I have made it through countless migraines in my life. I don’t claim to be any sort of expert because getting through a migraine often feels like stumbling through it blindly until it’s over. However, I have found a few tricks that have worked for me over the years. Here are my top tips for getting through a migraine.
- Know What Bothers You
Every migraine sufferer has certain things that trigger them. For me, it’s always been light. Because of this, having a migraine often means that I have to rest in a dark room. Figure out what makes your migraines worse (or what triggers them in the first place) and avoid them during an attack. Maybe this means you’ll have to keep the TV off or stay away from anything with a strong scent. The American Migraine Foundation lists migraine triggers as everything from stress to dehydration to sleep disturbance. As soon as you know something is problematic for you, do all that you can to avoid it when you’re in the middle of a migraine to try to prevent an increase in pain.
- Medicate Mindfully
Often our first instinct when we feel pain is to take medicine. It’s what we’ve been told to do. Whether you have medication prescribed specifically for your migraines or you’re relying on over-the-counter options like Tylenol, these can be helpful for when your pain is intense. However, you have to be careful about the way you take these medications because taking them too often can lead to rebound headaches. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Medication overuse headaches or rebound headaches are caused by regular, long-term use of medication to treat headaches, such as migraines. Pain relievers offer relief for occasional headaches. But if you take them more than a couple of days a week, they may trigger medication overuse headaches.” Take medication as prescribed and directed and when your pain makes it necessary, but make sure you are not doing more damage by taking too much.
- Utilize Low-Stimulus Options
Sometimes one of the best things you can do for yourself in the middle of a migraine is distract yourself from the pain. Of course, there’s a good chance you won’t feel up to doing something like reading or watching a movie. At these times, I like to listen to audiobooks or podcasts. They take my mind off of what I am feeling without causing any extra pain. I always have a few downloaded and ready to go.
- Know It Will Pass
In the middle of feeling pain, it can be hard to focus on anything else or to feel any hope. But nothing lasts forever, including pain. No matter how bad it gets, remind yourself that it will get better. The old adage that “this too shall pass” is true. There are better things to come, even if you can’t see them. You can do this.
Chronic and Courageous 