What to do if a Migraine Strikes (at the Worst Possible Time)

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It’s hard to believe, but spring baseball season starts this Saturday.  My son is excited.  Wait…  The word “excited” doesn’t accurately describe it.  My son is over-the-moon, ecstatic that he gets to play baseball again.  It’s been 4 months since the fall season ended, but for him, it’s been an eternity.  I’ve had to remind him almost daily that it isn’t baseball season.  At just 3 years old, he’s really taken up a love of the game, and for the first time ever, I’m one of the coaches on his team.  Opening day is just 5 days away and we’re scrambling to complete the last of our practices (which, with kids that young, looks a lot more like herding cats) this week.  As I sit here looking forward to our first game, I can’t help but think about opening day last year, because that was a day that certainly didn’t go as planned.

I opened my eyes early that morning and immediately felt the pain.  Pain behind my right eye and on the right side of my head, with just a touch of nausea.  From my previous experience, it was a migraine.  I audibly groaned as I woke up a bit more and realized exactly what I was feeling.  The words, “not today, please not today,” ran through my head a hundred times as I feebly tried to negotiate with the migraine that threatened the day that my son had been looking forward to for weeks.

As a frequent migraine sufferer, I’ve been in this position far too many times – an important day arrives only for me to be struck by a migraine.  I’ve been experiencing migraines for as long as I can remember, but I wasn’t diagnosed by a doctor until I was in law school when I found general pain relievers weren’t working.  At that point, the doctors put me on all sorts of prescription medications, which either didn’t work or had terrible side effects.  So last fall when I walked towards the bathroom, I grabbed the Excedrin® Migraine and a full glass of water before heading back to bed.  One hour later, I opened my eyes and felt much better.

This year, as I prepare to coach on Opening Day, I’m going to expect the unexpected with Excedrin® Migraine.  I can promise that it will be in my bag everyday, because this coach doesn’t have time for a migraine to slow her down.  Simply put, I trust Excedrin® for fast headache relief.

But the reality is, Excedrin® Migraine is just one part of treating a migraine. Here are 5 ways to conquer your migraine and get on with your day.

Don’t wait.  At the very first sign of migraine pain, take medicine.  After years of dealing with migraines, I’ve found that a migraine just doesn’t go away on its own, and for me, they get worse over time.  Instead of waiting, take the first step towards relief with Excedrin® Migraine.  Your headache demands a headache solution.  Excedrin® Migraine starts to relieve migraine pain in 30 minutes and is #1 Neurologist Recommended*.  Remember, use only as directed.

Hydrate.  I find that migraines tend to strike when I’m dehydrated, but even if this isn’t the case for you, hydration is never a bad idea.  Instead of taking your medication with a sip of water, drink a tall glass.  Worst that can happen is that you need to take an extra trip or two to the bathroom as you conquer your day.

Head for a dark room. Sensitivity to light and sound often accompany a migraine, so while this won’t necessarily cure your migraine, it will make you more comfortable while you’re waiting for medicine to start working.  If you can’t sit in a dark room for a while, try avoiding electronic devices (cell phones, iPads, televisions), as screen time can often make a migraine feel worse.

Cold compress.  Always opt for cold over heat when it comes to a migraine.  This is the perfect time to borrow your child’s boo-boo buddy that you keep in the fridge for those minor injuries!

Sleep.  If at all possible, take a nap or go to sleep.  This can be tough if a migraine strikes while you’re at work, but if you’re at home and have the opportunity to lay down for 20-30 minutes after taking the Excedrin® Migraine it can make a world of difference.  If you’re anything like me on Opening Day last fall, you might actually wake up feeling like a whole new person!

Be sure to consult your doctor if you think you are suffering from migraines.  Once diagnosed, head to your local Walmart and look for Excedrin® Migraine and all the other Excedrin products that deliver fast relief for different types of headaches in the pharmacy section.  

If you’ve already been diagnosed as suffering from migraines, how do you cope?

*Among OTC medicine for migraines. Symphony Health Solutions, 2016

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