Long hair and migraines

[mindwiped]

Ok, so this isn't a, my long hair is giving me migraines thread, I promise. I've had migraines for years, whatever length my hair is (three inches long to below bsl). When I'm having a bad hair day, I can't stand having any hair on my head feeling pulled on (like every ponytail, braid or bun on this planet does) so anybody who knows me can tell the really bad days, because is completely free and driving me batty.

I like my long hair, but I don't do unrestrained hair...it ends badly (my hair eats small household items). Disney's Brave reminded me of my childhood hair, except for color, I had Merida's hair. Can anybody think of any way to restrain my mane without using any normal method? I know there are enough amazingly creative people on here, that if there's any way to do it, one of you will knew it

[copperlites]

The first thing that sprung to mind for me was a sock, just for around the house though. Maybe you could crochet some pretty ones that would be ok to wear out. If it was long it should keep the hair contained but not tug too much?

[Nique1202]

I have found that the least painful styles when I get migraines are french/dutch braids because it equalizes the tension across the whole scalp instead of pulling on particular areas. Twin dutch braids are especially great because even with my slippery hair I don't have to pull the braid tight at all to get it to stay together, so there's not necessarily any tension on my scalp. At this point I've done them so many times it's in my muscle memory, so I can do them even when I'm in pain and unable to focus on much of anything else. If you pull the tails across the back of your head and pin them into the loops of the braid on the other side, you won't even have the free-swinging pendulum weight to cause tension anywhere.

[lapushka]

Try a LWB (lazy wrap bun), it's awesome, and doesn't pull. I find it the least worrisome with my migraines, and it's light on the head. Not that it's my hair that bothers me during migraines. :shrug:

[ooglipoo]

Oh, I feel your pain.

Sometimes I can tell a migraine is coming, because I can't get my hair to be comfortable. I usually go for twin braids, just regular English if I'm in a hurry, or, like Nique, Dutch. They have to be loose and no hair can pull, but I can do that! I tie them off with ribbon instead of elastic, and that seems to help not pull, too.

[Dragon Faery]

If it isn't too bad of a migraine, for me a Lazy Wrap Bun at the nape is the only bun that's remotely wearable. And even that comes out the first chance I have to take it down. If it's really bad, I end up just braiding it (a little loose at the top) and then balancing it on my shoulder so the shoulder takes the weight of my hair. Yours might or might not be long enough for that yet. What I mean is, I'll pull the braid forward over one shoulder and then pull the top of the braid slightly back over the back of my shoulder, so the tail hangs in front but my shoulder is taking the weight of it rather than my scalp. With migraines though, I always have to just go to bed as soon as possible. Nothing fixes them, and everything makes them worse.

[Lolino]

I have similar problems, with chronic headaches that flare up to kapow-levels randomly (tension+migraines+mystery something). At those points very very loose twin braids sort of work, but not always.
Sometimes I consider just putting my showercap on so I don't have to bother with it, but then the band on that hurts and so on. I've been considering making a sleep cap with an adjustable band that I can also use for those times, just loosely tied on my head, or a snood of some sort.

[Nadine <3]

When I get a migraine the first thing I do is pull my hair out of the style it's in and put it in a side brain.

[KittyCatCarrie]

If a loose braid doesn't quite work, try a crocheted hat and tuck all your hair inside.

[Anje]

Loose braid is about the only thing I'll tolerate when I've got a lousy headache. Maybe then with the braid resting its weight on my shoulder, so it's not putting tension on my scalp. Otherwise, yeah, I'm known to let it be loose too, because there's no way I'm going to put anything snug like a hat or bandanna or buff on my head when it hurts.

My hair tends to go down, not out -- so wrapping it up and dropping it in the hood of a hoodie would definitely work for me (if it weren't currently about 85°F out), but I can't see that working for sproingy going-up curls.

[woodswanderer]

If you don't want a loose braid, how about a scrunchie pony tail towards the bottom of your hair? It seems like it would be less pain than a regular pony tail.

[meteor]

I'm so sorry you are having migraines. :(

How about 2 braids side by side?
They should be light and comfy enough if you make them loose and don't braid too close to scalp, so that nothing can pull. You might even be able to pin up those braids milkmaid/heidi braids-style, but if not, you can always just wear them down.

