Use these tips to stay calm and avoid a migraine attack.
Sometimes you can predict a migraine attack well in advance of the actual event. But even with a warning, you can’t always leave work to take medication or hide under the covers.
Maybe you’re in the office and there’s a long walk between you and your bed. Perhaps you are relocating to a new city. Or maybe you’re hosting a family member’s birthday party and can’t leave your guests behind.
Wherever migraines hit you, it’s important to stay calm, experts say. “It’s important to have an action plan that you can turn to as soon as symptoms appear” to keep stress levels low, says neurologist Jessica Ailani, director of the MedStar Georgetown Headache Center at Georgetown University. Here are five tips and tricks to help you create your migraine action plan.
Keep your phone
While you may be tempted to text your best friend for moral support, it’s best to disconnect from electronic devices when you suffer from migraines, Ailani says.
Smartphones can make symptoms worse: they emit irritating light and can cause eyestrain. So don’t look at your phone more than necessary.
(For example, you can text someone and ask them for a ride home, but Ailani advises against scrolling through your Instagram feed looking for distractions.) “Taking a break from your device can also help you” refocus and breathe better,” he explains.
Take the medicine as soon as possible.
“Many medications used to treat migraines, particularly a class of medications called triptans, work best when taken within the first 40 minutes after the onset of the migraine,” says neurologist Lawrence C. Newman, MD., director of the Headache Division of the Hospital. NY. Langone Medical Center.
Delaying medication intake can lead to suboptimal pain relief and increased headache likelihood. To ensure timely medication use, keep measured doses in resealable, labelled bags in your pocket.
However, do not take medications that make you drowsy or prevent you from getting home safely. Ailani advises trying prescription medications at home first to gauge their effectiveness, as they can be used while travelling if they don’t cause fatigue.
If you feel dizzy, ask your doctor about a second option you can use if you need to be careful. “You could tell the patient to take an over-the-counter medication while they’re out and then give them a prescription at home,” Ailani says.
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Find silence
Avoid noise and bright lights. If you’re travelling, use Google Maps to find your way to the nearest library or bookstore. Another good option is a quiet, dimly lit bar.
If you find yourself in an office filled with loud phone calls, chatty colleagues, and fluorescent lights, seek solace in a quiet hallway, an empty conference room, or a bathroom.
“Sit for five minutes and breathe deeply with your eyes closed,” says Ailani. If your company has a hospital room, take advantage of it: close the door and turn off the lights, lie down and apply a hot or cold compress.
Drink a glass of water – or a cup of coffee
A glass of water can help you stay hydrated and cool at the same time, two things that can help relieve migraines. Even a little caffeine can help. Ailani recommends trying a small dose of caffeine, approximately twenty ounces of black tea or coffee if you can tolerate it during an attack.
Use calming distractions
Create a relaxing spa-style playlist to get rid of migraines or listen to a meditation app like Calm or Unplug to help you focus on your breathing, not the pain.
And if an ice pack doesn’t appeal to you, over-the-counter ice cream, with camphor or menthol, is a great alternative.
“Rub it on your temples, forehead, and neck,” says Ailani. Some perfumes can also have a calming effect. “But if at all the smell seems too strong or makes you feel worse, try to avoid it.”