Cold Plunge For Headache and Migraine Relief

Dealing with migraines or chronic headaches can be an arduous journey, as they can strike unexpectedly, last for varying durations, and inflict severe pain on sufferers. Many individuals seek a combination of treatments to alleviate these intense headaches, including medications, avoidance of triggers, and natural remedies.

Among the popular natural remedies, cold therapy in the form of ice packs, cold showers, taking an ice bath other localised cold remedies is commonly used to relieve headaches and migraines.

While scientific studies directly examining the efficacy of cold water immersion for migraines are still emerging, anecdotal reports from migraine sufferers suggest that this approach might offer some benefits.

How Ice Baths May Help Your Headache or Migraine

Multiple scientific article point to the usefulness of cold exposure or cold application as a potential complimentary treatment for symptoms of headaches and migraines. Although there is limited specific research of the effects of whole body cold water immersion for such treatment, below are some key ice bath benefits that may contribute to the effectiveness of a daily cold plunge for helping with migraines and headaches.

Reducing Stress

There is existing evidence supporting the use of cold water immersion for other health benefits, which could potentially extend to migraines. For instance, cold water immersion has been shown to reduce tension and stress levels. Stress is a common migraine trigger, and by promoting relaxation and reducing stress, cold water immersion may indirectly alleviate migraines in some cases.

Stress is a known trigger for headaches, including migraines. Cold water immersion has been shown to stimulate the Vagus nerve, which plays a role in the relaxation response. Activation of the Vagus nerve can lower heart rate and improve heart rate variability, leading to reduced stress and tension. By managing stress levels by way of vagus nerve stimulation, ice baths may indirectly contribute to headache relief. 

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Improving Sleep

Furthermore, cold water immersion has been found to improve sleep latency, enabling individuals to fall asleep faster and get better quality sleep. Given that poor sleep is another frequent migraine trigger, this improvement in sleep quality could also contribute to managing migraines. 

While it is argued that cold therapy directly before bed, may be detrimental due to the temperature rebound, it is well known in sleep science that a trigger for a fast transition to sleep is a decrease in body temperature. Temperature, light and sleep hormones are some of the big factors in getting to sleep fast and staying asleep. When you take a cold shower or submerge the body in an ice bath tub for a few minutes your body temperature will dramatically decrease. This decrease in body temperature also releases beneficial hormones like melatonin, which can be beneficial for good sleep, according to research. 

Reducing Inflammation

Inflammation can be a factor in headaches and migraines. Cold therapy has been associated with anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation can contribute to headache pain in certain cases and by practicing cold water immersion you may be helping to reduce inflammation in the head and therefore alleviate headache symptoms.

Contrast Therapy

Contrast therapy is another common way for people to incorporate a cold plunge practice into their recovery routine, and there a loads of anecdotal reports that point to contrast therapy benefits for headaches.

Contrast therapy is the practice of switching between bouts of cold exposure in an ice bath and heat exposure from a sauna. A common contrast therapy protocol is 15 minutes of sauna, followed by 2-3 minutes of cold plunge, repeated 3-4 rounds. 

Contrast therapy has extremely powerful relaxation benefits. Physiologically, contrast therapy causes the body to experience periods of vasodilation from sauna, then vasoconstriction from ice baths. This process can have positive effects on altering  pain signals which can bring relief from sore muscles, chronic pain symptoms and can also help to flush lymph fluid efficiently through the body which may be beneficial following exercise to reduce inflammation and swelling.

Through improving blood flow, contrast therapy may contribute to reducing the symptoms associated with headaches and migraines. In addition, the use of contrast therapy for improving sleep may cause a downstream benefit of reducing pain, increasing relaxation and feelings of wellbeing and again cause shifts in nervous state that would be helpful for headaches.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can cold plunge therapy help relieve headaches and migraines?

  The article discusses potential benefits of cold water immersion in reducing headaches and migraines, though more research is needed.

• How does cold therapy affect factors associated with headaches?

  Cold therapy may reduce stress, improve sleep, and decrease inflammation, which are often linked to headaches.

• What is contrast therapy and how might it benefit headache relief?

  Contrast therapy involves alternating between hot and cold temperatures, which could potentially aid in headache relief.

• Is cold plunge therapy a proven method for headache relief?

  While promising, it is suggested as a complementary approach, with further research required to establish its efficacy.

• Are there any risks associated with cold plunge therapy for headaches?

  Individuals should consider their overall health and consult a healthcare professional before trying cold plunge therapy.

• How long should you stay in a cold plunge for headache relief?

  Duration can vary; it's important to start with shorter sessions and adjust according to personal tolerance.

• Can everyone use cold plunge therapy for headaches?

  It's not suitable for everyone, especially those with certain medical conditions that are more severe.

• Should cold plunge therapy be used as a standalone treatment for migraines?

  It should be part of a broader treatment plan and not the sole method of relief.

• How often can cold plunge therapy be used for headaches?

  This depends on individual response and tolerance; some may benefit from regular sessions.

• What precautions should be taken when using cold plunge therapy?

  Gradual exposure, monitoring body response, and ensuring safety measures are crucial.

Conclusion on Ice Baths For Headaches

While more comprehensive research is needed to fully establish the efficacy of cold water immersion specifically for migraines, the potential benefits of cold therapy, supported by its known advantages in stress reduction, improved sleep, reducing inflammation and athletic recovery, make it an intriguing complementary approach for managing migraines and headaches.

For any and all treatment for medical issues, it should be remembered that this is not medical advice nor a medical treatment for an illness or injury. For such advice you should consult a medical professional.

References:

1. Andersson, T., Ljunggren, G., Rundgren, S., & Strandell, T. (1999). Cold discomfort and work performance in agriculture. Applied Ergonomics, 30(5), 389-394. DOI: 10.1016/S0003-6870(99)00009-3

2. Seymour Diamond & Frederick G. Freitag (1986) Cold as an adjunctive therapy for headache, Postgraduate Medicine, 79:1, 305-309, DOI: 10.1080/00325481.1986.11699255

3. Buijze, G. A., Sierevelt, I. N., van der Heijden, B. C., Dijkgraaf, M. G., & Frings-Dresen, M. H. (2016). The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PLoS One, 11(9), e0161749. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161749

4. Marika Falla, Alessandro Micarelli, Katharina Hüfner, Giacomo Strapazzon, The Effect of Cold Exposure on Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep; 18(18): 9725. Published online 2021 Sep 15. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189725