living in pain EVERYDAY

By migraineur_n2doi6

1 min read

Hello, my name is Debra, i am 37 years young (lol). i have been getting migraines ever since i can remember. i have taken prescribed meds, over the counter meds, heating pack, dark rooms, all that stuff you are suppose to do. Nothing seems to help me. i am not sure what is causing them, unfortunately, neither do the doctors.

Any useful advice would be nice. I am hoping that this site can maybe help somewhat.

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laurence-hauben Member
Hi Debra, I too have been getting regular migraines, not forever, but for the past 8 years or so. Medications don't help me, and some of them have really scary side effects, so I gave up on taking them entirely. Here is what I am beginning to figure out, and maybe some of it will help you. - Getting dehydrated tends to trigger me. I try to make sure to drink at least 1 tall glass of water per hour. - Because I have been rear-ended three times, my neck is fragile, and I have to watch my posture and keep my neck and shoulders from tightening up. A physical therapist explained that the muscles in the neck are like rings of a tree, several layers. The outer layer has the bigger muscles, and they tend to tighten up and take over. She prescribed some simple eye exercises (look right, center, left, center, three times, then up, center, down, center, three times, then diagonally up to the right, center, down to the left, center, three times, then up to the left, center, down to the right, center, three times.) Then do gentle little nods, five times, then gently tug downward on the ears, placing your fingers in the hollow of the ear (not the ear canal, then place two fingers on your temples and visualize your brain sitting comfortably and evenly within the cranium. This helps. - Keep my sinuses clear: regularly flush the sinuses with lightly salted boiled water (neti pot)seems to help prevent migraines. - Get to sleep at regular hours, and if I can't fall or stay asleep, take a sleeping pill. Insomnia definitely triggers the migraines for me. - Get regular exercise. a daily half hour walk with my dog and a couple of gentle yoga classes a week help prevent the migraines. - Learn about the vagus nerve. I have started reading on this major nerve and its function, and it totally makes sense that it is involved in migraines. It runs from the brain through the entire digestive tract, which is why a lot of people including me get nauseous and upset bowels along with the severe headache. I am going to do everything I can to nurture this nerve, and I am quite hopeful that it will make a difference. - Get a professional massage as often as I can afford it. Massage and physical therapy (get a good one who knows about cranial-sacral therapy) have been more help than anything else, which makes sense if the vagus nerve is involved, because relaxation is key to keeping this nerve happy. -Keep saltines and ginger ale on hand at all times. When all else fails, it's down to laying still in the dark waiting for the pain to stop, and the saltines and ginger ale help with the dry heaves. Good luck to you! Laurence Hauben
Katie M. Golden Moderator
Debra, Laurence just gave some amazing tips to you! I’d also love to help you brainstorm some ideas. It’s so frustrating when you’re not getting answers from doctors and you just need relief! Since I don’t completely know everything you’ve tried some of this might not help, but let me know and I may have some other ideas for you. What type of doctor are you seeing? A neurologist is great, but they also deal with Alzheimers, Parkinsons and stroke patients. A neuro with the designation of a Headache Specialist is solely focused on the over 300 headache disorders. There is a shortage of these docs, but it is worth it to find one and travel if you have to. Here’s a list of Headache Specialists in the US. <a href='https://www.ucns.org/globals/axon/assets/10300.pdf' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>http://www.ucns.org/globals/axon/assets/10300.pdf</a> Also, have you ever tried Botox as a Migraine prevention? It is FDA approved to treat Migraines. Every 3 months a neuro does 31 injections in your temples, back of the head and neck, and forehead. Use the search function on our website to find a ton of info on the subject. You may want to look into natural supplements like magnesium, feverfew and butterbur to add to your medication regimen to help reduce the headaches. Check out this article: <a href='https://migraine.com/migraine-treatment/natural-remedies' target='_blank'>http://migraine.com/migraine-treatment/natural-remedies/</a> I hope some of these things help you ! -Katie