People who suffer from recurrent migraines will take strong measures to prevent them. But what if the pain has already started? How do you stop a migraine?
Ice-Cream Headaches Might Help:
Q. I have read that an ice-cream headache could stop a migraine, and I have tried to use this method. I have had migraines for 40 years. I have tried triptans, but they caused side effects.
The trouble is, I can’t seem to get an ice-cream headache on demand. I’ve tried an ice cube against the roof of my mouth, gulping a cold drink or taking a big bite of ice cream, but no ice-cream headache and no relief. Do you have other recommendations for migraines?
Other Ways to Stop a Migraine:
A. Though many people have reported that triggering an ice-cream headache at the first hint of a migraine can ward it off, this doesn’t work in every instance. Like you, some migraineurs tell us they cannot induce brain freeze.
Other nondrug approaches include herbs like butterbur and feverfew, which are taken as prevention rather than treatment. Riboflavin and magnesium may also help. Some people benefit from acupuncture.
You’ll find more details on these options in our Guide to Headaches & Migraines. (It also discusses the use of the prescription medicines called triptans.)
Some people get relief by going to the opposite extreme of an ice-cream headache: they eat hot, spicy soup or gumbo. Other possibilities include the FDA approved migraine prevention headband called Cefaly. Readers have reported that sipping ginger beer or eating pickled ginger can reverse a migraine if taken early enough. One person was enthusiastic about swallowing a spoonful of yellow mustard to stop an ice pick headache quickly, but we have no idea if that would help stop a migraine.
