Crying as migraine relief
Last updated: October 2012
One of the first times I talked about migraine with a fellow sufferer was when I was in my easy 20s. I'd been diagnosed with migraine at age 21 but didn't have any friends (at least close ones I knew of) who had the same affliction.
But when I moved to Florida in 2002, I met a coworker who also had migraine. I vividly recall talking to her after a meeting one afternoon about migraine disease, amazed that someone in my small work group knew where I was coming from.. I was so surprised and relieved to talk with someone who knew what I went through I was bordering on giddy.
The parallels between us seemed too amazing to be true, though now I recognize the traits we shared as pretty typical hallmarks of migraine attacks. Sensitivity to light? She had that too! And feeling nauseated? Yup, happened to M. as well. Needing to hide away in bed for hours at a time? She also knew what that was like. I'll never forget the immense comfort and camaraderie of finding someone who really understood.
Soon our conversation turned to treatments and remedies. At the time, we both had Imitrex prescriptions but, more often than not, relied on Excedrin Migraine to help us. I remember saying, "And you know how sometimes it feels like you need to cry, and if you could just cry a little, you know you'd feel better?"
"Um, no. That doesn't happen to me."
Oh.
But many times since that long-ago conversation I've wondered if anyone else has experienced that feeling, the feeling that shedding a few tears would release some head pressure and make the migraine discomfort a little better. Anyone?
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