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A tip for migraine sufferers - game changer!

80 replies

MacauliflowerCulkin · 17/02/2022 07:59

I get migraines maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I suffer with headaches (hormonal) regularly but occasionally I'll get a migraine.

The ones were absolutely nothing helps, you can't talk or look at your phone, vomiting etc.

Yesterday one came on quite suddenly. I took a co-codamol and ibuprofen and nothing helped. 3 hours in and I rang one of my friends who is a GP in tears out of pure desperation and she gave me a little tip that helped more than anything ever has. I don't know if this will work for everybody, but it helped me SO much I can't not tell others who suffer.

She told me (very simple) run a hot bath, almost as hot as you can tolerate. (Don't burn yourself) but has to be steaming. Lay in the bath (no bubbles or perfume).

Lay flat on your back with your legs bent, the bath has to be deep enough to submerge your ears fully and you eyes close your eyes. For an hour. Don't move, don't check your phone. No lights on or anything. Don't fall asleep though!
I instantly felt an ease, and an hour later the migraine was gone. I still felt a bit headachy and tired but it honestly worked.

It may be a total coincidence, and surely something so simple would be so well known if it actually works. Or maybe people already know this hack. But I text her last night thanking her so much.

It may not work for others but it instantly proved me with relief and the migraine slowly eased through the hour.

Any other sufferers give it a try and if there's any GPs on here - is this a thing?

Can a very hot bath really ease them? Sounds crazy but I can't tell you how much it helped!

OP posts:
Cotton55 · 17/02/2022 08:04

Thank you!! I'll definitely try this the next time I get one. I usually only get them about twice or 3 times a year too. I've never actually vomited but I feel like I'm close to. And they can last 2 or 3 days.

FrancesFlute · 17/02/2022 08:04

I'm glad it helped you.

I don't think submerging up to ears for one hour sounds particularly safe though. I'd be worried about falling asleep!

My DH (incidentally a GP and migraine sufferer) has never heard of it. Someone I know has had success with tyromine exclusion diet.

PurpleDaisies · 17/02/2022 08:05

A real GP said that?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Pyri · 17/02/2022 08:08

Have you taken sumatriptan? Co codamol and ibuprofen would do nothing for my migraines except make me feel sick. A hot bath would also make me feel sick!

2 soluble aspirin and a can of full fat coke can ward them off at very first sign

Piccolocco · 17/02/2022 08:11

Three tabs of aspirin, a tab of ondansetron and unlimited full fat coke is my top tip. Lie very still in a dark room and pray for death to bring mercy.

FrecklesMalone · 17/02/2022 08:11

As with most things there is no one solution so definitely worth a go.
I have tried ALL the meds and either they don't touch the sides or make me worse.
The only thing that reliably has helped is a course of acupuncture.

Icantgetalifeifmyheartsnotinit · 17/02/2022 08:14

3 ibuprofen, a pint of water and a cold compress usually kick mine into gear enough so I can sleep. Sleep is always the only complete cure for mine.

FindingMeno · 17/02/2022 08:16

The game changers for me were triptans, then menopause.

TheVolturi · 17/02/2022 08:16

I get migraines every month sadly. They are debilitating. I could not drop everything and go and lie in a bath for an hour, and I'm guessing the water would go cold pretty fast? I will try most things though but I can't remember the last time I had time for a bath. Glad it worked for you though op!
I have a little ritual myself, at the start I take two paracetamol and two ibuprofen, put a little vicks on my temples, and I put my travel bands on my wrists. If I catch it early enough it's usually effective.

doadeer · 17/02/2022 08:19

Last time I had a bath with a migraine I was lying in the pitch black and I vomitted in the bath which was a lovely treat 😩

Only thing that helps mine is these tablets

A tip for migraine sufferers - game changer!
Easterbunnyiswindowshopping · 17/02/2022 08:21

Showering with the hot water on my head has always helped. Def on to something op.
And yet a cold pack on the worst pain side works for me too!