[Wusel]

When I get a migraine the first thing I do is pull my hair out of the style it's in and put it in a side brain.

:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::b ounce::rolling::rolling::rolling:

I'm sure, your migraine is gone forever when you put your hair in your BRAIN.

Edit: Can't stop laughing. ROFL since half an hour.

[mindwiped]

Thank you for the thoughts, some of these I've tried, such as braids and a ponytail further down my length, but they still pull too. I've got a a snood, but my head roasts in it, and we've had highs above 90F all week...I may have to try to find or make one not made from Afghan weight yarn.

Thanks all, the advice from others who understand what I mean helps. When I mention my hair issue the typical first advice is, have you ever thought about cutting it?

[mindwiped]

Double, whoops double posted

[pailin]

Thanks all, the advice from others who understand what I mean helps. When I mention my hair issue the typical first advice is, have you ever thought about cutting it?

Oh, please don't listen!

[mindwiped]

Oh, please don't listen!

Not happening unless I want it short. Like I said, I still got migraines with short hair, so I know that won't 'cure' anything

[mindwiped]

I wanted to check back in with everyone, I know I have times I wonder if somebody's figured anything out, and wished they'd posted.

So I ended up grabbing a couple of stretchy cloth headbands, between those and a very loose braid, it helps with my needs, to have it away from my face, and not pulling.

Thank you everybody for your thoughts and advice!

[Nadine <3]

:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::b ounce::rolling::rolling::rolling:

I'm sure, your migraine is gone forever when you put your hair in your BRAIN.

Edit: Can't stop laughing. ROFL since half an hour.

HA I didn't notice this typo until just now. Now I can't stop giggling!

[Techmouse]

I have had migraines for most of my life, so first I offer my sympathy. I wear a cotton fabric snood on the days I can't stand to have my hair in a bun or braid. The ones I have are made with ties so they are adjustable, and since they're cotton, they aren't too hot. I get them from an online store called Katies Mercantile (www.katiesmercantile.com). They really can hold a lot of hair.

[Mimha]

I know what it means when you talk about migraine, mindwiped. Oh yes I do !... :(

For me, it's just like you : I can't stand ANY kind of hairdo when I feel bad. So I let my hair down, untied. No way to do even a low pony, a braid or a bun, even of the softest non-pulling sort. :(

I'm now working on my migraines, actually. I want to get rid of them. I'm fed up of living like a zombie because of them. And I have discovered that they are mainly due to my digestive problems. A leaky gut is unable to offer a good barrier against toxins and this is a major cause of migraine. Unknown food intolerances, even minor ones, can affect the brain in the long run, you know. I am in that case : I have had food related migraines without knowing it for years !... I would even say that it's probably the main cause of migraine, but up to now the doctors just didn't make any link between the two things. But now, it's getting such a huge health issue in our societies that the science is staring to give interesting answers.

Hope you'll find a way to solve your problem very soon ! :flower:

[HairPlease]

I know what it means when you talk about migraine, mindwiped. Oh yes I do !... :(

For me, it's just like you : I can't stand ANY kind of hairdo when I feel bad. So I let my hair down, untied. No way to do even a low pony, a braid or a bun, even of the softest non-pulling sort. :(

I'm now working on my migraines, actually. I want to get rid of them. I'm fed up of living like a zombie because of them. And I have discovered that they are mainly due to my digestive problems. A leaky gut is unable to offer a good barrier against toxins and this is a major cause of migraine. Unknown food intolerances, even minor ones, can affect the brain in the long run, you know. I am in that case : I have had food related migraines without knowing it for years !... I would even say that it's probably the main cause of migraine, but up to now the doctors just didn't make any link between the two things. But now, it's getting such a huge health issue in our societies that the science is staring to give interesting answers.

Hope you'll find a way to solve your problem very soon ! :flower:

I hope I can make progress with my head problems. I had to quit the wear hair up challenge because of them. Every other day it seems I get a massive headache which the up-dos only aggravate, and this has only been happening for about 5 months. I'm wondering if it's sun/heat related.
I thought it was my multiple time per week alcoholic beverages, but they've never given me problems and some days when I do have a couple drinks I don't even get the problems. So it's not really that. But every time I get sun on my skin, I get a bad migraine about 2 hours after and it lasts until bedtime.

