I Tried an Ice Cap for Migraine Signs—Right here’s the Deal

However, as somebody who has struggled with persistent migraine for the previous few years—as many as 15 a month—I’ve been on the hunt for any type of aid and prevention potential. From important oils to Botox to hashish to acupuncture and every thing in between, I’ve tried all of it. So why not add an ice cap, or chilly cap, to my arsenal of potential migraine therapies?

After I noticed adverts for the TheraICE Scorching & Chilly Remedy Head Cap, I used to be instantly intrigued; I had simply requested for an ice curler for Christmas, so I used to be able to strive ice remedy for in-the-moment ache aid. And the cap itself blocks out mild, yet one more sensitivity for individuals who endure from migraine.

“In case you use it earlier than that hour mark, it may abort the assault and cease the allodynia.”—Andrew Blumenfeld, MD, director of The Headache Heart of Southern California.

How does an ice cap work to deal with migraine?

That’s the large query, and I spoke with board-certified neurologist Andrew Blumenfeld, MD, director of The Headache Heart of Southern California, and pioneer researcher behind Botox for migraine remedy (who has handled the likes of Aly Raisman for migraine), to get his skilled opinion on ice cap remedy for migraine.

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Dr. Blumenfeld says that in the event you can tolerate it, an ice cap—no matter model—would possibly present some aid. The trick to its success lies within the timing, he says. “An hour right into a migraine assault,” Dr. Blumenfeld explains, “A affected person can develop what known as allodynia. This may current as tenderness throughout the cranium or scalp, wherein you don’t need something to the touch your head; no ponytails, no hair clips, no hats, etcetera.”

So, in the event you’ve already reached this level, an ice cap could also be uncomfortable and never useful. However, he says, “In case you use it earlier than that hour mark, it may abort the assault and cease the allodynia.”

It is because the ice remedy itself, which Dr. Blumenfeld has seen his sufferers use in numerous mediums, can constrict the dilated blood vessels, which in flip alleviates throbbing ache, and “acts virtually like a nerve block,” with its numbing impact, he says.

Right here’s how the chilly cap labored for me

With the doc’s seal of approval, I made a decision it was time to test it out. After receiving a pattern for evaluate, I waited till my subsequent migraine assault to try it out firsthand. Happily for me (and sadly for my experiment), it took a bit longer since my preventative therapies have been growing the size between every assault. However when the following migraine got here, it was a doozy.

I used to be away from my prescription medicine on the time, so the headache symptom progressed with out intervention. By the point I received residence and received to my prescription, it was too late for it to be efficient. I attempted a scorching bathe and 800 mg of ibuprofen, however nothing was working. So, to get some momentary aid, I slipped on the ice cap, and I used to be shocked by how smooth and cozy it was. It had a cosy however not constricting match, with a gel-like, virtually memory-foam really feel. Although it got here straight from the tundra temperatures of my freezer, it wasn’t uncomfortably frigid and supplied soothing chilly temperatures to the areas that had been in essentially the most ache.

Although it was far too late within the recreation for this to outright cease a migraine assault for me, it did present soothing aid and was impressively snug in its design.

Bonus: The cap was simple to put on

The cap stretches and slides onto your head and there’s no fastening concerned, which is especially good when you possibly can barely see throughout a migraine assault. It stayed chilly for about 20 minutes, and after that time, it doubled as a pleasant sleep masks whereas I attempted to nap off the ache. Apart: If warmth remedy is extra your velocity, the TheraICE Head Cap might be heated in a microwave as effectively. (I don’t have a type of, so I skipped that a part of the check.)

Migraine is a singular neurological dysfunction that presents in a different way from individual to individual, so one of the best ways to know if this can give you the results you want is to strive it your self. This cover is beneath 40 bucks, which is a lot inexpensive than each different medical intervention I’ve paid for up to now two years. In addition, it’s not simply me who’s impressed—there are a few hundred five-star evaluations on their website.

With an ice cap, the one actual threat is discomfort…it may be too chilly to your liking, or you might have allodynia wherein you don’t need something touching your head. Past that, it’s a protected intervention to strive, at a really cheap value. Plus, the model itself has a 30-day money-back assure and a one-year guarantee. So in the event you don’t get aid, you may get your money again and be in your merry manner. All in all, in the event you endure from migraine like me, I say give it a go.