Migraines are the absolute worst. If you’ve never had one before, you should count yourself lucky.
They can arise in various different guises, but the classic starts out with a visual ‘aura’ that typically manifests as a blurred section of vision or a loss of peripheral sight. The pain then comes on pretty fast, with it generally being a throbbing pain isolated to one side of the head.
It’s tough to describe, but if you imagine a little man with an ice pick trying to break his way out of your skull then you’ll likely get the picture.
They’re so painful that you likely won’t be able to function when one strikes, and sometimes they have effects on the rest of the body. Numbness and temporary loss of some motor functions aren’t unheard of, and you may become sensitive to light and nauseous too.
It’s unclear what causes migraines, and triggers vary dramatically between patients. Some women may experience them at certain times in their menstrual cycle, some get triggered by irregular meals, others find caffeine can be a trigger and things like cheese might set one off for someone else.
Once the pain subsides, you’re not quite out of the woods. The ‘postdrome’ effect kicks in during the last stage of a migraine, and it’s a weird sensation. Symptoms can feel like an alcoholic-induced hangover, lasting anywhere between a few hours and a couple of days. In this writer’s experience, it can feel like you’ve only got half a brain during this phase.
Various medicines can prove effective against them, from the likes of powerful sumatriptans like Migratain to long-term solutions like SSRIs – there’s a theory that serotonin levels plunging during a migraine can exacerbate the pain – but once one strikes it can feel like it’s out of your hands.
Considering how all-consuminglu awful they are, it’s understandable that migraine sufferers will pounce on any remedy that might work.
Apparently, a remedy might be waiting for you at your local Maccies.
TikTokers reckon they’ve landed on a ‘migraine meal’ at McDonald’s that can provide relief to some sufferers: a large, full-fat Coca-Cola and a large portion of fries.
One TikTok video that’s amassed almost 4 million views at the time of writing shows a girl giving the migraine remedy a spin.
The overlaid text reads: “Trying McDonald’s chips [fries] and a Diet Coke because I’ve had a headache for 48 hours and TikTok said it would help.”
Comments beneath the video raved about the palliative fast food fix, with one saying, “I know it’s just the salt and caffeine but every time I have a migraine or even one coming on I get a coke and a fry and it’s immediately cured.”
“It’s my go to!!” said another migraine sufferer. “I take my migraine meds, sip a Diet Coke, and as my pain goes away, I crave salt.”
Another stepped in to urge: “Not Diet Coke!!! Full sugar Coke + ibuprofen + something salty.”
Some disagree on the need for full fat Coke, however: “Diet Coke works on headaches, I don’t understand it, considering a coffee makes it worse.”
Speaking on the potential for caffeine to help with migraine, Dr David Walker told Verywell Health: “We know the caffeine can help migraines in the short-term therapy of them. So it isn’t too surprising that the caffeine in Coca-Cola itself is helpful.”
The salt element might have legs, too, with Yahoo! Life noting that migraines can be triggered by ‘a deficiency of minerals such as sodium’. The electrolytes in a portion of McDonald’s fries therefore might replenish the missing sodium stocks and relieve the migraine.
If you suffer from migraines, be sure to book an appointment with your GP to rule out any potential underlying conditions and work out a treatment plan.
Featured Image Credit: ermingut/Getty Images
Rachael Davis