Ice pack or heat pack??

It depends on the day with me. Sometimes I want ice, sometimes ice makes it worse. Most of the time, I find a heating pad comforting, even if it doesn't really ease the pain.

I'm glad that icing the way you do works for you, Brent. I can NOT use an ice pack with only one thickness of paper towel insulating it. I've tried that and the pain is increased so very much. It literally makes me want to scream. To say that heat will always make a migraine worse and ice will always make it better just isn't true. We all know here that what works for some of us won't work for others. We all have different reactions to treatments. Not trying to be rude, but I just think it's not a good idea to make blanket statements like that.

As mentioned in my previous reply my instincts were telling me that heat wasn't the way to go. I really just wanted it verified. Instincts are never wrong. I really appreciate your input! Query: After all this input,why do you not use ice for your migraine?? G.

Becky,

What a good idea. I'm going to throw a couple in my freezer. The ice bag is always sliding off and the other things are too hard. Thanks!

Brenda wrote:I'm glad that icing the way you do works for you, Brent. I can NOT use an ice pack with only one thickness of paper towel insulating it. I've tried that and the pain is increased so very much. It literally makes me want to scream. To say that heat will always make a migraine worse and ice will always make it better just isn't true. We all know here that what works for some of us won't work for others. We all have different reactions to treatments. Not trying to be rude, but I just think it's not a good idea to make blanket statements like that.

I'm the same Brenda, and find ice worsens my pain in the short term and certainly doesn't help in the long term. Plus it makes me feel uincomfortable and agitated, so that's not good either. Even going out in cold weather without a big wooly hat can make things far worse for a long period of time afterwards for me. As you say, heat is comforting, and for me it does reduce the pain, short and long term. I also love lying in a warm bath with my head submerged and my nose sticking out. It can sometimes reduce my pain enough to get out of the house later on when it would otherwise have been unthinkable.

I have tried cold/ice (after finding out just about everyone else uses ice and thinking I must be odd ), but for me, it's really not an option. But I also think there are many different types of migraines with different mechanisms of activation and biological changes, and this is just one other thing that seems to confirm that for me.

We are all the same but different and one size will never fit all.

Amy

Becky, when my daughter lived at home, that's how she would look after me, by rotating flannels/wash cloths from the freezer. However, she didn't put them in nice hygienic bags . But I didn't think about that too closely!

It would only work now if the freezer was located next to my bed!

Liz

Brenda wrote:I'm glad that icing the way you do works for you, Brent. I can NOT use an ice pack with only one thickness of paper towel insulating it. I've tried that and the pain is increased so very much. It literally makes me want to scream. To say that heat will always make a migraine worse and ice will always make it better just isn't true. We all know here that what works for some of us won't work for others. We all have different reactions to treatments. Not trying to be rude, but I just think it's not a good idea to make blanket statements like that.

That is not a blanket statement, it's research and I would invite anyone to look it up for themselves. We all know a migraine is not just inflammation and there is far more involved in the whole cycle. If ice hurts then that is your body telling you not to do it.

I mentioned above already I did not get any relief from my migs with ice. It has worked great for my stiff necks and tension headaches along with other soft tissue injuries. Heat has a very high probability of making inflammation worse. Sports trainers and athletes have known that long before the research was done on how ice works.

Very mild heat like a hot tub or shower can help increase circulation without intensifying inflammation. Just like cold can cool you down without a steroid letdown.

In my line of work I see people weekly making their pain worse with heat. I posted the info as an FYI only and not wanting to see people here make their pain worse.

oh yah...when you use ice you HAVE to wrap it in a kitchen towel or something. Never next to your skin. I use flexible reusable blue plastic thing I got from a medical supply house for people who need to wrap them around arms and knees. They keep them in the freezer at work too for people who get injured.

I actually got frost bit on my knee after applying ice with no other protection. worked good for the knee pain though.

My sister has this permanent alien looking skin from using her heating pad on high 24 hours a day for weeks. The skin is sort of purpely with darker veiny looking marbley type lines all running through it. The first time I saw it I thought it looked like alien skin. Her doctor told her it is permanent like some kind of burn. So I never sleep with my heating pad and I never lay on it. Her skin is really scary looking in a very big area on her side and back and front. She used two heating pads at the same time.