1. Practice meditation - Take 5 minutes to perform some form of meditation. My favorite, is to channel blood flow to my hands. This is sometimes called the "warm hands" technique. I just tried my 'hand' at creating and sharing an .mp3 file on my blog. This recording will give you the basic idea, if you can get past the sound of my voice.
2. Take your abortive medicine! If you have one, take it immediately. Even if you only 'think' the monster is in the house. Better safe than sorry, and if it works, you could be without the migraine onset, and recover several hours that may have knocked you down, for who knows how long.
3. Ice packs on the point of the pain or the back of the neck. The ice pack is the first tool to be used, to decrease inflammation in everything from a sprained ankle, finger, or bruising, to the migraine.
4. Pressure point manipulation is another way to keep a migraine at bay or stop it entirely. This can be done by a chiropractor, acupuncturist, or in some limited ways, by yourself. The most common form of self pressure point manipulation is to take the thumb and forefinger of one hand and squeeze the fleshy part of the other hand, between the thumb and forefinger. I’ve been told that if the migraine is on the left side of the head, start by squeezing the right hand. It doesn’t hurt to do both sides, either.
5. Prayer. This is really the first thing I do. My first preventative. I start each day in prayer and specifically ask for healing, and a pain free day. I also say a prayer when I feel the first signs of an oncoming attack, as I am sure many do.
6. Eat some ice cream! Sounds silly, but this has worked for me more than a dozen times for an attack that started like a 2x4 to the brain pan. It may be because the ice cream may numb the roof of the mouth and may work in the same way as the ice packs. Brain freeze may be a good thing after all.
Subscribe To Feed
Love the illustration!!!! Great post!
ReplyDeleteYES! And I thought I was nuts thinking the ice cream was helping! It seems to help a bit whether I have headache or migraine (worst migraines, I don't want to eat anything).
ReplyDeleteThere's also an acupressure point on the feet that when used w/ the hand points, can help immensely. My hub has learned how to rub my hands that can take the edge off immediately--it may come back but at least I can breathe for a few minutes, you know?
I was a pro at biofeedback/warming in PT LOL. We keep about 6 ice packs in the freezer for my head, so there's always one ready to go.
Do you have any medication for preventive measures? my neuro just upped my depakote, crossing fingers.