We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us all about their migraines (triggers, pain rituals, preventative measures).
Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed
We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to how they deal with their migraines. Here’s what they said:
Please note that these aren’t medical recommendations. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any kind of treatment.
Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed
Everyone has a different ritual for getting through their migraines.
For some people it’s about prescription meds or over-the-counter pain relief, and for others it’s holistic treatments like essential oils or…Nutella. Some people just need a dark room and some sleep.
Excedrin + Mountain Dew + 30 minutes = relief.
I am not a soda drinker but when I do get a migraine I take two Excedrin and down a Mountain Dew, and within 30 minutes, I am back to normal. —Jocelyn Juhan, Facebook
Fever patches, Ibuprofen, purring cat.
…Mine come on the week before my period or the week of my period. I usually take four Ibuprofen and drink as much water as possible. If I’m at work, I use one of those Be Koool fever/migraine patches, which last for a few hours and provide some relief… Also, this may sound weird but I’ve noticed that when I do have a migraine, if my cat lays on me, his purring kind of has a healing power. —Nicole Ethel, Facebook
Ice pack and a towel.
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I put ice in a Ziploc bag and I wrap a thin towel over it and I put it on my head. It helps every time. —Isela Mendez, Facebook
Yoga and a dark room.
I take two Tylenol, drink tons of water, do neck tension–release yoga, and lay down with no pillows in complete darkness and silence. —Ameerah Sakina, Facebook
Soothing balm, eye drops, and prescription pills.
Badger Balm and eye drops. And coffee or caffeine to make pain relievers kick in faster. If your doctor will prescribe it, Maxalt works wonders. —Rianna Greenfield, Facebook
Pain relief cocktail.
A migraine cocktail consisting of Axert, Aleve, the green Advil Liqui-Gels, and Tylenol if there’s any on hand. Visit to my chiropractor if possible. Hot water bottle and a Lorazepam to knock me out once I finally get home. —Alexia M, Facebook
Essentail oil and a Be Koool patch, plus pain meds and sleep.
Peppermint essential oil rubbed on my temples, behind my ears, and neck paired with Be Koool Patch across my forehead, four ibuprofen, and sleep in a dark, cool room. (And if it is really bad, Vicodin, as prescribed by my GP.) —Hannah Rothe, Facebook
Tylenol and waiting it out.
http://instagram.com/p/1s2yziD63Q
When I got that first twinge of pain, I would down a pair of Tylenol and then hide out in my room until I knew for certain the pain was gone. I also wouldn’t plan anything to happen before noon, since I had a history of waking up with migraines. —Christina Marie Volkoff, Facebook
Injection of prescription migraine pain meds.
I inject Imigran into my arm and within 30 minutes I’m back to normal. Almost always. Doesn’t mean I shouldn’t rest though. —Marte Ydstie, Facebook
Rx meds and a smoothie.
Liren Baker / Via kitchenconfidante.com
When I do actually get migraines, I take prescription-strength Naproxen and drink a ton of water. Lately I’ve been drinking smoothies with banana, frozen berries, kale, and peanut butter, because when a migraine hits my blood sugar bottoms out, my potassium drops, and my face, hands, and feet go numb. —Stella Campbell, Facebook
Potato chips (or another greasy snack).
As odd as it sounds, potato chips or something greasy is what helps me with my pre-migraine nausea. —Laura Irene Voight, Facebook
Sleeping pill and absolute darkness.
Ivan Bastien / Getty Images
If it’s already started and I know I’m about to be swirling the toilet bowl of life, I’ll take a Maxalt AND a sleeping pill because rest is impossible once the pain hits. I find a quiet, cool, dark room, tuck towels under the door so zero light comes in, and curl into my bed or in the bathroom because I’m usually seriously nauseous. —Sakita Withers, Facebook
Very hot shower, drinks, and snacks.
Drink as much Powerade as I can stomach drinking while taking four Excedrin Back and Body (NOT Excedrin Migraine) and take a long, very hot shower, concentrating on massaging my scalp and neck. After showering, drink a large glass of chocolate milk while munching on some crackers to restore any sugars and salts that may have dropped. —Sara Charles, Facebook
Venti anything.
