I've suffered with migraines for years and the meds I'm prescribed are worthless. At times, there's nothing more you can do apart from close your eyes and cry yourself to sleep hoping it'll be gone when you wake up.
I've been close to where this guy's been. Too close. But I know it's not what I want and it will get better in time.
I hope he's at peace now then what he had in life. R.I.P. man.
Samuel Kelokates, a physical therapist in Philadelphia who specializes in treating people with headache and migraine disorders, says there are two primary reasons cryotherapy (the fancy word for cold therapy used for medical purposes) works.
"Cold can cause vasoconstriction and decrease local swelling in the area of the head and face," Kelokates says. "Ice may also provide a local analgesic effect by decreasing nerve activity in the applied areas."
Grace Song, a physical therapist and vestibular therapist at Brentwood Physiotherapy in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who has been treating migraine patients for years, adds, "Cold therapy is a natural form of migraine relief that has been used for centuries. The most popular form of cold therapy for migraine relief is an ice pack. This lowers the temperature of the wearer's head, helping to ease the pain associated with migraines.
"The cold temperature will constrict blood vessels and can help reduce the neurotransmission of pain to the brain. In a clinical setting we sometimes will utilize cold therapy (ice packs) along with other modalities and treatments to help relieve headaches," says Song.
May Not Fully Stop the Migraine Attack
Kelokates agrees that cold caps could very well be used as a "pain control method" during migraine attacks. He also says some people might find that cold therapy is enough to stop attacks in its tracks.
"I like the use of the migraine hat as it covers more area than a traditional ice pack or head wrap, and can add some compression. It covers the forehead, temporal area, part of the face, and can even reach the base of the skull, which is important for those that have neck pain with attacks."
But while experts agree that cold therapy is an effective way of soothing head pain, not all believe it can rid you of your migraine attack entirely.
