Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUse a Cold PackTurn the Lights DownGingerIdentify TriggersMedicationMake a PlanHydrateCaffeineMassageTake a NapCausesWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderManagementSummary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Use a Cold Pack
Turn the Lights Down
Ginger
Identify Triggers
Medication
Make a Plan
Hydrate
Caffeine
Massage
Take a Nap
Causes
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Management
Summary
Treating a migraine at the first sign is the quickest way to get relief. This article provides strategies for what to do when you feel a migraine coming on.
Applyingice or cold packsto painful area is an easy way to reduce migraine pain. In one study from 2015, 20 people who frequently experienced migraines either had full or partial relief after spraying a cooling mist into their nose.In another study, researchers found that icing the neck at the onset of a headache reduced pain intensity after 30 minutes.
Cold therapy reduces inflammation and also slows nerve transmission of pain messaging so that your brain registers coldness instead of pain. Try using a cold pack product or a bag of frozen veggies. If you don’t have either of those, you can soak a towel in cold water, wring it out, fold it, put it in a plastic bag, and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Many people who get migraines have an aversion to brightness. They may feel like lights are brighter than they really are, and light can make migraine pain feel worse. It’s believed that certain cells may carry light signals to brain cells responsible for transmitting pain.
Dimming the lights or turning them off can provide relief when you’re in the throes of a migraine attack.
Taking a ginger supplement may help reduce migraine symptoms. A 2021 meta-analysis of the effects of ginger consumption on migraines found that compared to a placebo, eating raw ginger or taking a ginger supplement reduced the risk of migraine-related nausea and vomiting.
To reduce migraine symptoms, try taking a ginger supplement, adding ginger to a meal or eating it raw, or sucking on ginger lozenges.
The most simple way to prevent a migraine is to avoid what triggers them. However, that means identifying the trigger, which can be challenging.
Try keeping a headache diary and noting the frequency, intensity, and duration of attacks. Log what you discover is triggering the condition, and avoid triggers as much as possible.
Medications are at the front line of relieving migraine attacks. Delivered as tablets or pills,nasal sprays, suppositories, or injections, they include:
Develop a plan for how you’re going to tackle your migraine so that you’re prepared when one strikes. Your plan may involve ensuring you have your medication or other symptom-reducing items available at all times and that you have a place to retreat to when you feel the onset of migraine symptoms. This plan will save you time so that you can focus on recovering instead of trying to figure out how to recover.
Dehydration can be amigraine triggeror can make a migraine last longer. So it makes sense that drinking fluids can help prevent a migraine and can help alleviate them when they do occur.
One study found that migraine sufferers who drank about six cups of water daily for two weeks in addition to their usual daily intake experienced 21 fewer hours of pain and less intense headaches than participants who took a placebo medication.
The presence or absence of caffeine, as in coffee or certain teas, can affect the dilation of the vessels. Both too much of this substance or withdrawal from it can bring on migraines.
If withdrawal is causing your migraine, having caffeine may help. But this will only continue the addiction cycle. Try weaning yourself off of caffeine over time. If too much coffee is causing your migraines, try cutting back and swapping your regular caffeinated beverage for decaffeinated coffee or tea when possible.
There is some evidence that acupressure—a traditional Chinese medical approach involving applying pressure on a specific part of the body—may help you manage the pain.
Evidence suggests that applying pressure on several points can help reduce nausea. They include Li4, or “Hegu,” found between the thumb and forefinger, and PC6, on the inside arm, about three finger lengths up from the wrist.
Research suggests that going to sleep can stop a migraine. No set amount of sleep time is known to be necessary, and every case varies.
One study found that napping during a migraine didn’t disrupt nightly sleep patterns.
What Causes Migraines?
Emotional stress:Anxietyand emotional stress can release hormones that cause blood vessels to become narrowed, or constricted, causing the onset of symptoms.
Fasting:Not eating for 16 hours or more can lead to afasting headache. It also can trigger migraine headaches in people who have them. Certain foods or products in them, like aspartame, also may cause headaches.
Sleep Patterns:Disruptions in sleep amount or quality, as well as poorsleep hygienepractices, can lead to migraine headaches.
Atmospheric changes:Changing weather conditions, like humidity, can raise the risk of a migraine.
Who’s More Prone to Migraines?Certain people are more prone to developing migraines. There’s a strong genetic component, meaning people with migraines often have a parent, sibling, or child with the condition.People whomenstruateare more likely to get migraines than people who do not.Obesityis another risk factor.
Who’s More Prone to Migraines?
Certain people are more prone to developing migraines. There’s a strong genetic component, meaning people with migraines often have a parent, sibling, or child with the condition.People whomenstruateare more likely to get migraines than people who do not.Obesityis another risk factor.
