Tips and tricks for all the chronic pain-sufferers like me out there
Note: I am not a medical professional and the information below is not medical advice; it is my personal research and experience of various headache-related products. Please seek advice from a medical professional before making any healthcare-related changes.
I haven’t written a blog post lately, mostly because I’ve had a full-blown migraine for about a week now. When this happens, which unfortunately is often, it’s easy to feel like I’m the only person in the world who experiences this level of pain. However, I can luckily simply go Facebook or Instagram and see that there are many, many others out there like me, who suffer for days, are searching for anything to relieve their pain, and are holding out hope that the next thing might be the thing.
So, for those of you who are like me, I’ve put together a short list of some of my current favorite migraine and pain relief products and tactics in hopes that maybe one of the below will end up being your thing.
Peppermint essential oil: A migraine-suffering friend introduced me to peppermint essential oil about six months ago and now I can’t imagine how I made it through a migraine without it. I mix a few drops with unscented lotion and apply it to my face and neck for a cooling effect. It temporarily replaces my headache pain with a tingly, minty feeling. Once the feeling wears off, I simply apply more and repeat throughout the day to keep an oncoming migraine at bay. I use Aura Cacia oil and have found it works well for me, but some essential oils have been said to cause nausea in migraine-sufferers, so you may need to test out a few brands to find one you like. Just make sure you find one that says “100% pure essential oil” on the bottle to avoid any nausea-causing add-ins. These options may seem more expensive, but don’t worry, a half ounce bottle has lasted me more than six months.
Icepack headband: My most ridiculous looking but most-loved headache related purchase has been by icepack headband. If you’ve ever tied an icepack to your aching head or neck (which I definitely have), you should definitely consider Thera-med’s headache band. I usually save this for the days when nothing else seems to be helping my migraine, headache, or associated neck and jaw pain. I personally find the band too cold to wear on its own, so I wrap it in a towel and Velcro it around my head or neck for my most stylish headache look yet.
UpSpring Stomach Settle: If your migraines come with nausea or an upset stomach and you’re looking for a more natural way to manage it than Pepto-Bismol or Tums, UpSring Stomach Settle drops may become your new best friend. I was skeptical of these mint-looking drops made from ginger, lemon, spearmint, and vitamin B6 at first since I eat a lot of ginger and spearmint already, but once I had a stomachache and gave them a try, I was an immediate fan. The drops taste like a ginger candy and almost immediately diminish my nausea or upset stomach to a manageable level. Plus, they’re individually wrapped so I can carry some in my bag at all times and better yet, UpSpring is women-owned!
Headspace pain management pack: As a longer term chronic pain management tactic, I’ve been a huge fan of the Headspace meditation app’s “pain management” pack for paid subscribers. The pack is a 30-day series of 10-, 15-, 0r 20-minute guided meditations, during which you learn to passively observe pain just as you would observe other thoughts or feelings while meditating. While this is not a method for alleviating the pain of a headache or migraine immediately, it definitely helps to put the pain into perspective and I truly finish each session feeling lighter and less in-pain—it’s almost magic. As I’ve practiced this technique, I’ve gotten better at applying it on my own to moments of pain outside of the meditation sessions, as well.
There you have it, four of my current favorite migraine management strategies and products. If you try any of these tips and find them helpful, please let me know in the comments down below!