How To: Kill a Migraine in Under 30 Minutes

I have a horrible track record for getting headaches and migraines. Most of them start out as harmless headaches, and if not taken care of right away, turn into vicious migraines. Like need a freezing cold, dark room, 4 Excedrin, a bottle of gatorade, absolute silence, and a giant icepack. Now of course I do use these individual to help put a stop to the beginning of my migraines, and they are amazing. These are the things that personally work for me, some may or may not work for you, trial and error is the best way to find out. 

1. Gatorade

Research shows that drinking 8oz-16oz of Gatorade can help reduce your head pain almost immediately. And for me, it works. When I'm at work, it isn't easy to find a place to hide that cold and quiet. But I can keep a Gatorade with me just in case I begin to feel a migraine creeping up on me. Keeping it in the fridge in the break-room, to keep it nice and cold, and easily accessible if I need to drink it quickly. 

2. Hot Shower

If I'm driving home and I can feel the pressure beginning to set in, the first thing I do when I get home is take a very hot shower. The steam from the shower and the hot water help calm my head and make my body believe that my bedroom is colder than it really is. I like to sit in my tub while the shower is on and let the hot water hit the nape of my neck. That has proven to be the most effective for me. 

3. Ice Pack

Opposite of the hot shower is the ice pack. I lay flat on my back with the ice pack underneath my head. I take long, deep breaths and keep my eyes closed. If it gets too cold, I'll turn on my side and rest the ice pack closer to the root of the migraine. Mine typically come from either the sides or the base of my skull. Every now and then a sinus headache comes along, but that's a whole other story. 

4. Bananas

I love bananas so I'm pretty happy that they help with migraines. Some morning I just wake up with a raging migraine. So the first thing I do is head to the kitchen for a banana. Bananas increase serotonin, therefore decreasing the amount of pain you feel. 

5. Excedrin

I know that there are many people who forgo medicine when they have migraines. Those people are amazing troopers, and I am not one of them. I am a cry baby who needs her pain meds so my head doesn't explode. I always attempt to exhaust the first 4 options before resorting to Excedrin. But trust me when I say, I always have it in the house and in my purse. There will be times when you don't have access to Gatorade, a hot shower, ice packs, or bananas. So you have to do what you gotta do and take the medicine.