Chronic Illness Tips! - Natalie
If you’ve known me for longer than 3 days you’ve probably heard the sentence “ugh I have a migraine” leave my mouth. In fact, I have a migraine while writing this. Those of us who struggle with chronic migraines know that the often misconstrued definition of “A Very Bad Headache” would be a dream and we wish nothing more for that definition to be true. However, a more accurate definition would be “world ending all consuming pain that makes you wish you could be like that headless chicken that lived for three days”. To put it simply. That being said, I have learned a few tips and tricks in my 16-year-long battle with chronic migraines and I am excited to share them with you all!
The NIH on the severity of migraines:
“Migraines have been defined as an intense unilateral throbbing or pulsating sensation lasting anywhere between a few hours to multiple days. They are the sixth most prevalent disease in the United States, with approximately 18% of women and 6% of men experiencing some form of a migraine throughout their lifetime. In addition, they pose a significant economic burden, accounting for anywhere between $13 and $17 billion in medical costs annually in the United States.”
Tip 1: The Magical Migraine Elixir
Tiger Balm + Essential Oil Blend (essential oils are toxic for pets so please keep away when using)
Now before you call me a crunchy almond mom, I am aware that essential oils do not “cure” my migraines. But listen, don’t knock it until you try it. Those of you who have listened to our podcast episode “Soo…You’re Chronically Ill, Now What?” know that I was diagnosed with chronic migraines at the ripe old age of eight, and because of my young age there was very little in terms of medical intervention that was available to me. So in came Tiger Balm, this medicated salve was my holy grail for the majority of my adolescence, I would place it behind my ears and on my temples (do not use it on sensitive skin) which would temporarily relieve my pain enough for me to drift off to sleep. Additionally to this magical substance that was tiger balm, my mother started doing research on the benefits of essential oils where amongst trial and error we found the perfect concoction to provide relief to my little brain. The recipe is as follows:
What you’ll need:
Frankincense (Yes, like the 3 wise men)
Bergamot essential oil (secret ingredient…ssh)
Tea Tree oil (Substitute with peppermint or rosemary if allergic)
Coconut oil or Jojoba oil
Small container or empty roller ball
Recipe:
10ml of coconut oil or your substitute
4 drops of frankincense
4 drops bergamot
3 drops tea tree oil or your substitute
Finally mix it all together in a container of your choice and apply to the back of ears and temple and belly if you are experiencing nausea.
Why Does It Work?: I find that this concoction of smells eases the overwhelming pressure I experience in my skull and allows me to rest in hopes that my migraine will be significantly lessened when I wake up. That being said, because I am a girl’s girl, after this blend dries and has been on your skin for a while it starts to reek! so definitely shower if you can manage it. NO HOT WATER THOUGH! Iykyk ;)
The NIH on the benefits and effectiveness of essential oils:
“According to a major population study, many patients with migraines use complementary and alternative medicines to relieve symptoms [5]. Lavender, peppermint, chamomile, anise, basil, rose, and mixed essential oils have been found to reduce migraine intensity and frequency. Some oils can also reduce the symptoms of photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, and vomiting [2]”
Tip 2: Renpho electric eye massager (My holy grail)
I have two loves of my life and that is my husband and this RENPHO eye massager. We are sponsored, but I wouldn't promote a product that I dont 100% believe in!
Those of you who have listened to the chronically ill episode of Now What? know that this product is my prized possession and that it has recently passed away after almost 5 years. This product changed my life; it gave me the capacity to improve my quality of life by easing my pain well enough for me to continue through my day.
Before this product, if I was plagued by a migraine and medication didn’t work I would have to just call it quits. I had many days where I would just wish to have something to ease the pain around my face while I laid in bed waiting to fall asleep so I could escape the pain for a few minutes. Renpho created the solution! When I purchased my beloved mask it was the first of its kind and came with several different capabilities, an adjustable pressure option, bluetooth, and several different modes. My personal routine is to take my medication, apply my tiger balm or oil combo, and then to use my eye mask on strong pressure and heat with the bluetooth playing a podcast or audiobook.
Why does it work: The combination of pressure and release around my eyes and temples along with heat causes the muscle tension that comes along with my migraines to lessen. Along with using this mask to help my migraines, I also use it after long days at the computer!
Tip 3: Icy Hot + Tens Machine
By now you can tell that I try to find solutions beyond medication because when you get migraines as frequently as I do, taking medication every time is an easy way to end up on a liver transplant list. That is not to say that I don’t take medicine I most certainly do (my bedside drawer could qualify as its own pharmacy) but I do like to find alternatives to give my treacherous body a break. My most recent “hack” has been the combination of Icy Hot patches and a tens machine. I get pretty severe muscle tension that then further exacerbates my migraine so to combat this I first use my TENS machine on my traps, the electricity essentially forces my muscles to relax in turn releasing some of the pressure in my brain. I use the machine in various places for about 20 minutes and then follow up with an Icy Hot patch. This trick I typically use for those migraines that approach slowly or migraines that hit in the middle of the night when taking my abortive medication would be useless. I only recommended this for people who have experience with TENS machines and don’t have a sensitivity to electricity.
Why Does It Work: Most migraine sufferers experience muscle tension of some sort which can be a very hard thing to combat with medication alone. Using the TENS machine loosens those tight muscles sending small electrical pulses that forces your muscle to contract and then immediately release, over time this repeated motion will relax the muscle fully. Following up with Icy Hot allows all the work the TENS machine put in to last longer by using the cooling sensation to keep the muscle relaxed and the eventual heat to ease the tension.