Rebound Headache: What to Know and How to Break the Cycle
Knowing when you need to see a healthcare provider is another critical aspect of living with migraines. Get emergency medical help if you experience:
In addition, call a provider if any of the following happens:
Treatment
Since there’s no cure for migraines, managing the condition means figuring out ways to reduce the frequency and severity of headaches and other symptoms. Along with medications and medical treatments, lifestyle changes and other at-home strategies can play a crucial role.
Several types of preventative migraine medications may be prescribed. The most common of these include:
Additionally, in cases in which medications aren’t yielding results,Botox(OnabotulinumtoxinA) injections can be considered. In this therapy, doctors target specific areas in your forehead, temples, sides, and back of the head and neck. Though the frequency and intensity of migraines are reduced, the effect is temporary, and appointments are needed every three months.
When the condition is associated with the menstrual cycle, hormone replacement therapy may be attempted.
A comprehensive migraine management plan will also involve lifestyle changes and strategies to avoid triggers. This includes:
Along with medical management and lifestyle changes, some doctors may also recommend you take certain vitamins, minerals, or herbalsupplements. These may include:
Always check with your doctor before taking any new supplements. They can help you determine if the supplement is safe for you and that it won’t interfere with any of your medications.
Nerve Stimulation Medical Devices for Migraine Headache
Postdrome Migraine: How to Cure a Migraine Hangover
There are many ways to attempt to ease a migraine. Strategies include applying a cold pack, turning down the lights, taking medication, and drinking water. Steps like making a plan and identifying triggers can help you prevent migraines from occurring.
If your headaches become worse or you experience an overly severe migraine, it’s best to contact a healthcare provider.
18 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vanderpol J, Bishop B, Matharu M, Glencorse M.Therapeutic effect of intranasal evaporative cooling in patients with migraine: a pilot study.J Headache Pain. 2015;16(1). doi:10.1186/1129-2377-16-5Sprouse-Blum AS, Gabriel AK, Brown JP, Yee MH.Randomized controlled trial: targeted neck cooling in the treatment of the migraine patient.Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2013;72(7):237-241.Andrade C.Ginger for Migraine. J Clin Psychiatry. doi:10.4088/JCP.21f14325Mayans L, Walling A.Acute migraine headache: treatment strategies.Am Fam Physician.2018 Feb 15;97(4):243-251. PMID: 29671521Wöber, C., & Wöber-Bingöl, Ç. (2010).Triggers of migraine and tension-type headache.Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0072-9752(10)97012-7Allais G, Rolando S, Castagnoli Gabellari I et al.Acupressure in the control of migraine-associated nausea.Neuro Sci. 2012;33(S1):207-210. doi:10.1007/s10072-012-1069-yWang Y, Xue C, Helme R, Da Costa C, Zheng Z.Acupuncture for frequent migraine: a randomized, patient/assessor blinded, controlled trial with one-year follow-up.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015:1-14. doi:10.1155/2015/920353Vgontzas, A., Mostofsky, E., Hagan, K., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., & Bertisch, S. M. (2021).Napping behavior in adults with episodic migraine: A six-week prospective Cohort Study.Sleep,45(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab273Antonio L, Aguilar-Shea J, Membrilla MD, Javier DT.Migraine review for general practice, Atención Primaria, Volume 54, Issue 2, 2022, 102208.May A, Schulte LH.Chronic migraine: risk factors, mechanisms and treatment.Nat Rev Neurol. 2016 Aug;12(8):455-64. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.93.Tanha HM, Sathyanarayanan A, International Headache Genetics Consortium; Nyholt DR.Genetic overlap and causality between blood metabolites and migraine.Am J Hum Genet. 2021 Nov 4;108(11):2086-2098. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.09.011.National Institutes of Health.Migraine.Rizzoli P.Does Botox reduce the frequency of chronic migraine?. Harvard Health Blog.Nappi RE, Tiranini L, Sacco S, De Matteis E, De Icco R, Tassorelli C.Role of Estrogens in Menstrual Migraine.Cells. 2022 Apr 15;11(8):1355. doi:10.3390/cells11081355.Wells R.Mindfulness as one component of an integrative approach to migraine treatment in clinical practice: companion editorial.Expert Rev Neurother. 2020;20(3):199-202. doi:10.1080/14737175.2020.1724783Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375–83. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-zVolpe SL.Magnesium in disease prevention and overall health.Adv Nutr. 2013;4(3):378S-83S. doi:10.3945/an.112.003483Gaul C, Diener HC, Danesch U; Migravent® Study Group.Improvement of migraine symptoms with a proprietary supplement containing riboflavin, magnesium and Q10: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial.J Headache Pain. 2015;16:516. doi:10.1186/s10194-015-0516-6.
