Migraine is a painful and disturbing condition that affects many people. So when a hack comes along that says it can “cure,” or at the very least fend off a migraine, people will try it.
While there are medical treatments, there is no cure. Prescription medication can be very effective - but it doesn't always work. For many people there is no simple solution.
Some discover their own ways of managing the debilitating pain: blasting the side of their face with a hairdryer, or sitting in a hot bath while wearing an ice pack and drinking a smoothie.
But now a new hack has suddenly gone viral - the McMigraine Meal. A simple offering of a full-fat cola and a portion of salty fries seems to be doing the trick for hundreds who've been extolling its virtues on TikTok, according to BBC.
If there is any science behind these hacks - what do they do to the body?
For Kayleigh Webster, a 27-year-old who has had chronic migraines all her life, it's the salt on the chips that might slow down a migraine attack.
“It can help,” she says cautiously, “but it's certainly not a cure.”
She said, “Migraine is a complex neurological condition - and it can't be cured by a bit of caffeine, salt and sugar in a fast food meal.”
Kayleigh's tried cocktails of different medications, putting her feet in hot water, a flannel at the back of the head, acupuncture, cupping - but they've had little effect.
One of the few treatments that has given her relief is medical Botox - having dozens of injections in her head, face and neck. It's still not clear how Botox works for migraine, but it's believed to block powerful pain signals being released from the nerves.
Skulls dating back to 3,000 BC show ancient Egyptians even had trouble with migraines - but despite that long history, their exact cause is still unknown.
Dr Kay Kennis, a trustee for the Migraine Trust and a GP who specializes in migraines, explained how elements in coke and fries can help stave off a migraine attack.
“The caffeine in the coke can act as a nerve disruptor, it is a substance that affects nerve activity. For some, that disturbance works in a positive way,” Kennis said. “There are some painkillers that people take for migraines that have caffeine - and some do respond well to that - but we don't fully know why.”
But she warned against using caffeinated fizzy drinks like cola as a way of regularly managing migraines.
“Too much caffeine can be a trigger too - and you can end up in a worse situation in the long run,” Kennis said.
Other ingredients in a fast food meal, like the salt on the chips, can affect nerve activity, she explains, but adds the effects of sodium on migraines have not been tested.
She also warned that not only is fast food often ultra-processed and not conducive to a healthy diet, it can contain high levels of Tyramine, a natural compound commonly found in many foods, which can actually cause severe migraines.
Some social media users say the hack does not work.
“There are so many videos online that take advantage of the desperation we all feel," Eloise explains,” said one TikTok user, Eloise Underwood.
Prof Peter Goadsby, a neurologist at the NIHR-King's Clinical Research Facility, said research is beginning to produce positive results after years of underfunding.
His latest study shows medications known as gepants could block a group of pain receptors in the lead-up to a migraine attack, cutting off the pain before it starts.
“Listen to your body - don't listen to TikTok, that's my advice,” Goadsby said. “If you can feel the warning signs - yawning, sleepiness, mood change, passing more urine and even craving salt and sugar - listen to your body.”
