Building Your Migraine Attack Pack

Choose a bag to hold the items you need, one that you’re not using for anything else. Lightweight bags with multiple compartments and pockets are ideal. It can be a tote bag, a backpack, whatever you prefer. Consider how easy is it to get things out of it? You may want to avoid bags with buckles or other closures that require good coordination to open. Velcro, snaps, and zippers are easier.

There are many things I can do without, but a comfortable pillow isn't one of them. We all have preferences about pillows, so why not choose a small one that makes you super comfy? Travel pillows can work well for this, and they come in many materials, shapes and sizes.

For me, a blanket is two things, warmth and comfort. I want something that is both warm and very soft. For this purpose, don't limit your search to blankets. Throws and flannel sheets are also good options. Again, look at travel products. There are quite a few travel blankets made of fleece. They're light weight, yet warm. They can fold or roll up to be pretty small, and they wash easily.

Light sensitivity is a huge issue, so eye shades can be a necessity. It's not always easy to find a very dark room when traveling. You're at the mercy of whatever blinds and shades are in the rooms you're staying in, and if you get a daytime Migraine in the car -- ouch! When choosing, be sure that, if there's a band that goes around you head to hold them in place, it's not too tight.

Softly played music or soothing sounds can be a big help in relaxing, getting our minds off our pain, or meditating. A portable CD player or MP3 player is a big bonus. If the earphones for your MP3 player bother you when you have a Migraine, there are now many good portable speaker systems that you can use with MP3 players.

Don’t forget the tissues! Migraine symptoms can include our eyes tearing, nasal congestion, or a runny nose, so tissues are essential in our migraine attack packs.

Peppermint or ginger candies – flavored with natural peppermint or ginger, not artificial flavorings – are great nausea remedies for some of us. They can also help if we’re thirsty but concerned that we might not be able to keep water down.

At home, I like gel packs from the freezer. Obviously, that's not easily achieved when traveling. Cooling gel sheets are a good option. I've tried several brands without noticing a significant difference, so I shop for them by price. The BeKoool sheets in the children's size are a frequent choice. The children's size is large enough for most adults and less expensive.

Although aromatherapy doesn’t abort a migraine, it’s great for symptomatic relief and comfort. It can help with physical symptoms such as nausea and the emotional symptoms such as anxiety. There’s more on this in Migraine and Complementary Therapies – Aromatherapy.

Some people prefer to keep their migraine medications in their migraine attack pack; others prefer to keep them separate. Either way works as long as we don’t forget to take them with us. Keeping a bottle of water in the pack is good for two reasons – to have water for taking medications, and to avoid dehydration.