Bending over
This is more of a simple trick that helps in a pinch, if you don't have your steroids on you, or for whatever reason you can't get home soon enough. It'll buy you some time, and in some case is enough to avoid meds. Ive never heard anyone discuss it!
Just stand with your back against the wall and bend at the waist. Legs straight, head as far down as you can get it, let it hang for at least 2 minutes. Pretend you're stretching your legs or something 😉 But do stand back up sloooowwwllyyy. That's it!!
I'm not talking about yoga here, tried once during a migraine and that might help to prevent, but it makes an active migraine beyond unbearable.
I have hemiplegic and basilar migraines and this has stopped me from fainting many times. It cuts all the other symptoms in half for an hour usually so I can make it home or to a hospital.
Hi vitaminmigraine,
This is very interesting, I'm happy to hear it works for you. But for some of us bending over like this may increase our head pain especially if we have comorbid conditions such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension formerly called pseudotumor cerebri; https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-comorbidities-idiopathic-intracranial-hypertension/.
I wonder if this is a similar principle used when people experience syncope. This is when a person temporarily faints because of a sudden decrease in blood flow to the brain. My dad has had a number of these (he has been accurately diagnosed) and we usually lay him down and raise his feet above his head.
Nancy
vitaminmigraine
This can be dangerous actually. In Migraine, one way to have a really good idea if you're suffering a Migraine is to bend over. If it gets worse, it's probably a Migraine. I'm confused at your reaction, but there are over 300 different headache disorders, all with different treatments. I know stretching tends to help others such as tension type headache and cervicogenic headache.
Good luck, and whatever works for you!
~Ellen
I found this hard to believe but will try anything to get some relief from these migraines... I'm glad it worked for you but it DEFINITELY did not for me!
Hi lpayton08,
Bending over generally makes an attack worse - I know it does for me too.
Nancy
Kills my head to bend down
