Soothing Associations

It might seem overly simplistic - but one of the most soothing things I do when I suffer from migraine head pain is to use ice or icy cold frozen cloths (simple rectangular cotton towels) on my head.

Why do I prefer cotton towels?

Rectangular and dense hand towels are my favorite. The thick, plush cotton fabric loops give more surface area for water to freeze upon compared to the frozen velvet cloths and masks sold very cheaply online. And they get colder than the gel packs!

The shape can wrap ice and hold it in place with a couple of twists on the end, but when I'm 'expecting' migraine head pain, I can wet one and place it in the freezer to be frozen and taken out when needed.

Do the frozen cloths relieve my migraine pain?

Strangely, these frozen cloths may not ease the pain entirely. They are definitely not a panacea. And I do other things to alleviate my pain as well.

But what is special about this particular physical ritual of using a frozen cloth is that I just lay there when I have a frozen cloth on my forehead and face. I just lay there. It's not very significant in and of itself. A lot of people complain about being in this place - but is the complaint about the pain or the rest that sometimes can come along with needing to work with the pain?

How does this ritual help?

I might feel pain. I might feel nauseous. But I lay there and feel the tranquility of not needing or wanting to do anything. I lay there feeling peaceful and without demands... under the frozen cotton towel.

I might feel less puffy, and it might ease my pain. But the frozen cloth or ice on my forehead and eyes has become a signal of rest. I can just lay there, okay with not sleeping and waiting. I can just feel the cold and the rest. I just wait and see what happens. It's peaceful in its way, even if I'm in pain.

What does the rest give me?

I didn't realize what this all meant to me until I recently experienced a very, very stressful day, and what I wanted to do most was not have a glass of wine or a giant curry - I wanted to put a cold cloth on my head and lay down. Exactly as if I was experiencing migraine pain in my head. I had a big cry over something — one of those 'hot burny frustrated tears' cries — and I wanted to put ice on my forehead and face and just rest.

Ironically, I tend to be prone to 'cold food/ice cream' induced headaches' - and any cold on my teeth gives me shooting, stabbing head pain that has so much intensity it can take my breath away and make my teeth want to fall out. Despite this, I have found that soothing frozen cold on my head and face has an association that can help create a context that says, 'when this happens, I exist in a place where I can almost 'hide away and rest' with a refreshing, cool feeling.'

It can almost be a meditative experience - beneath the cold I rest, observe what's happening, and experience the passing of time by watching thoughts. I always strive to find blessings in every experience, even if it's pretty adverse. It can make the pain and the whole situation more bearable to place other things in context, which can have a positive meaning for me. Icy cold cloths are more meaningful to me now than they were before, even though they might not fix my pain.

Have you found blessings in your journey too?