It feels like literally everyone has been talking about migraines lately, so as a bit of a veteran of them, I figured I’d share the things that have actually helped me over the years. Some are practical, some are oddly specific, and one involves pickle juice.

Before you start taking notes, though, a word of caution from someone who has absolutely done this herself: don’t spend six hours going down a migraine rabbit hole on the internet. You start by Googling why your head hurts and suddenly you’re convinced you’re allergic to cheese, sunlight, your phone, artificial sweeteners and possibly Tuesday. Oh, and according to the internet, you have until Friday to live.

The internet can be useful, but too much health information without context can also make you wildly anxious. I’ve found that tracking my symptoms and talking to actual medical professionals when needed is much more useful than trying to diagnose myself at 1 a.m.

Why I Don’t Ignore Persistent Headaches

There was a period when my headaches and migraines were persistent enough that I could no longer blame them on stress, dehydration or a bad night’s sleep. During a routine eye exam, my optometrist asked if I was having bad headaches or migraines. I was, and that simple question led to referrals to both a neurologist and an ophthalmologist.

Working with those specialists ultimately led to the discovery of papilledema and a diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension, or IIH.

Once I recovered, my headaches became almost nonexistent.

That experience permanently changed how I look at headaches. I don’t think persistent or unusual headaches should automatically be written off as “just migraines.” If something is new, getting worse or feels different from your normal, get checked out.

My optometrist asking one question made a huge difference for me and ultimately helped protect my vision. No amount of Googling would have figured that out.

Once I knew what was going on, I could focus on figuring out what actually helped when I got those occasional, but normal migraines.

I Track My Migraines

I use Migraine Buddy to keep track of when my migraines happen, how long they last, symptoms, possible triggers, sleep, food and what I tried.
Having an actual record is incredibly helpful when you’re trying to remember what happened months ago, and it gives you something much more useful to bring to a doctor than, “I don’t know, I just get headaches sometimes.”

I also try not to become a full-time migraine detective. If I notice a pattern repeatedly, I’ll pay attention. If I have one headache after eating something, I’m not immediately throwing that food into witness protection.

Because apparently everything is a migraine trigger if you spend enough time online.

One thing I’ve found particularly helpful is thinking about migraines less as one mysterious trigger and more as a threshold. Sometimes there isn’t one obvious culprit. It’s the perfect storm of terrible sleep, not eating enough, dehydration, stress, heat and staring at a screen for eight hours that finally pushes you over the edge.

That’s actually much more useful to me than trying to identify one villain.

Pickle Juice, Obviously

Let’s get to the weird stuff.
Pickle juice helps me.

When I feel a migraine coming on, sometimes I’ll drink some and find that it takes the edge off. I suspect the fluid and sodium may have something to do with it, but I’m not claiming pickle juice is a proven migraine treatment. It’s simply one of those deeply specific things I’ve noticed works for me.

If it helps, it helps.

McDonald’s Diet Coke and Fries

My other extremely glamorous intervention is a McDonald’s Diet Coke with fries. There are probably several reasons this combination feels helpful to me. I’m getting food, salt, fluid and caffeine, and caffeine can help some people during a migraine, although it can also trigger headaches or contribute to them when consumed heavily or inconsistently.

Sometimes my brain wants a Diet Coke and salty potatoes.

I’ve learned not to argue with it.

Botox Actually Helped Me

When my migraines were more persistent, I also had Botox for migraines, and it helped me, while also keeping the wrinkles at bay. At the time, my insurance covered it, which made a significant difference. Botox is an established medical treatment for chronic migraine, but whether it’s appropriate depends on your individual situation, so that’s a conversation for a neurologist, not my blog post.

For me, though, it genuinely helped.

The insurance paperwork was considerably less therapeutic.

The Boring Stuff Matters Too

I’ve learned the hard way not to underestimate the basics.
Run on coffee and no food all day? I can’t exactly act shocked when my head starts pounding. Same with dehydration, especially when I’m traveling, out in the heat or having one of those chaotic days when I realize I’ve had about three sips of water.

