Migraines are hard enough on their own. Add peak summer heat into the mix and it just gets heavier. The pain feels sharper, the fatigue lingers longer, and even small triggers can set things off.
That is usually when people start trying quick fixes they see online. Some look simple. Some even convincing. But not all of them actually help. To cut through that noise, Dr Elie Sader, a double board-certified neurologist and pain medicine specialist, reviewed a bunch of popular migraine “hacks” and rated them on a scale of one to ten. His take is fairly direct. “Some of these will help. Some are straight-up useless. Stop wasting time on migraine ‘hacks’ that don’t work,” he said in an Instagram video shared on April 17.
Salt under the tongue: Rated 0
This one does not hold up at all.
According to him, placing a pinch of salt under your tongue during a migraine has no scientific backing. He gave it a clear zero out of ten.
“I wish it were that easy, but salt has no role to play in migraine. A pinch of salt, whether table salt or mineral salt, is not going to cut it,” he said.
Ice or cold cap: Rated 8
This is one of the more useful options.
He rated ice packs or cold caps an eight out of ten, saying many patients do feel relief. The effect comes from vasoconstriction, which means narrowing of blood vessels, along with temperature regulation.
“This works for a lot of patients, though the benefit is short-lived, usually half an hour to an hour. It works by vasoconstricting the blood vessels and activating temperature-sensitive ion channels,” he explained.
Daith piercing: Rated 3
This one is often talked about. But the evidence does not quite support it.
He gave it a three out of ten and pointed out that the idea behind it is linked to stimulating the vagus nerve. But there are no strong, large-scale studies to confirm that.
“Supposedly, it works by tickling the vagus nerve, but there are no large-scale studies on it. It is definitely overhyped and carries a high rate of complications, such as infection,” he said.
Eyebrow clipping: Rated 5
This sits somewhere in the middle.
He rated it a five out of ten. The mechanism here is based on the Gate Control Theory of Pain, acting at the level of the supraorbital nerve, which is a branch of the trigeminal nerve.
“This works via gate theory at the level of the supraorbital nerve. It might work for some people with frontal headaches, but you shouldn’t get your hopes up,” he noted.
Fries and Diet Coke: Rated 7
This one sounds unusual, but there is some logic behind it.
He rated it a seven out of ten. The combination of caffeine and easily digestible carbohydrates can help, especially since low blood sugar or fasting is a known migraine trigger.
“The caffeine and carbohydrates help because fasting is a well-known trigger for migraine,” he explained.
Feet soaked in water: Rated 4
This one is more theory than proof.
He rated it a four out of ten. The idea is that soaking feet in water may dilate blood vessels in the lower body and redirect blood flow away from the brain.
“Theoretically, this works by dilating blood vessels in the lower body to shunt blood away from the brain. In reality, there is no evidence for it,” he said.
Peppermint oil: Rated 6
This one has some backing.
He gave peppermint oil a six out of ten, noting that there is actual clinical research supporting its benefits for certain types of headaches.
“There are actual clinical trials on this that showed a benefit over a placebo,” he said.
ALSO READ: Are your summer headaches a sign of migraine? Gurugram neurologist shares key symptoms
Not every hack is a waste of time. But not every hack works either. Knowing the difference can save a lot of trial and error when you are already dealing with a migraine.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice.
