This Headache Relief Band Is My Go-To for Bad Migraines—And It’s Only $12 Right Now

What do you get when you mix a strong family history of migraines, a job that involves long hours on a computer, five kids, and endless hours of driving to travel sports? Yup, you guessed it—I’m the lucky winner of at least several severe headaches per week. In fact, I have the remnants of a migraine right now as I’m writing this. 

Unfortunately, my eight-year-old daughter has also seemed to inherit the headache gene and gets very regular headaches. So far, the single most effective solution for both of us when we get severe headaches is to rest and apply an ice pack. Most of the time, I just swipe an ice pack from the kids’ lunch boxes but after seeing the TheraICE Rx migraine cap sweeping social media, I decided to look into some kind of ice pack headband that we could both use—one that didn’t block your eyes and allowed us to go about our day if we wanted. Thankfully, for us both, I decided to pick up the NewGo headache ice pack band—which happens to currently be on sale—and give it a try. 

Amazon

To buy: NewGo Headache Relief Band, $12 + an extra 5% off for Prime members  (was $18); amazon.com 

I admit that I was primarily attracted to its affordable price and hat it looked straightforward to use: it can be frozen or heated and worn directly on the head or temples. To use cold, you can either take out the removable ice pack and freeze that alone, or stash the whole thing in the freezer until you need it. Turns out I ended up scoring big because the headband—which has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Amazon—has been highly effective for both my daughter and myself.

The reason my second grader and I can both use the headband is thanks to its hidden velcro strap, which makes the band highly adjustable, but still keeps potentially irritating velcro away from your already-sensitive head. I have used it in different positions on my head, depending on where my headache pain is occurring. Both the inner ice pack and the headband itself are flexible, even when frozen, so you can adjust it wherever you find the most relief. 

Like one Amazon reviewer described, the beauty of this headband is that it can be moved to focus on where you are having pain—and if that tends to move for you as it does for me, it can be a game-changer. 

“My headaches are a bit more complicated as the pain travels all over the head, and finding that sweet spot is sometimes more time-consuming than I would like,” one reviewer wrote. “However, once I have found the right spot, it is just a matter of keeping it there and moving it from the starting point to the next place without any problem!”

 “I have severe neck and head pain and this ice pack has been a true Godsend to me!! I get relief from the pain in my neck within about an hour,” she added. 

“I wish I had this years ago,” another reviewer admitted. “I recommend it to everyone I know.”

Amazon

To buy: NewGo Headache Relief Band, $12 + an extra 5% off for Prime members  (was $18); amazon.com 

While the exact reason that a cold pack can help relieve a headache isn’t completely understood, the National Headache Foundation (NHF) explains that both heat and cold therapy can be used to relieve headache pain. For migraines specifically, cold is generally used more often. The theory is that cold packs can relieve some of the inflammation associated with headaches as well as dull the nerve receptors responsible for pain signals. 

Susan Gentile, a Nurse Practitioner with ChoicePoint, explains that for some people, migraine and headaches are caused by a group of nerve cells in the brain that are sensitive to changes in temperature. When these nerve cells become irritated, they release transmitters, which cause pain. “Cold therapy can be effective for migraine and headache relief because it reduces the amount of transmitters released by these nerve cells,” Gentile explains. “It also helps to minimize inflammation and swelling by constricting blood vessels. The cold sensation also helps to numb the affected area, which can reduce pain and discomfort.”

As a bonus, Gentile adds that a cold pack applied early on may help prevent the headache from getting worse because it constricts the blood vessels that can cause swelling. “Cold packs provide relief from the throbbing pain associated with migraines by constricting blood vessels around your head via direct pressure on them as well as increasing blood flow through them, which reduces swelling,” she says. 

And while an ice pack for a headache may offer some relief, Alopi Patel, M.D., Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Morningside Hospitals, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, reminds us that if your headache persists and becomes worse or if there are other symptoms such as blurry vision, confusion or numbness or weakness in other parts of the body, you should seek medical attention. 

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