Migraine Morning

My first terrible headache happened when I woke up from a sports-related ankle surgery when I was 17. I was in the recovery room and when I woke up I turned my head and felt a shock through my neck. Ever since, I’ve been susceptible to neck kinks and migraine headaches. After several tests I was diagnosed in the early 2000s with mild migraines.

Mine aren’t debilitating, but they suck. When they come on, they are characterized by sensitivity to light and sound, where anything bright literally hurts and abrasive sounds are offensive. The nausea is mild, I feel queasy but still think I can fix it with food or drink. The pain usually centers around my right eye, reaching around to the back right of my neck.

I’ve been through periods where I get them multiple times per week, and other periods when they hardly ever happen. I always have the feeling that I can prevent them. The right mix of hydration, exercise, diet, sleep, temperature, etc. Generally, getting exercise, staying hydrated, avoiding salt and sugar, sleeping well and keeping my neck warm without getting too hot helps. I think so anyway.

I used to have prescription meds for them, but they made me feel like a zombie — like disconnected or separated from my senses. For years I’ve just used Advil Migraine or other soluable ibuprofen. If I take the medicine as soon as I feel the headache coming on, it might go away. Otherwise I’ll need a hot shower and eventually sleep to reset it.