11 Migraine Relief Products to Always Have in Your House

When I first started experiencing migraine attacks in high school, I didn’t really know how to deal with my symptoms. I would simply try taking ibuprofen and hope for the best since that’s all I really had available to me. Obviously, this only helped about half the time, and it never did more than reduce the pain I experienced.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot about chronic migraine and managing the symptoms I experience during each migraine phase. As a result, I’ve come up with a list of 11 migraine relief products anyone who lives with migraine should always have available in their house.

1. Ice Packs for Migraine Relief

Ice packs are first on my list of migraine relief products. Ice packs are a great pain management tool for anyone with migraine. These handy little items constrict blood vessels, which reduces the neurotransmission of pain within the brain. While it’s not a “cure,” it can make the pain more tolerable and help mitigate other migraine symptoms.

Personally, I have three ice packs like this one from Amazon that live in my freezer. This helps me have them ready to go as soon as my migraine pain starts, and ensures there are backups ready to go if I need to continue icing throughout the day. Also, everyone in our house (except the cats) know where the ice packs live so they can quickly grab one for me if I am unable to.

My Pick: Cooling Eye Mask

 

2. Water Bottles — Stay Hydrated for Migraine Relief

While I am by no means saying hydration is a cure for migraine, I do know that many of the symptoms that accompany chronic migraine either cause dehydration or make it difficult to remember to hydrate during the day. This is why large, reusable water bottles come in handy and make a great migraine relief product. They provide you with a spill-proof vessel to hold water by your bed so you can take a sip when you think about it (or your partner nags you to drink water).

You can pick up reusable water bottles virtually anywhere, but my favorites are from To Write Love On Her Arms because they contain inspirational messages and support a good cause.

My Pick: Hope Is Real Nalgene Bottle

 

3. Massage Gun to Relieve Muscle Tension From Migraine

Most of us who live with migraine deal with muscle tension. This tension can both perpetuate migraine pain and also come as a result of migraine symptoms, especially if you experience nausea, dizziness, and other common symptoms alongside the head pain.

While I love springing for a massage when I can afford it, one of my favorite at-home migraine relief products is a massage gun. I have found that using a massage gun can really help. In fact, if I catch the signs during the prodrome phase or early in the headache phase, I can use the massage gun (or have my partner use it on me) to lessen the severity of my migraine pain and duration.

You can find many decent-quality massage guns on Amazon with multiple massage heads to help you accurately treat different parts of the body.

My Pick: Massage Gun

 

4. Essential Oils May Reduce Migraine Pain

Several studies have shown peppermint and lavender essential oils are both effective in lessening the severity of migraine pain and other symptoms. Lavender oil typically calms the body, and this helps decrease muscle tension and pain receptors. Meanwhile, peppermint oil stimulates blood flow while decreasing muscle contractions when applied to the neck and head, while also helping with symptoms like nausea and other digestive issues.

The nice thing about essential oils is the versatility in how to use them. You can run them through a diffuser to inhale the oils, use a rollerball application, or even put it in tea.

My Picks: Migrastil Migraine Stick, Essential Oil Diffuser

 

5. Over-the-Counter Migraine Relief Medications

Although some doctors will prescribe medications for chronic migraine, not all do. In my case, I tend to use over-the-counter medications more frequently. While Tylenol or ibuprofen will work in a pinch, I personally find Excedrin Migraine most effective since it contains acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine.

My Pick: Excedrin Migraine

 

6. Neck & Shoulder Relaxer for Prodromal Migraine Symptoms

If you experience frequent, chronic migraine, you’ve probably started learning the signs a migraine attack is coming. While these prodromal symptoms can vary from person to person, I think a common issue people experience is neck and shoulder tension, which can be especially difficult to deal with since it’s a hard area to stretch or rub out.

However, my partner recently introduced me to a device called a neck and shoulder relaxer. She originally ordered it to deal with pain she experiences from hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, but we discovered it’s also quite helpful for treating migraine symptoms.

To use it, you simply lay down on your back or sit in a chair for 10 to 15 minutes with your head placed in the relaxing device. While you relax, the device helps naturally stretch this part of your body while increasing blood flow.

My Pick: Neck and Shoulder Relaxer

 

7. Blackout Curtains for Light Sensitivity

Sensitivity to light is another problematic symptom for people who live with migraine (myself included). Unfortunately, even if you turn off every single light in your house, natural lighting still enters your home. This can really cause issues during a migraine attack and even during the postdrome phase.

Luckily, blackout curtains are fairly easy to purchase, and they do wonders for light reduction when needed. You can buy them in virtually any color from Amazon and other retailers. They’re one of my favorite migraine relief products.

My Pick: Blackout Curtains

 

8. Queasy Drops for Migraine Nausea

I originally discovered Queasy Drops during my first pregnancy because I experienced extreme morning sickness. I (falsely) assumed these marvelous hard candies only existed for pregnant people — but I was wrong. In fact, they advertise them for all sorts of health conditions that cause nausea, including migraine.

These are great migraine relief products because they’re basically all-natural ingredients, they taste like any other candy, and you can suck on them while doing anything (even while lying down). I find them to be a must-have for dealing with nausea.

My Pick: Queasy Drops

 

9. Easy-Prep Meals for Bad Migraine Days

As a mother of two kids who lives with a partner that’s currently in grad school, I typically handle dinner time in our house. Unfortunately, on days when my migraine symptoms are popping, the last thing I want to do is stand around in the kitchen and cook dinner.

Although I sometimes break down and order from UberEats, that’s not always something I can afford to do for a family of four. This is where easy-prep meals come in handy. You can buy freezer dinners at the grocery store or try some recipes from a freezer to Instant Pot cookbook.

My Picks: Instant Pot, Instant Pot Cookbook

 

10. Blue Light Blocking Glasses

Sometimes we have no choice but to use electronic devices even when dealing with light sensitivity and other migraine symptoms. Unfortunately, using your laptop or cell phone while dealing with light sensitivity can make other migraine symptoms, like the head pain and nausea, worse.

If this is a frequent issue for you, you can always buy some blue light blocking glasses. Or, if you already wear glasses daily like I do, you can get the blue light filtering lenses the next time you order new glasses.

My Pick: Blue Light Blocking Glasses

 

11. Acupressure Migraine Relief Items

While I haven’t tried acupuncture for my migraine symptoms, I know people who swear by it. Much like massage therapy, acupuncture requires you to visit a trained professional to receive treatment. However, they do make acupressure devices you can buy and use at home without any formal training required.

Like anything medical, though, always check with a doctor or other trustworthy professional before using any device like this.

My Pick: Aculief Migraine Relief Pressure Point Device

I’m not going to lie, there are days when living with migraine is frustrating and difficult at best. However, I can honestly say that each one of the migraine relief products on this list helps me manage my symptoms and makes my life a little easier.