How to manage headaches?

[Person246]

I have suffered with headaches and migraines for a while now. I go through periods of having them frequently and I always take ibuprofen and sumatriptan. It deals with the current headache but then I think it is causing cluster headaches.

Does anyone have any good tips on how to manage headaches without taking medication?

Anyone?

I used to get migraines quite a bit but once I was able to figure out my triggers I was able to reduce the frequency. For me it’s certain foods (strong cheeses, certain scents, glare off of the sun and stress). The stress one is the hardest to control but I know I will get one once a stressful time is over so I can just plan for it in my scheduling. To find my triggers I just kept notes of what I ate/did before one came on and looked for common threads.

Also try and get a hand on how you feel when one is coming. For me I always get my migraine pain starting in the middle of my right eyebrow. So once I start feeling that coming if I take steps I can normally stop it turning into a full blown migraine. If I’m in work or busy that’s normally take a neurofen but if I’m at home if I lie down in a dark room for a little bit that also works.

keep a headache diary, really pin down your triggers and eliminate them as much as possible. Focus on keeping hydrated, supplements that are supportive, relaxation techniques and stress reduction.

cool strips, darkness and quiet are helpful when headaches hit. I’ve heard about putting feet into warm water and cold strips / flannels on forehead but no idea if they work.

my son suffers terribly, we are currently trying magnesium supplements, daily electrolytes, low dairy and reduced screen time.

he finds if he can get three ibuprofen on board when he starts to get the migraine he can sometimes avoid a full blown attack.

I suffer with ocular, cluster and aura migraines and also take Sumatryptan, as you know though it's only a treatment and not preventative.

Figuring out triggers, like PP have said, is really helpful, one of mine is hormonal.

I also went out of my way to find a reputable piercer who has experience in piercing daiths in the hope of helping stave off migraines and it's been an absolute miracle! I do still get them but not as frequently and most are less severe. I went from at least once a week to once a month-ish.

It doesn't always work but if it does it is such a relief! If it doesn't work the worst that happens is that you have a cool new piercing in your ear!

Prevention is always better than a cure here I think - and I’m a lifelong migraine sufferer. I don’t have alcohol, cheese, caffeine, peanuts or chocolate now. I take a massive daily dose of vitamin B2 and a standard daily dose of magnesium oxide. I ensure I am well hydrated and I don’t leave it too long between meals. This all helps enormously - stress and hormones I can’t control so it’s not faultless! I suffer migraines with aura though so I’ll do anything to avoid those.

You need a proper diagnosis from a neurologist, exaggerate your symptoms if need be to get medication and a referral to your hospital’s Pain Clinic.
Sometimes you can get nerve block injections, hot water bottle/ ice packs to the head, acupuncture, physio, diet recommendations and alternative medication such as boswellia.
Once diagnosed join a Facebook support group.

Is it a migraine or a headache? For me, my migraines start with visual disturbance - I usually know as I feel detached, a bit sick, and like I am looking through a white veil. Then I get huge blind spots in the middle of my vision. I can't read. Then it goes all crinkly at the edges like I have screwed up tin foil at the corners of my eyes. Then that goes and 5 minutes later the crashing headache comes on. Like my head is full of blood and throbbing. Triggers are usually stress, lack of sleep and low blood sugar or hormones.

I do also get headaches but those are qualitatively different.

I agree if you know it's coming you can intervene. I don't get them as much now but lie down, something over your eyes, forget everything you are trying to think about.

I've never been able to make them go away, but I do find that scrubbing my scalp vigorously to increase the blood flow helps, a good scalp and neck massage also helps. Application of heat and/or cold is also good. Pinching the pressure points in the middle of the eyebrows or pressing just under the cheekbone are good for me, and I find using a menthol inhaler is very comforting.

I will say that I had excruciating headaches for 6 weeks, at the same time that I had toothache. When I finally had root canal treatment those headaches miraculously disappeared. Headaches can be caused by referred pain so unless you know for sure what is causing yours try thinking outside the box - the headache could be caused by something that seems entirely unrelated.

Keep a food diary to see if any foods are a trigger.

I can’t eat milk or dark chocolate as they are a trigger for me.

I also can’t drink hot chocolate.

I have a daith ear piercing in my left ear (I usually experience more pain on the left side of my head during a migraine).

This helps enormously as it reduces the intensity of the pain. Since having it fitted, I only get headaches rather than migraines.