A woman was minutes from a debilitating migraine, then she tried this simple water trick

For the more than 35 million Americans who experience them, the onset of a migraine is a uniquely dreadful experience. It’s not just a headache; it’s a full-body neurological event that can steal hours, or even days, of your life. The world narrows to a pulsing pain behind the eyes, a nauseating sensitivity to light and sound, and an overwhelming need to retreat into a dark, quiet room and wait for the storm to pass.

It was in the throes of this exact scenario that TikTok user Andrea Eder (@andreaeder) found herself. She was at the point where, in her own words, her "eyes were shaking" and she "couldn’t see straight." Having battled migraines for years, she was desperate for anything that might offer relief. That’s when she remembered a surprisingly simple, almost unbelievable hack she had seen circulating online. With nothing to lose, she gave it a try.

The results were so immediate and profound that she grabbed her phone, still in the moment, to share her experience in a now-viral video. "All you gotta do is get as hot of water as you can handle and soak your feet in the water," she explained breathlessly to her followers. "When I tell you that four minutes ago my eyes were shaking and I couldn’t see straight…I am forever grateful to the human beings who have shared this on TikTok."

While it might sound like an old wives' tale, there is some physiological reasoning that could explain the relief. According to a report from ABC News, the principle is based on redistributing blood flow. A migraine is often associated with the swelling of blood vessels in the head. Soaking your feet in hot water causes the blood vessels there to dilate, drawing blood downward and potentially alleviating some of the painful pressure in your head. Some variations even suggest adding mustard powder, which is thought to act as an irritant that further boosts circulation and distracts the body's pain signals.

A pair of feet being soaked in hot waterCanva

The video immediately struck a chord, and the comment section became a powerful testament to the shared struggle of migraine sufferers. One user, @paigeleanneee, perfectly summed up the collective desperation: "People who actually have migraines will try basically anything to feel better! Whatever remedy, hit me with it!"

Others chimed in to confirm the method's effectiveness, with many adding their own variations, like @jacq_sprat who wrote, "It's hot water on feet and ice packs on neck/ head." The thread transformed into a crowdsourced forum of wisdom, offering a sense of solidarity and hope to people who often feel isolated by their condition.

A smiling woman stretches at her desk at workCanva

You can follow @andreaeder on TikTok for more interesting content.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.