For those of you who don’t get migraines, the above title probably seems a bit random… or else, overly dramatic. For those of you that DO get migraines (poor you) – you know what I mean.
I was recently out blog-roving when I came across a post by Jennifer on her Zebra Unicorn blog (share some blog love and read the whole post here: How I Knew I Had Chronic Migraine). After describing her frightening first migraine attack aged 12 at Yellowstone Park, she went through the highs and lows of life with migraine and ends with the very inspiring news that after finding a medication that works for her, she is (almost) migraine free.
Her descriptions of what it’s like to live with regular migraines were very familiar: “…living in a haze of glare, aura, and noise sensitivity. I couldn’t wear necklaces. I couldn’t pin my hair back for very long. My sunglasses had to be dark enough to allow me to drive in pain, but lightweight enough not to cause a migraine in the first place.”
[I’ve lamented over many similar woes before, but the one that jumps out of my memory most is a post (here) where I was raging about how the foam in my eye mask was too heavy and was making my eyebrows hurt!]
Elsewhere, Jennifer refers to being thankful she is no longer “punished by simple things like a ponytail.”
This is TRUTH.
As someone who lived with long hair and migraines for a long time; ponytails are the pits.
You have to pull your hair back to get things done, but there is something in the “pulling” that tugs tightly on your hair follicles. Then, when you let the ponytail out, the pain is (temporarily) WORSE, because now each and every one of those follicles is individually screaming at you: “All day I was pulled tight to the left, now you want me to flop to the right – WTF lady – are you kidding me!?”
Braids, pigtails, buns, updos… whatever way you twist and twirl your hair – the letdown is gonna be bad.
It’s one of the main reasons I cut my hair short(ish).
The way it is now, I only have to use a couple of light clips to keep loose hair out of my eyes, and otherwise it can float free (although – confession time – I’m actually writing this post with two mini-pigtails (because my hair needs a wash and I was too washed out this morning to do it)).
And – in case you think I might still be being a little Over The Top in my writing – remember I’ve obsessed over very similar hair-woes before when I wrote about Allodynia and washing my migraine pain away with shampoo.
If that’s still not convincing enough (and let’s be honest, hair-style-authority I ‘aint) then let’s google it…
The first article that came up was this:
Hair expert warns these hairstyles could be triggering migraines – Opulence Magazine
“Tight hairstyles can apply intense pressure on the scalp and hair follicles, irritating nerves and causing strain on your scalp and neck to trigger a migraine,” the article writes – so, “If you’re already susceptible to migraines, tight hairstyles can act as a physical trigger, especially if a style has been worn for a prolonged period.”
Told you so!
They go on: when you stretch the skin and hair follicles on your scalp you “create pressure and irritation for nerves and restrict blood flow which is essential for delivering oxygen to follicles. Without it, a migraine can be triggered, and hair loss may increase. […] Headbands can also be a culprit of migraines.”
[Interesting – because I thought my hair loss when I was at my sickest was somehow stress related… but perhaps my follicles were oxygen deprived!]
The article then gives you some guides on how to reduce the likelihood of hair-related migraines:
#1 Opt for looser hairstyles (eg. low ponytails and loose braids)
#2 Care for your scalp (gently massage your scalp while washing / use relaxing oils)
#3 Give your hair breaks (leave your hair down and out as much as possible)
#4 Have extensions installed professionally (if you do want to be glamorous, seek professional help to install extensions that are not too heavy and evenly distributed on your head).
A second website (Hairstyles for Migraine Relief) gave a couple more tips worth considering: avoid a fringe that blocks your vision and might cause eye strain, and go easy on the hairspray and other chemical-laden products.
So – short post today (like my hair) but the reality is, whilst plenty of us have a “bad hair day” – some of us are taking it to the extreme and having a “really bad and painful hair day” – so yeah… yuk.
Sending love, support and understanding to all of you who have migraines and found this post relatable.
And to all of you who don’t, I’m sending you some love too (of course)!
Take care taking care, Linda x
PS – it’s been just over a year and a half since I started blogging (19 months to be exact) – so, in keeping with my monthly Blog-land celebration, here’s a quick shout out to 10 blogs that have recently crossed paths with mine – visit a couple and share the blog love:
Berryvive Wellness – “Vibrant Living Through Smart Nutrition.”
Croatia, the War, and the Future – Ina Vukic
Healing HOME – your home isn’t just where you live – it’s where you heal
Learn More Every Day | Learn Something New Every Day!
Ramblings & Revelations – A Journey of Travels, Teachings, and Truths Told Plainly
Something to Ponder About – Human Created Content – Creative Writing – Ai free blog
Tour Together – Bring your mind back to the nature / Tour Company /Your style travel
The Mindful Migraine 
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