Ice Treatment and Migraine Headaches

You have a migraine headache – or a family member has one. You are looking for a treatment that will bring the episode to an end quickly. While many medical treatments exist for migraine headache, you may not want to use medications. What do you use?

Ice Treatment – Cryotherapy

Lawrence D. Robbins, M.D., Department of Neurology, University of Illinois at Chicago, studied the effectiveness of cryotherapy (ice treatment) for migraine headache. In that study, migraineurs were given only a cold wrap for migraine headache relief. Dr. Robbins reports that, of the 45 patients evaluated:

* 35.5% said the ice treatment was not effective
* 29% said the ice treatment was mildly effective
* 26.5% said the ice treatment was moderately effective
* 9% said the ice treatment was completely effective.

(Lawrence D Robbins M.D (1989), “Cryotherapy for Headache”, Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 29 (9), 598–600.

Dr. Robbins, who has his own headache clinic in a Chicago, Illinois suburb, says: “You have a 50-50 chance of getting some pain relief within three minutes of applying a soft, cold ice pack wrapped in a towel to your head.”

Why Cryotherapy Works

What makes cryotherapy a good option for migraine headache relief? What makes the ice treatment work?

The cold wrap will constrict blood vessels in the head, bringing them back to normal size. Their return to normal diameter can lessen blood flow to the head, thereby reducing the pressure of a migraine headache.

Traditional Ice Pack

You do not need a clinical study with a specific cold wrap to try ice treatment for your own migraine headache, of course. All you need is a simple, traditional ice pack. This may be simply a folded towel filled with crushed ice. Or it may be a waterproof bag with a cap at the top that allow you to fill it with ice.

For ice treatment relief of migraine headache, lie on your stomach in a dark room. Place the ice pack on the base of your skull in back and relax. Leave the ice pack in place for about a half hour. Remove it, and rest a half hour without ice. Then use the ice pack again for a half hour.

CAUTION: This migraine headache information is for educational purposes only. Your doctor will know what is best for you.