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When a migraine headache hits, most people will do anything to feel better right away. While go-to relief strategies usually involve taking medication, putting a cold pack over your eyes, and praying you fall asleep so you don’t have to feel the pain, there’s a solution floating around social media that sounds way more fun.
It’s called the McMigraine meal, and it involves having an order of French fries and Diet Coke from McDonald’s. TikTok is packed with testimonials from people who swear by it, with one user saying the combo helped ease her 48 hour-long headache, while another claimed that the combo is “magic.” And there are so many more people with similar testimonials.
Meet the experts: Clifford Segil, DO, is a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Dharti Dua, MD, is a neurologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
So, should you really treat your migraine with Mickey D’s? Women’s Health tapped a neurologist to ask if this at-home treatment is legit—and whether you should try it.
Why might Diet Coke help ease migraine pain?
It comes down to the caffeine, says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, and a 12-ounce serving of Diet Coke has 46 milligrams of it.
“Caffeine is a common ‘rescue’ food for migraines, but can also be a common trigger,” Dr. Segil says. “More patients in my practice report caffeine easing their migraine symptoms than worsening them and therefore Diet Coke may be surprisingly appropriate to use as a ‘rescue’ drink for migraines,” Dr. Segil says.
Why? During migraines, vasodilation occurs, which is when your blood vessels widen, explains Dharti Dua, MD, a neurologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Caffeine works as a vasoconstrictor, narrowing those blood vessels. “It is thought that vasoconstriction helps in stopping the migraines because it decreases the inflammatory neuropeptides affecting the brain,” she says. Caffeine also binds to specific receptors in the brain and lowers pain perception, she adds.
That’s why you might see caffeine in over-the-counter migraine medications, she says. For instance, Excedrin Migraine contains 65 milligrams of caffeine per caplet.
What about French fries?
The main allure here is the sodium. The salt may increase levels of sodium in the blood, which “can cause the brain to get smaller, which could then cause a decrease in headache pains,” Dr. Segil explains. “We routinely treat brain injuries with salt to decrease any edema or swelling, so it may be possible salty French fries make your brain shrivel up a little, decreasing your headaches.”
Plus, the salt in fries may also add electrolytes, which are thought to help when someone has a migraine, Dr. Dua says. But, like caffeine, salt helps some people with migraines and makes things worse for others, Dr. Segil adds.
Should I try this combo the next time I have a migraine?
Maybe. Neurologist Jessica Lowe, MD, said on TikTok that the combo is “relatively well-known in the migraine community,” but she stopped short of actually recommending it as a treatment.
Dr. Segil is in the same boat: “It is challenging for me to advise a ‘McMigraine’ combo, but go for it, just once,” he says. “In my neurology practice, what is a migraine trigger for one person may be a migraine rescue or abortive treatment for another.” You can also try a cup of coffee and see if that helps your pain.
Caffeine is most helpful for easing migraine pain in combination with pain-relieving medication, per 2020 research in Nutrients. So if you decide to try this combo, Dr. Segil recommends combining it with acetaminophen or ibuprofen for the best results. “We use ‘dual therapies’ all the time in medicine,” he says.
Just keep in mind that high doses of caffeine can also cause insomnia, anxiety, and tachycardia, and patients with hypertension should stay away from foods with lots of salt, Dr. Dua adds.
Of course, if migraine headaches are frequent for you, talk to your healthcare provider so they can give you a proper diagnosis and walk you through potential treatment options, along with helping reduce the number of migraines you have in the first place.
But if a McDonald’s Diet Coke and French fries helps you to feel better when you’re struggling with migraine pain once or twice, more power to you.
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