Four Ibuprofen and a venti of your fave Starbucks drink. Seriously. After over 10 years of migraines, this combination is the only thing that works. —Kristen Hooper, Facebook
Sleep and weed.
Universal Pictures / Make a GIF / giphy.com
I used to suffer back when I was in school, now I rarely get migraines except when the barometric pressure is very low. The only thing that helps is sleep. And marijuana. —
Nutella and bread.
Sleep flat-out for a solid six-plus hours then eat a loaf’s worth of bread with Nutella. Sorted. —
Getting some TLC.
youtube.com / thecutecorner.com
I have someone put their hand over my eyes and the darkness and warmth seems to put me at ease as I lie in bed. —
Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed
Everyone also has their own tricks for preventing migraines in the first place.
Some people take preventative meds, others keep a journal to find patterns in what causes their migraines, and some practice yoga and try to reduce life-related stress.
Seeing a chiropractor.
I know it sounds a bit strange but find a chiro who specializes in headaches… A few months of adjustments to my spine and neck and I have dramatically reduced my migraines. It was amazing. —Emily Selway, Facebook
Tracking and avoiding triggers.
http://instagram.com/p/1tTB7OyR4A
The most important thing for me was starting to track my headaches to figure out what my triggers were. I can’t do too much about the hormone and weather change triggers, but I can make sure to avoid food/alcohol triggers when I know it’s going to rain. —Mary Posluch, Facebook
Quitting bras and smoking.
Walt Disney Pictures thinnerisloveiliveinaakwardworld.tumblr.com
I barely get them anymore though; ever since I stopped wearing bras and quit smoking. I also do my best to avoid MSG, sucralose, and aspartame. Instant triggers! —Ameerah Sakina, Facebook
Taking a beta blocker and visiting a neurologist frequently.
http://instagram.com/p/x2E3OFwO5e
I see a neurologist every three months and am going through a revolving door of medications to keep my migraines under control. I’m currently taking Propranolol, which is a beta blocker, and it’s doing a pretty good job of keeping my migraines at bay. —Christina Marie Volkoff, Facebook
Avoiding alcohol and MSG.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / instalaugh.tumblr.com
I stay away from the foods the trigger them like MSG and alcoholic drinks. —Pamela Tobolowsky, Facebook
Stretching and massaging the neck.
Neck stretches! My migraines are in my head and neck as well, and sometimes they can go back and forth between my neck and head — triggering each other! So massages from loved ones, stretches, and ice packs to reduce swelling. —Alissa Gould, Facebook
Doing plow pose.
In order to prevent my migraines, I do a yoga pose called Halasana (or plow pose) every night before I go to bed. I think it has something to do with increasing the blood flow to your brain and getting a nice stretch for you neck and back. Mine are also triggered by barometric pressure, so on stormy cloudy days, I take a Sudafed and keep Excedrin Migraine close. Someone else said Badger Headache Soother, which works wonders! —Alyson Woods, Facebook
Cutting out soda.
Giving up sodas made a huge difference for me. I don’t know what is in soda that my body hates, but my headaches faded to almost nothing once I quit drinking them. Even my low-grade, nagging daily headaches have gone away. — Amber Copeland, Facebook
Eating the right foods and supplements.
NBC / polytelis.tumblr.com
I gave up wheat, gluten, dairy, red meat, and processed foods. I get much fewer migraines than I used to (maybe once a month versus five to 10 times). The only processed foods I eat are rice cakes, brown rice pasta, and maybe some gluten-free crackers. —Sally Mags, Facebook
Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed
Keeping track of your menstrual cycle.
I use Clue, a menstrual-cycle tracker app, to see when my PMS days are likely to be. My migraine days if I have them tend to be the first PMS symptom I experience so I wasn’t getting any warning previously. But now I know it’s coming; I make sure I get good sleep, eat small regular meals throughout the day, take vitamins, lots of veggies and especially greens, plus plenty of water — the usual stuff. But knowing the days to really pay attention means I can prevent as far as possible. —April Adams, Facebook
Getting Botox treatment.
I get Botox treatment for migraines. Mine go down in my neck too! You get like 25 shots in your head and neck area, but it is SOOOO worth it. Helped me so soo much! And it’s covered by my insurance. —Lindsay Clifton, Facebook
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Note: Answers have been edited and condensed for length.
