About 12% of Americans live with migraine, which equates to about 37 million people. Chances are, you know at least one of them. Knowing how to help a friend, co-worker or family member can be tough, but migraine support can help make all the difference.
Learn how to help someone with migraine — whether you’re a friend or caregiver, you can offer your support.
General ways to show your support
Help fight the stigma of migraine with the following ways to show your support to someone with migraine.
1. Show empathy
If there were only one way to show your support, it would be through empathy and understanding. Besides the debilitating pain people with migraine experience, they may also feel frustrated or even isolated due to their condition.
People living with migraine need that comfort and empathy. They need someone who can put themselves in their shoes — to know that they’re not alone and that everything will be OK. So, offer them words of encouragement during off days.
2. Know their triggers
Migraine is a complex neurological disorder and is unique per person. There are many common migraine triggers, but something that onsets one person’s migraine may not for others. As a friend or caregiver, you can help by understanding what triggers your loved one’s migraine.
To help you and your loved one know their migraine triggers, keep a migraine diary. A migraine diary helps keep track of one’s migraine triggers, frequency and intensity, giving a bird’s eye view of their condition.
3. Be flexible
Migraine can occur when you and your loved one least expect it, especially if the trigger is subtle. This is where you can show your support by remaining flexible with your plans to accommodate your loved one’s migraine health needs. The condition is unpredictable, so don’t take cancellations personally.
4. Advocate for them
Migraine is an invisible illness for those who don’t experience it firsthand. As a result, your loved one with migraine may struggle to get the support they need, especially during an attack. Advocate for them and help defend them in certain situations.
For example, at a party, someone might try to force a glass of wine into their hand — not knowing that alcohol is a major trigger. Sometimes, they need a friend or caregiver to step in.
5. Promote open communication
Many people living with migraine may feel isolated, which can impact their social life. A good support system can help them overcome this by encouraging them to openly communicate their frustrations and feelings. Sometimes, having someone listen to your struggles is enough to make you feel better.
Support strategies for friends
Even if you aren’t a direct caregiver, you can still show your support as a friend.
1. Educate yourself
Education holds power. To understand what your friend with migraine experiences, you must educate yourself. Something as simple as knowing the difference between headache and migraine already shows your commitment to supporting your friend. Learn their specific triggers, symptoms and ways of managing their migraine.
2. Practice patience
Skip the guilt trip and practice patience. People with migraine don’t want to cancel plans — their symptoms force them to. If a friend skips an event or commitment due to migraine, don’t argue or try to convince them otherwise. The best gift you can give them is being patient and flexible.
3. Plan low-key activities
Experiment with different types of activities with your friend. Plan low-key, migraine-friendly outings or activities that won’t easily overwhelm your friend with migraine. Some people’s triggers include stress or even sound and light sensitivity. With that in mind, a laid-back movie night at home may be preferable to a hard rock concert with flashing lights and loud music.
4. Send thoughtful messages
Show your support by checking in on your friend regularly — and while you’re at it, send a thoughtful message. A simple text or call can help them feel they’re not alone. If you know your friend recently had an attack, send an encouraging message afterward to show your empathy.
5. Provide a comfort kit
If your friend doesn’t already have one, provide them with a migraine toolkit, which can come in handy during unforeseen attacks. Include ice packs, heating pads, water, snacks and even a little note. Just be careful with medication. Talk to your friend and their healthcare provider first.
Support strategies for caregivers
Direct caregivers can provide constant support for their family members with migraine in various ways.
1. Help with daily tasks
Nothing halts a day like a migraine attack. If your loved one is experiencing one, help them out with completing their daily essential tasks and errands. Stand in to go buy groceries, walk the dog or pick up the kids after school. Doing so will help your loved one worry less about their responsibilities while going through a migraine episode.
2. Assist with medication
Migraine may leave your loved one completely depleted. You can help them manage their migraine with over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medication. Keep their meds close, remind them to use them or administer them as directed. If you’re unsure about the medication and its use, always consult with their healthcare professional first.
3. Encourage healthy habits
Implementing healthy habits can help prevent migraine naturally. As a caregiver, you can encourage and even support your loved one who experiences migraine to adopt healthier habits. Help them follow a diet that avoids their trigger foods. Remind them to drink enough water, and encourage regular exercise.
4. Accompany them to appointments
Offer to accompany doctor visits if your family member needs support or assistance during their appointments. As a third person, you can offer a different perspective on your family member’s migraine, which may help them and their doctor better manage their condition. Otherwise, just accompanying them may be enough support for them.
5. Be a source of comfort
As a caregiver, you can provide constant emotional and practical support. You can be their main source of comfort — someone who understands their condition and helps manage it. Always offer reassurance before, during and after their migraine.
How to support someone during a migraine attack
When your friend or family member experiences a migraine attack, you can help support them in a methodological way. Here’s how to support someone with a migraine headache:
1. Recognize the signs: Know their signs of onset to support them as soon as possible.
2. Stay calm: Keep a calm demeanor during each stage to help them feel more at ease.
3. Create a comfortable space: If possible, create a comfortable space for them by dimming the lights, reducing noise and removing any distractions or triggers.
4. Ask about their needs: Ask them if there is any particular way you can assist them.
5. Provide medication: Ensure they have their medication close by and help them take it as directed.
6. Offer a cold compress: Use a cold pack or damp cloth for their forehead or neck.
7. Encourage rest: If possible, suggest they lie down to help reduce stress.
8. Be available: Stay nearby in case they need help. Otherwise, give them their space.
9. Keep them hydrated: Try offering water or an electrolyte beverage if they’re able to drink it.
10. Check in periodically: Gently check in every now and then to see how they’re feeling, but try not to overwhelm them.
Introduce them to CEFALY
You can help someone with a migraine in various ways. One way is introducing them to CEFALY — a unique device that may help them take control of their migraine management.
This FDA-cleared, clinically proven medical device helps with migraine management. With its two modes, ACUTE and PREVENT, your friend, co-worker or family member can better manage their migraine pain and frequency. It’s a powerful addition to a migraine toolkit.
Show them CEFALY Connected today and have them experience it for themselves. If they’re not satisfied, there is a 90-day money-back guarantee.
