Danielle Bradbery won season four of The Voice when she was only 16 years old. Since then, she has become a successful country music recording artist. Unfortunately, fame isn’t the only thing that found Danielle in her young adult life. Danielle’s recently joined the ranked of the 35 million Americans who experience migraines. It was just in the last year that she suffered her first debilitating headache and since, she’s progressed to migraines that can last up to two or three days. Desperate for relief, Danielle reached out to fans on social media for homeopathic remedies for her pain and symptoms. Thankfully, her fans responded. But Danielle’s always looking for new and more effective answers she can pass on to others.
About a year ago, Danielle Bradbery woke up feeling like she had the worst hangover of her life.
But the country singer hadn’t had anything to drink the night before.
“It’s the worst, confusing feeling,” the 24-year-old star tells PEOPLE. “I remember sitting up and just my eyes and my head, my ears were throbbing and I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m going to lay back down. And have it really dark in here.’ That was the beginning.”
She knew right away that wasn’t a normal headache — but the first of her now frequent migraines. In the last year, Bradbery says she’s suffered from more than 20 migraines — each lasting two or three days. She usually gets them twice a month.
Looking to find all-natural, home remedies, Bradbery turned to her fans on social media — twice she’s posted a question on her Instagram Story asking for migraine recommendations.
“I used my platform to reach out to my fans and be like, ‘Hey, you might need me sometimes with my music — but right now, I need you,’” she says. “It’s super awesome and helpful.”
To stave off migraines she drinks a lot of water, uses peppermint essential oils, alternates hot and cold compresses, drinks ginger shots and takes Vitamin C and Zinc. She’s also started yoga and massage therapy.
“It seems like the remedies and recommendations are endless,” she says.
Danielle said she is committed to natural remedies and wants to avoid medication. The article also said she has a 3-year-old registered support dog named Kaya who can tell when Danielle is in pain and lays on top of her, acting as a weight. I’ve never heard of a support animal for migraines. The article doesn’t state that is Kaya’s function, but I’m glad she helps Danielle in that capacity.
My migraine journey began similar to Danielle’s, from thinking it was a hangover to reaching out to others to learn how to manage them. Mine began a few decades ago but we’ve discussed how people are suffering much more during the pandemic. People are either having them for the first time or their regular treatments are failing them. It’s hell, I don’t know how else to say it. I’ve never been so much at the mercy of my body. I mentioned that I was hospitalized in October. I’d had a persistent migraine and I simply couldn’t take it anymore. They gave me a “migraine cocktail” via IV but the first didn’t take and that night, I was back in the ER. The second finally gave me full relief once I’d returned home, at 11:30 that night. It had been nine days since the migraine began.
All the remedies Danielle mentioned are great. Hydration is essential. The peppermint essential oil works wonders, I highly recommend the Migraine Stick that CB suggested. I am never without one. Zinc is very good for daily maintenance. I am not familiar with ginger shots or Vitamin C as remedies but will try them now that I am. While having a migraine, cold compresses do work. I suggest frozen corn or peas on the back of your neck. Yoga, massage and acupressure are all wonderful, especially for your neck and shoulders but also your lower back, if that’s where you keep your stress.
Know your migraine trigger spot. Mine used to be my left temple but now it’s my left ear. When that spot pricks, respond immediately. I’m not able to manage on natural remedies alone. I have a neurologist and when the pandemic is over, we will probably begin Botox injections. I take a beta blocker and the birth control pill, skipping the sugar pill week. I also have Excedrin migraine and Ibuprofen on hand at all times. If those fail me, I have Imitrex. Danielle spoke to People Health because she didn’t want people to feel alone, and she wanted to share what worked for her. I do too. If any of this helps, fantastic. If you have any questions, let me know.
Photo credit: People and Instagram
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