[Groovy Granny]

I hear you..being in the same boat (((hugs)))...no fun on those days!
Now that I am nearing goal (just an inch or two away) I am feeling the heaviness, and when my scalp is sensitive from head pain I 'think' about cutting it back too!
But like someone else said...DON'T DO IT!!!!
I was close this week but invoked the TWO WEEK RULE ;)
Any bun or braid variation hurts...period!
Someone mentioned scrunchie pony tails....that is exactly what I do; on the side and loose enough to not cause any tension, but just enough to keep it off your face.
I hope you stay strong and find the best solution for you.
Subscribing....

[mindwiped]

Thank you all. I hate to meet other migraineurs, but so glad to hear what others are doing. Techmouse, thanks for your link for the snoods.

[missrandie]

I know I don't suffer from true migraines, but rather from tension headaches. I used to get them when studying all the time, and my solution was simple. I would take ny hair down and move all the hairs around, then lightly tension them. I even do it with short hair, more often than with long hair.

I know it probably won't help you guys, but letting it down and leaving it down was best for me. That, then light containment with a ultra loose pony band at the nape or lower.

[lapushka]

I had a nasty migraine last night. Took 800mg of ibuprofen as soon as the aura appeared and it started throbbing. Thank God I was in time or I'd have spent the night throwing up. My head was still throbbing this morning - 800 mg of ibuprofen again (after at least 6 hours) and it faded into oblivion by 10 o'clock. Usually these "bouts" last a lot longer, so I was lucky this time! But it's at least something I didn't need to throw up thanks to the medication and that the throbbing lessened a lot due to it as well (phew).

[Groovy Granny]

I had a nasty migraine last night. Took 800mg of ibuprofen as soon as the aura appeared and it started throbbing. Thank God I was in time or I'd have spent the night throwing up. My head was still throbbing this morning - 800 mg of ibuprofen again (after at least 6 hours) and it faded into oblivion by 10 o'clock. Usually these "bouts" last a lot longer, so I was lucky this time! But it's at least something I didn't need to throw up thanks to the medication and that the throbbing lessened a lot due to it as well (phew).
Ugh, that is miserable!
I am happy to hear it passed quickly and that you feel better today Lapushka!

[lapushka]

Ugh, that is miserable!
I am happy to hear it passed quickly and that you feel better today Lapushka!

Thanks so much! :D It's that time of the month again. They're hormonal for me. I can set my clock to them.

[Groovy Granny]

Thanks so much! :D It's that time of the month again. They're hormonal for me. I can set my clock to them.
You're welcome :)
UGh...that's even worse...but at least predictable for you to take action and hopefully head it off some!

[lapushka]

You're welcome :)
UGh...that's even worse...but at least predictable for you to take action and hopefully head it off some!

My mom had them too, and suffered until she hit menopause (in her early forties). Now she still has trouble once in a while but they're "regular" headaches, not really migraines anymore. Looks like I'm not menopausal yet even though I'm 43. ;)

[Groovy Granny]

My mom had them too, and suffered until she hit menopause (in her early forties). Now she still has trouble once in a while but they're "regular" headaches, not really migraines anymore. Looks like I'm not menopausal yet even though I'm 43. ;)
I was just like your mom....and still get whoppers at times (mostly arthritis or allergen caused); no fun :p

[mindwiped]

I had a nasty migraine last night. Took 800mg of ibuprofen as soon as the aura appeared and it started throbbing. Thank God I was in time or I'd have spent the night throwing up. My head was still throbbing this morning - 800 mg of ibuprofen again (after at least 6 hours) and it faded into oblivion by 10 o'clock. Usually these "bouts" last a lot longer, so I was lucky this time! But it's at least something I didn't need to throw up thanks to the medication and that the throbbing lessened a lot due to it as well (phew).

Depending on your doctor, you might ask about frova add a menstrual migraine preventative. It can be really helpful if you're blessed with a regular cycle, so that you know when to start pretreating.

I'm having my own headache today, and I could tell it was going to shortly become a bad migraine. I tossed maxalt, Aleve and zofran at it, and took my regular neurotin for some post spinal surgery neuropathy. That thankfully kept it at just a migraine.