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vanderpol J, Bishop B, Matharu M, Glencorse M.Therapeutic effect of intranasal evaporative cooling in patients with migraine: a pilot study.J Headache Pain. 2015;16(1). doi:10.1186/1129-2377-16-5Sprouse-Blum AS, Gabriel AK, Brown JP, Yee MH.Randomized controlled trial: targeted neck cooling in the treatment of the migraine patient.Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2013;72(7):237-241.Andrade C.Ginger for Migraine. J Clin Psychiatry. doi:10.4088/JCP.21f14325Mayans L, Walling A.Acute migraine headache: treatment strategies.Am Fam Physician.2018 Feb 15;97(4):243-251. PMID: 29671521Wöber, C., & Wöber-Bingöl, Ç. (2010).Triggers of migraine and tension-type headache.Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0072-9752(10)97012-7Allais G, Rolando S, Castagnoli Gabellari I et al.Acupressure in the control of migraine-associated nausea.Neuro Sci. 2012;33(S1):207-210. doi:10.1007/s10072-012-1069-yWang Y, Xue C, Helme R, Da Costa C, Zheng Z.Acupuncture for frequent migraine: a randomized, patient/assessor blinded, controlled trial with one-year follow-up.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015:1-14. doi:10.1155/2015/920353Vgontzas, A., Mostofsky, E., Hagan, K., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., & Bertisch, S. M. (2021).Napping behavior in adults with episodic migraine: A six-week prospective Cohort Study.Sleep,45(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab273Antonio L, Aguilar-Shea J, Membrilla MD, Javier DT.Migraine review for general practice, Atención Primaria, Volume 54, Issue 2, 2022, 102208.May A, Schulte LH.Chronic migraine: risk factors, mechanisms and treatment.Nat Rev Neurol. 2016 Aug;12(8):455-64. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.93.Tanha HM, Sathyanarayanan A, International Headache Genetics Consortium; Nyholt DR.Genetic overlap and causality between blood metabolites and migraine.Am J Hum Genet. 2021 Nov 4;108(11):2086-2098. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.09.011.National Institutes of Health.Migraine.Rizzoli P.Does Botox reduce the frequency of chronic migraine?. Harvard Health Blog.Nappi RE, Tiranini L, Sacco S, De Matteis E, De Icco R, Tassorelli C.Role of Estrogens in Menstrual Migraine.Cells. 2022 Apr 15;11(8):1355. doi:10.3390/cells11081355.Wells R.Mindfulness as one component of an integrative approach to migraine treatment in clinical practice: companion editorial.Expert Rev Neurother. 2020;20(3):199-202. doi:10.1080/14737175.2020.1724783Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375–83. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-zVolpe SL.Magnesium in disease prevention and overall health.Adv Nutr. 2013;4(3):378S-83S. doi:10.3945/an.112.003483Gaul C, Diener HC, Danesch U; Migravent® Study Group.Improvement of migraine symptoms with a proprietary supplement containing riboflavin, magnesium and Q10: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial.J Headache Pain. 2015;16:516. doi:10.1186/s10194-015-0516-6.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Vanderpol J, Bishop B, Matharu M, Glencorse M.Therapeutic effect of intranasal evaporative cooling in patients with migraine: a pilot study.J Headache Pain. 2015;16(1). doi:10.1186/1129-2377-16-5Sprouse-Blum AS, Gabriel AK, Brown JP, Yee MH.Randomized controlled trial: targeted neck cooling in the treatment of the migraine patient.Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2013;72(7):237-241.Andrade C.Ginger for Migraine. J Clin Psychiatry. doi:10.4088/JCP.21f14325Mayans L, Walling A.Acute migraine headache: treatment strategies.Am Fam Physician.2018 Feb 15;97(4):243-251. PMID: 29671521Wöber, C., & Wöber-Bingöl, Ç. (2010).Triggers of migraine and tension-type headache.Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0072-9752(10)97012-7Allais G, Rolando S, Castagnoli Gabellari I et al.Acupressure in the control of migraine-associated nausea.Neuro Sci. 2012;33(S1):207-210. doi:10.1007/s10072-012-1069-yWang Y, Xue C, Helme R, Da Costa C, Zheng Z.Acupuncture for frequent migraine: a randomized, patient/assessor blinded, controlled trial with one-year follow-up.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015:1-14. doi:10.1155/2015/920353Vgontzas, A., Mostofsky, E., Hagan, K., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., & Bertisch, S. M. (2021).Napping behavior in adults with episodic migraine: A six-week prospective Cohort Study.Sleep,45(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab273Antonio L, Aguilar-Shea J, Membrilla MD, Javier DT.Migraine review for general practice, Atención Primaria, Volume 54, Issue 2, 2022, 102208.May A, Schulte LH.Chronic migraine: risk factors, mechanisms and treatment.Nat Rev Neurol. 2016 Aug;12(8):455-64. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.93.Tanha HM, Sathyanarayanan A, International Headache Genetics Consortium; Nyholt DR.Genetic overlap and causality between blood metabolites and migraine.Am J Hum Genet. 2021 Nov 4;108(11):2086-2098. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.09.011.National Institutes of Health.Migraine.Rizzoli P.Does Botox reduce the frequency of chronic migraine?. Harvard Health Blog.Nappi RE, Tiranini L, Sacco S, De Matteis E, De Icco R, Tassorelli C.Role of Estrogens in Menstrual Migraine.Cells. 2022 Apr 15;11(8):1355. doi:10.3390/cells11081355.Wells R.Mindfulness as one component of an integrative approach to migraine treatment in clinical practice: companion editorial.Expert Rev Neurother. 2020;20(3):199-202. doi:10.1080/14737175.2020.1724783Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375–83. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-zVolpe SL.Magnesium in disease prevention and overall health.Adv Nutr. 2013;4(3):378S-83S. doi:10.3945/an.112.003483Gaul C, Diener HC, Danesch U; Migravent® Study Group.Improvement of migraine symptoms with a proprietary supplement containing riboflavin, magnesium and Q10: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial.J Headache Pain. 2015;16:516. doi:10.1186/s10194-015-0516-6.
