8 Ways to Cope When You Get a Migraine Away From Home

Sometimes you know a migraine attack is coming long before it hits. But even with warning, you can’t always drop what you’re doing to take medication or crawl under the covers. Perhaps you’re at the office, with a long commute between you and your bed. Maybe you’re navigating a foreign city. Or perhaps you’re hosting a family member’s birthday party, unable to abandon your guests. 

Wherever migraine pain catches you off guard, experts say staying calm is key. “It’s important to have an action plan you can turn to as soon as symptoms come on” to keep your stress low, says neurologist Jessica Ailani, director of the MedStar Georgetown Headache Center at Georgetown University. Here are eight tips and tricks that will help you design your own migraine action plan.

Put down your phone

Although might be tempted text your best friend for moral support, it’s best to disconnect from electronic devices when you feel a migraine attack coming on, Ailani says. Smartphones can intensify your symptoms: they give off irritating light and can strain your eyes. So, avoid looking at your phone more than is truly necessary. (It’s fine to text someone to ask for a ride home, for example, but Ailani advises against scrolling through your Instagram feed in search of distraction). “Walking away from devices also helps you refocus and take deeper breaths,” she explains.

Take your meds A.S.A.P.

“Many of the drugs used to treat migraines, especially the class of medications called triptans, work best if they are taken within the first 40 minutes of migraine onset,” explains neurologist Lawrence C. Newman, M.D., director of the headache division at NYU Langone Medical Center. “Delaying more than that results in less-than-optimal pain relief and a greater likelihood that the headache may come back later that day or the next day.” One trick to make sure you can take your medication on time: Keep pre-measured doses in labeled ziplock bags in your purse at all times. 

However, don’t take a medication that will make you drowsy or otherwise hinder your ability to get home safely. “It’s important to always try a prescription medication at home first to see how it makes you feel,” Ailani says. “If you don’t feel tired or out of it, you can go ahead and use it while out.” If it does make you woozy, ask your doctor to recommend a secondary option you can turn to when you need to remain alert. “I might advise a patient to take an over-the-counter medication while out, and then follow it up with her prescription medication at home,” Ailani says.

Find peace and quiet

Do your best to escape noise and bright light. If you’re out and about, Google Map your way to the nearest library or bookstore; a calm, dimly lit coffee shop is another smart choice. 

If you’re in an office filled with loud phone talkers, chatty coworkers, and glaring fluorescent bulbs, seek solace in a quiet hallway, empty conference room, or bathroom. “Sit down and take deep breaths for five minutes with your eyes closed,” Ailani says. If your company has a sick room, take advantage: Shut the door and shut off the lights, lie down, and apply a hot or cold compress.

Drink a glass of water—or cup of coffee

A glass of water can help keep you hydrated as well as keep you cool—two things that can mitigate a migraine. A little caffeine can help too. “Try a small dose of caffeine, if you can tolerate it during an attack—about eight ounces of black tea or coffee,” Ailani advises.

Use soothing distractions

Cue up a calm, spa-like playlist to help get your mind off your migraine, or listen to a meditation app such as Calm or Unplug, which will help you focus on your breathing instead of your pain.