For the past couple of years I have been getting very bad headaches and migraines. They are debilitating and frustrating. Here are a few things I do to help alleviate them.
Heating Pad and Ice - Put a heating pad on your feet and a bag full of ice covered in a towel around my neck. I was told this drives the blood downward their by helping alleviate the pain. (This doesn't always work. It depends on what type of headache or migraine you have.)
Biofreeze and Traumeel - First I rub the
Traumeel on my neck area especially the places are the most painful. I wait a few minutes then do the same with the
Biofreeze.
Back Walk - I lay down on the bed face down with head hanging over the edge. Then I have my significant other use his hands to apply pressure in a pitter patter motion. It's like having someone walk on your back. I never have him get near the spine. For some reason this pressure and motion seems to loose up my muscles in a way that makes me feel so good. It's the best.
Yoga - I have found yoga can stop headaches in their tracks but make migraines worse. I am not sure if it's the blood flow to the brain but I always try it when I feel I need a good stretch. I personally like
yogamazing. I subscribed to it through iTunes and pick the one that best suits what I need.
Balls - I have tennis and miracle balls to help apply pressure to my "knotty areas". There are times when no one is around and you just need to work out a knot that is causing the tightness in your neck which causes the headache. I have found using tennis ball can help. Put your back up against a wall. Then allow enough space for you to place the ball between you and the wall. Kneed the ball into the tight areas of your back and neck. It can really work wonders. Best of all you can do it by yourself. The
miracle balls are softer which applies less pressure.
Tones - When I am in bed with a migraine I slip on my headphones choose a binaural app and place my imak eye mask. It applies pressure in all the right spots. When in the apps I choose the tones for migraines or headache treatment. I swear by these tones. They really seem to help. My favorite app is called
Mindwave Binaural. You can purchase it through the iTunes store.
Hot Shower - When I am desperate and able to get out of bed I take a hot shower. It helps relax the muscles. For me this only helps a short time. I'll take any bit of relief I can get.
Real-Ease - When you just wish you could get some relief... your neck hurts from holding up your head. I recommend
Real-Ease Neck and Shoulder Relaxer. I bought this in a desperate attempt to get some pain free moments because no matter how much I stretched or propped my pillows my neck and shoulders always ached. I knew after a period of time I would get monster headaches. This inexpensive product gave me just what I was looking for relief. When I would lie on the floor and put my head/neck in the cradled support I would feel no pressure. It was heavenly.
Vitamins - The two biggest things I take when I am in pain is Vitamin B Complex (liquid form) and Magnesium. The B vitamin supports the brain while the magnesium help relax everything. Please consult your doctor before trying a vitamin regimen.
Neti Pot - When I feel any sort of pressure in my sinuses I head straight for the neti-pot. It feels so good to wash out your nose and allow the swelling to reduce from the salt water I wished it was the only thing I needed to do. Pretty much any brand of net pots work. It really depends on the kind of pressure you like. Some people feel the traditional neti pots don't really clean out the naisal fluid. Then I would recommend the squeeze bottle type. Either way it will help with any kind of sinus pressure and allows for you to breathe more freely.
SinuCleanse is the brand I use.
Pain Relievers - As a last resort I take otc drugs. My go to is always
Excedrine. For the most part it works. I take it very sparingly because I don't want a rebound headache. I found that taking two in the beginning and one later seems to really help. This is what works for me... It can be very dangerous to take too much medicine. Please consult your doctor before taking more than the recommended dose.
And when I have extra cash or am severely desperate I go to an acupuncturist, massage therapist, or a chiropractor.
