Headaches are painful, but migraines are in their own league. People who suffer from migraines regularly often feel desperate to find a way to treat them. Taking ibuprofen doesn’t always do the trick like with other kinds of headaches. Common recommendations for migraines involve lying down in a dim or dark room, but a doctor on TikTok suggests a hot water trick. It might sound silly at first, but it’s worth a try for anyone suffering from migraines or headaches.

Treat your migraine with this hot water trick

The video begins with a shared clip of Andrea Eder, a business coach, as she fills a kettle with water. She explains that one way to get rid of a migraine quickly is by filling a tub or basin with water “as hot as you can handle” and soak your feet in it. It may sound too easy, but Dr. Sood, M.D., also known as @doctorsood on TikTok, explains how it works.

“If you suffer from migraine headaches here’s a hack to try, which has zero side effects and may help,” says Dr. Sood. “Soaking your feet in hot water. But why exactly does this help? This will dilate the blood vessels in your feet, pulling blood away from your head, which will ease the pressure on the blood vessels causing your migraine, which will in turn decrease your pain.”

In the comments sections, some say this hot water trick didn’t work on their migraines but others appreciated the advice. “I put my hands and feet in hot water with a frozen bag of peas on my neck. migraine gone in about 10-15 min with no gross feeling after,” said one follower. Another said similarly, “I did this last week. Soaked my feet for 10 minutes in hot water and it worked a treat. I had a mild headache for about four hours after.” Another person said that they run a bath and sit at the edge with an ice pack behind their neck and their hands and feet in the hot water.

More natural ways to treat headaches and migraines

There are many potential causes for migraines, so there are many potential treatments. Hopefully, hot water will do the trick for you, but if not there are many other things migraine sufferers can try. Unfortunately, it can take some trial and error before finding the best solution for your particular kind of migraine.

Drink water

Dehydration may not cause migraines but it can definitely make them feel worse. Research has shown that people suffering from frequent headaches can lower the intensity of the pain by drinking an extra liter and a half of water a day. (Although proper hydration didn’t prevent the headaches or their frequency.)

Caffeine

Some over-the-counter migraine medications contain caffeine. This might seem strange since coffee could trigger migraines in some people. But for others, caffeine can enhance other painkillers; it could even change how they perceive their pain. So, some individuals reach for coffee when they feel the ache coming on. If you enjoy a daily cup of joe, try to drink the same amount at the same time every day. Ingesting caffeine at random and inconsistent times may trigger an attack.