Sleep matters, too. I try to keep my sleep schedule reasonably consistent because there’s a difference between getting enough sleep and constantly swinging between too little and way too much. My brain appreciates a routine, even when the rest of me would like to sleep until noon.

Regular movement helps me stay on top of things, too. I’m not talking about suddenly becoming a marathon runner or forcing myself through a brutal workout when my head is pounding. Even getting outside for a walk or moving my body regularly can be a useful part of managing migraines between attacks.

These aren’t sexy migraine hacks. They’re the boring basics that are incredibly easy to ignore until they come back to bite you in the ass.

Screens are another one. On heavy screen days, I take breaks, use preservative-free eyedrops and try to follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

Nothing groundbreaking. Just basic maintenance.

Cold, Dark and Quiet

When a migraine is actually underway, I want a cold pack, a dark room and as little noise as humanly possible. I also don’t try to be a hero anymore. If my head is pounding, I’m not winning any awards for answering emails through it. Sometimes I need to stop, lie down and let my brain recover.

The emails and mountain of work will still be there.

If bright light is bothering me, I’ll put on an ice mask or eye mask, turn down my phone brightness and, ideally, put the damn phone away.

That last part is harder than it sounds.

A Few Little Things I Keep Around

I have a few smaller things in my migraine toolkit that make the experience a little more tolerable.

One is peppermint essential oil in the diffuser. I use just a couple of drops and like the cool, fresh scent when I’m trying to lie down and decompress. I like Melaleuca and doTERRA, but Aura Cacia is another brand I really like. I consider this a comfort measure, not a migraine treatment.

I also love a good migraine stick. The cooling sensation on my temples feels really nice when my head is pounding, and I keep one nearby because when you need it, you really don’t want to be digging through drawers looking for it.

Then there’s tea. I like herbal headache teas from Traditional Medicinals and Anima Mundi. I’m not expecting a cup of tea to swoop in and save the day. It’s more about having something warm while I turn down the lights, put the phone away and give myself a few quiet minutes.

Sometimes you don’t need a miracle. You just want to feel a little less like shit.

Don’t Turn Migraine Management Into Another Anxiety Project

This might be the biggest thing I’ve learned. There’s a ridiculous amount of migraine information online, and some of it is genuinely useful. But it’s incredibly easy to go from “What can I do about this headache?” to “I have now read 47 articles and am afraid of everything.”

Suddenly you’re eliminating five foods, buying seven supplements, questioning your shampoo and wondering if your bedroom lightbulbs are personally plotting against you.

No thank you.

I’d rather pay attention to the bigger picture. Did I sleep terribly? Did I skip lunch? Have I barely had any water? Have I been stressed? Have I been staring at a screen all day? Sometimes the answer isn’t one dramatic trigger. It’s that a bunch of little things piled up until my migraine threshold finally said, “Absolutely not.”

That mindset has helped me pay attention without turning every headache into a forensic investigation.

My Very Unscientific Migraine Toolkit

These days, when one of those rare migraines appears, I check the basics first: have I eaten, am I hydrated, would caffeine make sense for me, and do I need to get somewhere dark and quiet?

Then I use whatever treatment I’ve already discussed with my healthcare provider and reach for the things that make me more comfortable. A cold pack. My migraine stick. Tea. A couple of drops of peppermint oil in the diffuser. And, depending on the situation, maybe pickle juice or a McDonald’s Diet Coke with fries.

None of this came from some perfect wellness routine. I figured it out by paying attention to my own body, getting the right medical care and noticing what actually helped me.

That’s the part I’d really emphasize. Learn your own patterns, but don’t become obsessed with finding a reason for every headache. Sometimes it’s not one thing. Sometimes it’s five small things teaming up to ruin your day.

And if something is new, persistent, changing or concerning, get checked out.

My optometrist asking one question changed everything for me.

No amount of pickle juice was going to figure out what was actually happening.

Once you know what’s going on, you can start figuring out what makes the rare bad days a little easier.

For me, sometimes that’s a cold room, a migraine stick and a cup of tea.

Sometimes it’s pickle juice.

And sometimes my medical treatment plan looks suspiciously like McDonald’s fries and a Diet Coke.

I’m not proud.

I’m also not complaining.