Dealing with migraine pain is challenging enough at home, but managing them in a workplace setting can feel overwhelming. From intense pain to sensitivity to light and sound, migraines can make it difficult to focus or stay productive. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to navigate migraine at work more effectively while maintaining open communication with your employer to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success (and relief).
- Plan Ahead
Preparation is key when you’re prone to migraine. Keep a migraine care kit in your workspace with essentials that you know will provide relief. Your kit may include:
- Over-the-counter pain relief (or prescribed medication).
- An ice pack or cooling pad.
- Sunglasses or a sleep mask for light sensitivity.
- Noise-cancelling headphones.
- A water bottle to stay hydrated.
Another aspect of planning ahead is identifying triggers in your workplace environment so that you can take steps to mitigate them wherever possible. Common triggers may include bright lights, strong smells, or prolonged screen time. Small adjustments, such as wearing blue-light glasses or requesting a fan to improve airflow, can make a big difference.
- Practice Preventive Habits
Incorporate migraine prevention strategies into your daily routine to reduce the likelihood of an attack at work:
- Stay hydrated: Dehydration is a common trigger. Aim for at least eight glasses of water daily. Keeping a reusable water bottle with you and setting reminders to drink can help keep you on track throughout the day.
- Eat regularly: Skipping meals can cause blood sugar fluctuations, a known migraine trigger. Keep healthy snacks like almonds or fruit at your desk to snack on during the day, and avoid heavy, processed foods that can leave you feeling tired and worn down.
- Take breaks: Staring at screens for long hours strains your eyes. If you tend to sit in front of the computer all day, schedule brief, regular breaks to rest, stretch, and reset.
- Communicate with Your Employer
Talking about your migraine pain with your employer or HR team might feel daunting, but open communication can pave the way for understanding and support. Start by sharing essential information:
- Explain what a migraine is and how it impacts your work.
- Highlight any specific accommodations that could help, like flexible hours, remote work options, or access to a quiet room if needed.
- Provide practical solutions. For example, instead of requesting a full day off, ask to take a few hours to recover during an episode and make up the time later.
Employers are often willing to accommodate reasonable requests, especially when you present them as ways to maintain productivity. Be open, honest, and transparent about your experience with migraine so that your employer can take the necessary steps to support you.
- Create a Migraine Recovery Plan
When a migraine hits during work hours, having a plan can help you recover faster:
- Find a quiet space: If your workplace has a wellness or nap room, use it to rest for 15–20 minutes. If that isn’t an option, a quick escape to your car can also help.
- Manage symptoms: Apply an ice pack to your neck, drink water, or take your medication at the first sign of a migraine attack.
- Ease back in: If the migraine subsides, resume work gradually. Allow yourself to ease in slowly and avoid jumping straight into intense tasks right away.
If the migraine pain persists or worsens, it’s okay to call it a day and head home to recover fully. There’s no point sticking it out if you can’t function how you need to.
- Advocate for a Migraine-Friendly Workplace
Sometimes, a little advocacy can go a long way. Suggest policies or practices that can benefit not only you but also coworkers who may be struggling with their own health challenges. Depending on the nature of your work, you may be able to advocate for things such as:
- Flexible work arrangements.
- Access to ergonomic office equipment.
- Workplace wellness programs.
- A quiet room.
A migraine-friendly workplace doesn’t just help those affected by migraines—it promotes overall employee well-being.
- Explore Treatment Options
For many people, managing migraine requires a combination of lifestyle changes and medical treatment. Working with a health care provider to build the right treatment plan is essential. A health care provider can also introduce you to new treatment options you may not have considered before. For instance, a device like gammaCore™ non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator (nVNS) can provide relief by targeting the root of migraine pain. By gently stimulating the vagus nerve, gammaCore nVNS works to block the pain signals associated with migraines without surgery or drug-like side effects.
gammaCore is portable, easy to use, and has 6 FDA-cleared indications for headache, including migraine. It’s clinically proven to treat migraine pain when it strikes and also prevent migraines when used twice daily, making it the perfect addition to help manage migraines at work.
To see if gammaCore is right for you, visit our clinic finder to locate a health care provider near you, or contact our dedicated Customer Experience team at 888-903-2673 or customerservice@electrocore.com.