Vanderpol J, Bishop B, Matharu M, Glencorse M.Therapeutic effect of intranasal evaporative cooling in patients with migraine: a pilot study.J Headache Pain. 2015;16(1). doi:10.1186/1129-2377-16-5
Sprouse-Blum AS, Gabriel AK, Brown JP, Yee MH.Randomized controlled trial: targeted neck cooling in the treatment of the migraine patient.Hawaii J Med Public Health. 2013;72(7):237-241.
Andrade C.Ginger for Migraine. J Clin Psychiatry. doi:10.4088/JCP.21f14325
Mayans L, Walling A.Acute migraine headache: treatment strategies.Am Fam Physician.2018 Feb 15;97(4):243-251. PMID: 29671521
Wöber, C., & Wöber-Bingöl, Ç. (2010).Triggers of migraine and tension-type headache.Handbook of Clinical Neurology, 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0072-9752(10)97012-7
Allais G, Rolando S, Castagnoli Gabellari I et al.Acupressure in the control of migraine-associated nausea.Neuro Sci. 2012;33(S1):207-210. doi:10.1007/s10072-012-1069-y
Wang Y, Xue C, Helme R, Da Costa C, Zheng Z.Acupuncture for frequent migraine: a randomized, patient/assessor blinded, controlled trial with one-year follow-up.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015:1-14. doi:10.1155/2015/920353
Vgontzas, A., Mostofsky, E., Hagan, K., Rueschman, M., Mittleman, M. A., & Bertisch, S. M. (2021).Napping behavior in adults with episodic migraine: A six-week prospective Cohort Study.Sleep,45(3). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab273
Antonio L, Aguilar-Shea J, Membrilla MD, Javier DT.Migraine review for general practice, Atención Primaria, Volume 54, Issue 2, 2022, 102208.
May A, Schulte LH.Chronic migraine: risk factors, mechanisms and treatment.Nat Rev Neurol. 2016 Aug;12(8):455-64. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.93.
Tanha HM, Sathyanarayanan A, International Headache Genetics Consortium; Nyholt DR.Genetic overlap and causality between blood metabolites and migraine.Am J Hum Genet. 2021 Nov 4;108(11):2086-2098. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2021.09.011.
National Institutes of Health.Migraine.
Rizzoli P.Does Botox reduce the frequency of chronic migraine?. Harvard Health Blog.
Nappi RE, Tiranini L, Sacco S, De Matteis E, De Icco R, Tassorelli C.Role of Estrogens in Menstrual Migraine.Cells. 2022 Apr 15;11(8):1355. doi:10.3390/cells11081355.
Wells R.Mindfulness as one component of an integrative approach to migraine treatment in clinical practice: companion editorial.Expert Rev Neurother. 2020;20(3):199-202. doi:10.1080/14737175.2020.1724783
Dolati S, Rikhtegar R, Mehdizadeh A, Yousefi M.The role of magnesium in pathophysiology and migraine treatment.Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;196(2):375–83. doi:10.1007/s12011-019-01931-z
Volpe SL.Magnesium in disease prevention and overall health.Adv Nutr. 2013;4(3):378S-83S. doi:10.3945/an.112.003483
Gaul C, Diener HC, Danesch U; Migravent® Study Group.Improvement of migraine symptoms with a proprietary supplement containing riboflavin, magnesium and Q10: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial.J Headache Pain. 2015;16:516. doi:10.1186/s10194-015-0516-6.
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