Headaches/Migraines

[patchoulired]

Hello all,

I was wondering what are some headache/migraine remedies that you all have found helpful?
I realized headaches are not directly related to MS, but I have a funny feeling that many of us get them.
I already take so many prescription medications that I thought I'd ask you guys about non-prescription remedies.
Tonight, I've taken 1 regular ibuprofen, 2 advil migraines, massaged my head/neck with a muscle rub, & drank ice cold filtered water.

- Jenny

[summerluvr]

oh yeah the ice pack on the forehead, and laying absolutely still with my head sandwhiched between two pillows are other tricks i use.   I've tried taking percocet and it does not work well. I think those pain pills actually give me migraines.  The neuro put me on amytriptiline but that was right before I got very sick so I only took it for a week.  but I hear you on wanting to avoid more prescriptions!

[COBOB]

Caffeine can be interesting.  It is commonly used in the treatment of migraines (one of the ingredients in Cafergot, the other ingredient is Ergotamine Tartrate from rye bread mold) but many folks claim it makes common and tension headaches worse.  Migraines and Cluster Headaches (sometimes called Suicide Headaches) are considered neuro-vascular events.  The big thing is to determine what is causing your pain - Migraine or type of headache.
Common head aches typically respond to anti-inflammatory analgesics like aspirin, acetaminophen (paracetamol) or one of the NSAID.  Some migraine and cluster headache pain requires opiates to break the pain cycle.

Bob

[summerluvr]

I found the advil migraine or aleve work. I am sensitive tomedications so I don't take a lot or often.   But alot of times by the time the headache hits I would just collapse in bed in the dark for a numbe of hours and will fall asleep and cycle througjh the headache so when I wake up I feel woozy, but not in severe pain.  I get classic migraine with aura, so I get the nasuseu and weird vision thing before the headache so I know If it's migraine or not.  Also, I'm the same, the changes in weather are a big trigger.

[JemmAus]

Magnesium supplements I ahve found to be VERY good. They don't stop them, but they lessen the frequency and certainly lessen the severity.

You ahve to make sure you take the right ones of course, in the right amount.

Just google "magnesium migraine" and you'll find lots of info.

Also I used ice packs around my forehead.

And I read up on food triggers - I know for me if i have ANY MSG I will get a major migraine. MSG can be hidden in lots of foods under lots of tricky names.
So a food diary is worth doing for a while, to see if you can find a link between what you eat and migraines.

Bar that, I just don't know!


And yeah, seems so many MSers have migraines and lots of headahces in general.
Jemm