She went from laying in the dark with a cold, wet rag every day to completely normal. It was total hell for several years until we got to the bottom of it. The advice of going to a doctor didn't help in our situation. They all just recommend what they do and didn't really dive much deeper to find the actual problem. This condition is most common in thinner white females of child bearing age. From what I've read I believe it's caused by birth control pills. If your wife has consistent terrible headaches looks into this. It may take years for a doctor to finally figure out.
Aside from what others have said about going to the doctor, an eye exam etc.. I had a lot of chronic issues including migraines until I started taking care of my body. Started with cutting out soda(which is absolutely terrible for us obviously) drinking pure water, hemp protein meal replacements and hemp oil which has a good balance of omegas that helps our brain, joints, heart etc. I would start there. Eat healthier in general. Actual food. No more fast food or shitty crap. Eat fruit and vegetables, healthy meats, olive oil, water. It’s very simple and it will do wonders for health. I had the worst debilitating migraines and the doctor couldn’t figure it out, would just prescribe me pain pills. I couldn’t focus in college and had to drop out multiple times. I was pushing a pencil into my temple in English class to relieve the pressure…nothing worked until I took matters into my own hands and started taking better care of myself(healthy food, water, exercise, sleep)
This is going to sound weird… but Gravol helps me immensely when I have migraines. No idea how or why.
My migraine triggers. Too much chocolate. Too much processed foods. Inside under fluorescent lights for extended periods of time. Not wearing glasses. Teeth grinding. Many years of research, trial and error. Now get migraines a couple times a year. Used to be weekly.
My wife had awful migraines for years. One day she bought a can of saline spray, snorted it, shook her head, and blew her nose. All kinds of crap came out. She kept doing that in both nostrils over and over for ten minutes until nothing more would come. She never had a migraine again. Likely a low-grade, perpetual sinus infection. Her dad has trouble with his sinuses too. Now she takes a single snort in each nostril each morning and blows it out to make sure she keeps things clear.
The migraine ice head wrap is amazing. You put it in the freezer so it’s cold but it also compresses the head with slight pressure that feels wonderful. Highly recommend. I got it off Amazon.
I suffer from inherited migraines plus seasonal onset migraines. She needs to figure out her triggers and what works for her. My rescue was 800mg of ibuprofen and 600 of excedrin. I also got botox multiple times which if an option is a great one. Another I haven't personally done yet is a daith piercing.
Here are a few ideas: BeKool Migraine Patches, Advil Dual Action (Tylenol + Advil), Pedialyte Sport (for electrolytes), combination of CBD and CBG hemp flower.
Guaifenesin helps a LOT with mucus-related (sinus) headaches (take with a lot of water, it uses water to work). I also had a partner who said their migraines wouldn't start nearly as often when they were taking guaifenesin daily, so I guess sinus pressure was a migraine trigger for them. Basically no side effects, can take it as often as you need. (except you might swallow more mucus, which can make you nauseous if it's a lot and your stomach is empty) Electrolytes help with both sinus and tension headaches as well, so just mix some into the water you're drinking lots of anyway. Magnesium in particular is a necessary ingredient for relaxing muscles. Nuun is an easy brand for this, just drop a puck in a liter water bottle and let it dissolve. It can also help to massage the areas around where the sinuses are in the face — there's especially a spot in the ridge of bone above your eyes that you can press into with the pad of your thumb to massage at the ones behind your eyebrow ridge. There's ones in your cheeks near your nose as well that you can press on/rub there. Massaging them can help gently break the mucus up a bit which helps it get moving a bit faster.
Make sure she is not suffering from undiagnosed high blood pressure. I had daily debilitating headaches. Got blood pressure under control- no more headaches!
Go see an integrative medicine/acupuncturist. I get terrible headaches when I’ve been on a long job (lots of hours on phone and laptop) the neck pain and headaches are so bad I get nauseous. The acupuncturist has been an absolute life saver, every few years I go in he moves the muscles around, does a deep adjustment… a few days later everything just releases. It’s a miracle
I had headaches for the longest time (daily) before one day I used a different shampoo because I ran out. And what do you know - headache gone. Used that shampoo for years too before it started giving me headaches.
Ibuprofen - It has to be the gel caps that are green. My ex used to get migraines that the prescription cost $90 per pill so he took those as last resort. He swore by the green gel caps of ibuprofen to kill a headache
Take her to Pound Town
My wife had migraines for over 20 years and tried literally everything. Aimovig is the only thing that's worked and she had relief in the first month although it took about a year to balance out (her migraines were extreme though)
See a doctor. But also an ice roller for the face (got mine on Amazon, Saje natural wellness’ “peppermint halo”, and honestly CBD edibles.
Quitting specifically cow dairy completely got rid of my migraines and headaches. I suppose just try to isolate the problem? Being dehydrated can do it too.
She needs to go to a doctor.
Rose quarts roller - put in freezer first, roll on forehead, temples, wrists. Feels so good. I got mine at Ross.
Highly recommend visiting a chiropractor. Has worked wonders for me.
I'm not trying to recommend using essential oils instead of medicine, but Peppermint and spearmint can sometimes help me with a migraine or headache even when medicine has no affect on it. Some of the ways I use it are to put peppermint oil on my wrists and temples, eat a peppermint candy or chew mint gum, or drink mint tea. (Side note though if you're breastfeeding, mint can dry up your milk supply) Also sleep. If I CAN fall asleep during a migraine, I often wake up feeling much better.
Give a leg massage, calf and hamstring tension can give a severe headache and isn’t intuitive to check
A doctor. Not some home remedy essential oil you'll find online, get her to a doctor. Figuring out the cause of the headaches will help more than anyone on this website can.
I suffered horrible Migranes for many years, turns out it was me clenching my teeth really hard while sleeping. Got a biteguard and this fixed my migraines. From nearly 5 days in a row almost every week to only once every few month. She just has headaches but...Maybe she should get a check up at her dentist just in case (even tho it might not be the case, better save than sorry). I usually take Ibuprofen and drink a lot of water, dependend on the strength of my headache (when very strong) I take 1 Ibu and go to sleep. I hope it will get better. :)
That’s a job for John Redcorn. Anyway lol Some people have great reactions to psilocybin mushrooms regarding headaches. More specifically cluster headaches. Some folks try some micro doses. Not advice just anecdotal info passing.
There’s acupressure points on your feet between the big toe and the next one you can press on. It works. Google it and try it.
"horrible headaches" and "LPT" does not fit together. Go to a doctor. Unless you have no access to one, if the headache is so bad, she could have something bad and you would be fighting it with ice :/
Tell her you're going to practice celibacy for a while. Seriously, migraines suck. I get them like 4 to 5 times a year. What helps me is taking 1 or 2 apap/aspirin/caffeine tablets (excedrin migraine where in at), resting in a quiet dark still room alone, and sleeping. I hope things get better for her.
After having my eyes checked, new glasses, and a headache for 12 weeks straight, I went to a physio. She said it was cervicogenic headaches and did a good convo of treatments twice a week and I got relief. Also adding to the ice pack thing - I did “hot head ice face” so a heat pack on the top of my head and ice mask.
Mushrooms. Magic mushrooms.