{"id":598,"date":"2024-01-09T21:30:56","date_gmt":"2024-01-09T21:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blair-leggatt.com\/?p=598"},"modified":"2026-03-13T18:47:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T18:47:54","slug":"migraine-hangover-postdrome-symptoms-relief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blair-leggatt.com\/?p=598","title":{"rendered":"Life with Migraines: It’s Not Just the Headache"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Life with migraines is no treat. In fact, it’s plain awful. It sucks that energy right out of you, along with the pain, confusion, and fear. But here’s what many people don’t understand: the migraine itself is only part of the battle.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Hidden Aftermath: Migraine Hangover<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For me, a couple of over-the-counter pain killers, an ice pack for my head, and an hour or two of napping gets rid of the worst of the migraine. But then comes the hangover\u2014and it can consume as much time (or more) as the migraine lasted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What Is Migraine Hangover (Postdrome)?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Migraine hangover, medically known as postdrome<\/strong>, is the phase that follows the actual headache. And let me tell you\u2014it’s brutal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Symptoms I Experience:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

1. Pulsing Pressure<\/strong> There’s a pulsing pressure all over the head that feels unrelenting. It’s not the sharp pain of the migraine, but a constant, exhausting pressure.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

2. Visual Disturbances<\/strong> Maybe the worst sensation is with the vision. The room or surrounding area moves in and out, sideways, back and forth. This gives an uneasy feeling in the head and the gut.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

3. Lightheadedness<\/strong> There’s a feeling of being lightheaded that moves from the back of the neck towards the front of the head.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

4. Unsettling Sensations<\/strong> There’s an unsettling sensation that starts at the back of the neck and travels throughout the brain. It’s like there’s something underneath the skin that needs to be rubbed but cannot be reached.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

5. Body Tingling<\/strong> Often the whole body has a tingling that craves to be touched.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

6. Dizziness and Nausea<\/strong> And then there’s the dizziness and the feeling of nausea that comes and goes without warning.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Duration<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

I have had migraines that have lasted a couple of hours or several hours. But the migraine hangover has almost always lasted longer. Sometimes it’s a few hours; sometimes it stretches into the next day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Finding What Works<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are all kinds of recommendations for treatments for migraines. Depending on the individual, some work, some don’t. It can be expensive and sometimes takes a long time to find one that works.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For me, the combination of:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n