Paige has suffered from migraine headaches all her life. From elementary school she remembers going to the nurses stations often and grew up being told it was tension headache. In her 20’s she finally found a doctor who listened to her symptoms and started migraine medication to help with the daily pain. Along that journey though was a lot of bad advice, those who weren’t paying attention and even one doctor who told her that having 19 to 20 headaches a month wasn’t “so bad. I have seen worse”. However she kept looking and all the time trusting herself. After her VAD and stroke in 2013 she wasn’t allowed any migraine medication and has had to trust natural remedies she knew helped her all along.
The most important tool to dealing with her pain is having an understanding spouse. It is so easy for families to dismiss a person’s pain and can easily tear relationships apart. Holding space for a person and just let them communicate their frustration is key. No need to solve it. Paige’s husband also gives head rubs just by squeezing over and over for 10 min and many times the pain goes away or is less intense.
Headache Tips
The tips below are just suggestions that have helped her and of course you should talk to your doctor and work with them to provide them lots of information. Even the doctors and research are still learning about the causes and triggers so never stop learning yourself.
Lots of water - drinking lots of water and staying hydrated.
When the pain is intense Paige drinks a small cup of unsweetened coffee.
Peppermint oil - the kind that is safe to digest made from real peppermint (DoTerra)
Ice pack - on the back of the neck (top of the neck and bottom of head). She likes something called the ICE Hat that you place in freezer and then wear all over the head. (AMAZON).
Keep feet warm - blanket or heating pad on the feet at the same time you do ice
Rosewater spray - organic and no alcohol added - spray in face and body to cool
Ginger ale, tea or snap cookies - ginger helps the stomach upset
Magnesium as well as Turmeric Supplements - check with your doctor
Eye pillow - covering the eyes away from light (See favorite things page)
Lifting the legs higher than heart OR lifting the hips higher than head (Childs Pose) - hold for a long time taking slow and deep breathes
Warm shower and then neti pot nose spray to help with the head pressure
Warm bath with epsom salts and get the neck and shoulders into the water - legs up the tub!
Acupuncture by a doctor who has studied headache pain relief
Myofascial using a ball - head, face, upper back and neck areas especially
Cranial Sacral Massage or when you don’t have time use two tennis balls in a sock and place at the neck to head area. Must be high enough to press into the neck - may need a blanket or towel at the neck as well. Once you hold that area try to breath slower and deeper. Notice how these muscles are tight and will wrap up back of the head to the eyes. It is all connected.
Soft or no sounds around you - dark cool room
Avoid too much food or sleep AND too little food or sleep - regularity matters
Learn about your triggers such as alcohol, food, barometric pressure & hormone changes
Airplane and high altitudes will trigger - hydrate and follow tips above to prepare before, during and after
You aren’t going to avoid all headaches so you need to be able to ask for help, know when to stop and find the care you need to get through this. If you aren’t getting answers don’t give up hope. You are not alone and Paige has spent years communicating till she found doctors that would listen. More importantly - TRUST YOURSELF. You know that you aren’t making up the pain and that it sucks! Just know that you aren’t alone. Maybe schedule an appointment with Paige for some Yoga Therapy or Sound Bowl/Yoga Nidra Meditation.
Take all your facts and journals to your doctor so you can explore more solutions. Be sure to trust yourself though. The doctor is a human being and may make human errors.