Posted 2/19/2014 6:48 AM (GMT 0)
I've been having classic migraines for about 30 years, always on the right side and use Maxalt when it's bad. I've recently been able to reduce my consumption of meds, after noticing that the main locus of the migraine on my head (towards the front, on the right side) is usually a bit tender and warm during an attack. So, I get an aerosol can of Ice Spray made by Mentholatum - the sort of thing you see athletes spraying on a pulled muscle when they want to play on. (That's what it's called in Australia, but I imagine there are local variations in other countries.) Protect your eyes with a washcloth.
Anyway, the trick is to spray this stuff directly and persistently onto the exact migraine spot until you get what I would call a 'rebound' reaction. It's like a sudden intense, small spot migraine that lasts about 10 seconds. Then the pain subsides and takes the original migraine with it. Keep the washcloth up until you're sure it's not going to dribble on your face, as that menthol stuff in the eyes is a bit unpleasant. If it's a very persistent stalking migraine, it sometimes returns a couple of hours later and there are still occasions when I have to pull out the meds, but this stuff is now dealing with about 80% of my attacks. I haven't noticed any side effects yet, although the initial smell is a bit sportsy. Even the sprayed-on hair settles down pretty quickly. Anyway, if you have this kind of migraine, it's worth a try.