Am considering shaving my head so that I can apply biofreeze directly to it
Yes, but if you're sensitive to heat, it will only make that worse. The sun/heat can get directly to the back of your neck/head and it really makes summers worse for me. But at the same time, the lack of hair getting everywhere is nice, too.
I am a guy and I shave my head. I did it because of bad genetics with hair loss, but it is nice to not have to worry about it. I have an electric razor that takes me 2-3 minutes in the morning.
I did, I had years earlier so I knew what I looked like. The ice packs directly on my head helped, but I was hoping the lack of hair weight would improve everything and it didn’t. Overall, meh. Kinda worth it but I like having hair now.
Yes, but not because of migraines. While my head was shaved, I personally found no difference.
I didn't find a difference either. Kind of makes me angry because everyone always said my scalp tightness was from having a man bun.
I think the bun can make it worse if it’s a long day but that’s about it.
Idk about you but it was fun having a shaved head. And it’s just hair, it will grow back. Mine was down to my bum and it’s been refreshing having it be shorter.
Same
Yup, but for a migraine adjacent reason, not because of the migraines directly. Occipital nerve blocks sucked less on a buzz cut head for me. Pre-buzz, I'd leave my nerve block appointments with my hair matted-ish and wet from being alcohol swabbed - grossed me right out. Ice packs are more effective when my hair is shorter. My allodynia is also worse. Win some, lose some.
Edited to add: Biofreeze is nice on a buzzed scalp! So is lidocaine gel. Sometimes makes my head hurt less, and if not my head, at least my scalp, so there's one less part of me reporting in as painful.
That’s awesome! I have been diagnosed with: Cervico-occipital neuralgia, Occipital headache, Cervicogenic headache, Intracranial meningioma, and Migraine with aura, so there’s a lot going on, head-wise. What it all amounts to is: lots of pain for apparently no reason (invisible illnesses suck. People think you’re making them up and they can be difficult to explain, especially in the midst of a flare, which is when you most need sympathy and understanding)
Edit: I meant awesome about lidocaine and biofreeze on the head. Not the rest of it, in case that wasn’t clear 😂😅 please forgive me, I’m still coming out of a migraine that erased my whole day
You're the most similarly diagnosed human I've ever known of! Occipital neuralgia, cervicogenic headache, TMJD, intractable migraine with aura. Invisible illness is such crap to deal with both internally and externally, you're absolutely right. I'm sorry you're having a rough go of it at present, and I hope you find some kind of relief. (Only other one I can think of for scalp topicals is peppermint soap. If it's sufficiently minty, the mentholated feeling lasts pretty much until your hair dries. Do personally enjoy.)
Thank you! I have TMJ also, but I honestly wonder how much of that simply has to do with the fact that people in pain tend to grit their teeth against it? My dentist swore that if I got my wisdom teeth out, then wore a brace at night, it would help. So I did, and…surprise, surprise: it did not. I just bite super hard on the brace and the muscles clench to the point where you can see them involuntarily flexing when I’m having a bad spasm. It’s usually more on the left (makes sense, because the meningioma is on the left side as well) but yesterday the jaw pain was on the right, and I could feel the soreness extending all the way back into my head muscles. Ouchie…I hope you find some relief as well! I’m going to look for a good mentholating shampoo, because I crave the sensation of coolness on my achy skull. Thanks for the suggestion, head twin!
I buzzed my hair off a few years back when one of my migraine meds was causing my hair to fall out. I liked how easy it was to care for. I never tried biofreeze on it so I can't say how that would work.
Do you mind sharing the med that caused that?
Pretty much all the blood pressure meds made my hair fall out: propranolol, candesartan and Lisinopril. At the time candesartan was helping my migraines enough that I was willing to deal with the hair loss and just buzz off my hair.
Thanks. I just started propanolol as my 3rd attempt at a preventative but haven’t yet noticed any side effects
Omg! I’ve been using beta blockers for YEARS and wondering why my once-beautiful long hair was falling out in clumps! First propranolol but my BP dropped too low so they switched me to metoprolol succinate
It must not be a very common side effect because my Dr was skeptical but as soon as I stopped, my hair stopped falling out. I have not had the same problem with verapamil, which is also for blood pressure but not a beta blocker. I eventually stopped candesartan and switched because the my bp was dropping too low and I was fainting frequently. I am okay with hair loss in exchange for less migraines, but the risk of other injuries with fainting were too much.
I’ve been cycling through my meds trying to figure out which one (if any) is causing my hair loss. Last one to try, propranolol, seems to be the culprit. My neurologist said it is a known side effect, and even though I’ve been taking for a few years, it’s possible that it just started.
That's interesting, both my neurologist and my headache specialist tried to tell me that they didn't cause hair loss, but it was pretty obvious when I would start/stop it that it was the culprit.
Neurologist did say it is less common, but definitely known.
i have and it makes migraines easier for me. not any easier than having a short hair cut but definitely better than long/medium length hair. its low maintenance, ice/heat more effective, less time touching my head. overall its been a good experience
Yes. I look awful but it has helped. My hair hurts me less.
Yes, because of TENS electrodes and vacuum cupping attaching much better.
Been buzzin my head for years.. i grow it out to a short mullet every so often and i do notice a difference with showering/wet hair
Yes, I haven’t in a few years but contemplating recently. I don’t find it helps reduce migraines but I definitely helps with the discomfort. Hair touching my neck/ears/face is very overstimulating for me when I have a migraine and putting it up in a bun/pony makes things hurt wors. 🥹 going thru it rn.
Have you tried neoprene ice hats?
My ice hat isn’t cold anymore 🥲 it’s too bright to go downstairs. I tried to go search for sunglasses but this visual snow got in the way.
Feeling like a tv not set to any channel, that old-time black and white crackle
Yes but not because of migraines.