Migraine hacks: do eyebrow clips, cold spoons or fries actually work?

Social media offers plenty of tips how to relieve a migraine. Some people swear by a large Coke and McDonald’s fries, which has gained the nickname of a "McMigraine". Others recommend hairclips on your eyebrows, or putting your feet in hot water while cooling the back of your head with spoons. But how much science is there behind these remedies? And why can migraine make you feel so dreadful long before your head starts hurting? In this episode, our guest is Amanda Ellison, a professor of neuroscience at Durham University to explore what happens in your brain during a migraine and if any of the internet's migraine hacks could actually work. Watch Strange Health on YouTube or follow us wherever you get your podcasts. Strange Health is a podcast from The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. If you've got a question about a viral trend or video you've seen and you'd like us to delve into the science behind it in a future episode, please email us at [email protected]. If you like the show, please consider donating to support our work. You can sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation here. Hosts: Katie Edwards and Dan Baumgardt Executive Producer: Gemma Ware Editing and mixing: Anouk Millet Artwork: Alice Mason