StormBaby · 17/02/2022 08:39

Get your daith pierced. Both sides. I had migraines for twenty years. Not had one since

Nortd · 17/02/2022 08:43

I wish it worked for me, I have tried ridiculously hot baths before and it just made me too hot and agitated and still had a banging migraine.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 17/02/2022 08:44

Lying in a hot bath has made me sick before...

My current method is Neurofen Migraine relief pills, orange squash, dark room for a couple of hours. Then when its passing, something salty to eat... curry seems to work particularly well.

Dfg15 · 17/02/2022 08:46

Hot water bottle as hot as i can bear it on my head where the pain is always helps for me.

MacauliflowerCulkin · 17/02/2022 08:46

@PurpleDaisies

A real GP said that?
Yep - and it helped me massively!
OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 17/02/2022 08:48

From the time frame and the fact you’d taken pain killers earlier, it’s quite likely the bath was totally irrelevant and your migraine was on its way out anyway.

I’m glad you felt it helped you. I don’t think it’s the miracle cure for those of us with regular migraines that you think it might be.

VanGoghsDog · 17/02/2022 08:49

@FindingMeno

The game changers for me were triptans, then menopause.
Yes, triptans work for me. Menopause had made them a bit worse though. HRT has helped.
MacauliflowerCulkin · 17/02/2022 08:50

@TheVolturi

I get migraines every month sadly. They are debilitating. I could not drop everything and go and lie in a bath for an hour, and I'm guessing the water would go cold pretty fast? I will try most things though but I can't remember the last time I had time for a bath. Glad it worked for you though op! I have a little ritual myself, at the start I take two paracetamol and two ibuprofen, put a little vicks on my temples, and I put my travel bands on my wrists. If I catch it early enough it's usually effective.
When I have a proper migraine I have to drop everything anyway as I don't feel well enough to do the basics of things so I just ran a bath and stayed there for an hour. I did keep topping the water up - really worked for me! Might not work for others but thought it was worth mentioning just in case it can help other sufferers.

I don't get them enough to take triptans and things I don't think.

Someone mentioned the ear piercing - does that actually help?

OP posts:
MacauliflowerCulkin · 17/02/2022 08:51

@doadeer

Last time I had a bath with a migraine I was lying in the pitch black and I vomitted in the bath which was a lovely treat 😩

Only thing that helps mine is these tablets

Are these over the counter? Kay be worth me keeping some in the cupboard!
OP posts:
ShowOfHands · 17/02/2022 08:52

Baths/heat make dh's worse, as do triptans. Different people need v different things seemingly.

For dh, ergotamine tartrate, aspirin, full fat coke and sleep are the magic bullet.

Pyri · 17/02/2022 08:53

I don't get them enough to take triptans and things I don't think.

What? This doesn’t make sense. A triptan is literally one tablet you take when you have a migraine and it stops the migraine. It isn’t an ongoing course of medicine to stop them occurring.

The tablets @doadeer posted are triptans?

You can get them over the counter and I assure you they’re worth trying

doadeer · 17/02/2022 09:02

Yes over the counter - the tablets I posted. I keep them in stock all the time and always travel with them. They are a god send. Nothing else touches my migraines.

Malibuismysecrethome · 17/02/2022 09:07

Syndol headache tablets for me, right at the very start.

dontgobaconmyheart · 17/02/2022 09:24

I'm not sure that seems entirely safe, and I'd not want water in my ears to that extent petsonally but glad it worked for you OP.

I don't find heat that helpful but I do think relaxing muscles does help so can in theory see how a bath might. My go to is a lot of coconut water, medication and lying down focusing on making sure I'm not holding anything tense, stretching out and massaging my head, jaw, neck and shoulders before taking a nap in the dark using a cold gel pack as a pillow. One gel pack on the forehead and one on the back of the neck also helps. They're a couple of pounds on Amazon and a game changer for me.