Computing hacks for migraine sufferers
March 19, 2015 5:34 AM Subscribe
My mother gets migraines. She has to be on a computer for several hours at least a day for work. These two things are not very compatible. Help me help her make it better.
Mum gets migraines, a lot. (Previously). She works from home, so can split up the time a bit, take frequent breaks, avoid it on her worst days, etc., but it's unavoidable that she still has to be on the computer a considerable amount of time. We're looking around for things that could make it easier for her- screen protectors? Browser extensions?- but we're a bit stumped for ideas. It's the glare that's giving her most trouble. Any suggestions welcome.
Mum gets migraines, a lot. (Previously). She works from home, so can split up the time a bit, take frequent breaks, avoid it on her worst days, etc., but it's unavoidable that she still has to be on the computer a considerable amount of time. We're looking around for things that could make it easier for her- screen protectors? Browser extensions?- but we're a bit stumped for ideas. It's the glare that's giving her most trouble. Any suggestions welcome.
I also get migraines and have the use the computer a lot. Here are a couple of things that have helped me and might help her:
(1) Get her vision checked - does she need glasses?
(2) Install f.lux or a similar product designed to change the light coming from your computer. Usually I just let mine turn on the orange-y glow in the evening, but when my head hurts and I have to be on the computer, I use the "candlelight" setting during the day. It makes the screen less blue! and bright! and helps a bit.
(3) She might try to use the computer in relatively dimly lit rooms. Using the computer in a sunny/bright room always hurts my head and eyes because the glare seems worse.
(4) Finally, if she isn't already, she might consider taking a migraine management medication. For example, I take the lowest possible dose of amitriptyline each evening and really does keep my migraines at bay. She should also make sure to be very hydrated when using the computer.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 5:44 AM on March 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
(1) Get her vision checked - does she need glasses?
(2) Install f.lux or a similar product designed to change the light coming from your computer. Usually I just let mine turn on the orange-y glow in the evening, but when my head hurts and I have to be on the computer, I use the "candlelight" setting during the day. It makes the screen less blue! and bright! and helps a bit.
(3) She might try to use the computer in relatively dimly lit rooms. Using the computer in a sunny/bright room always hurts my head and eyes because the glare seems worse.
(4) Finally, if she isn't already, she might consider taking a migraine management medication. For example, I take the lowest possible dose of amitriptyline each evening and really does keep my migraines at bay. She should also make sure to be very hydrated when using the computer.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 5:44 AM on March 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
One thing to check is that the rest of the room is as bright as the computer screen. Having to stare at a bright screen in a dim room is the short path to thumping headaches in my experience.
If your mother can’t turn the screen brightness down far enough, then she could consider lighting the wall behind the monitor so that the ambient light around the screen is about as bright as the monitor itself.
At the same time, a dim screen in a bright room is bad, because your eyes get confused about what to focus on - the image on the screen or the reflections of things in the room & this can trigger eye strain & headaches. The ideal is the screen being exactly as bright as everything else, with no reflections or glare reflecting off the screen itself at all.
posted by pharm at 5:49 AM on March 19, 2015
If your mother can’t turn the screen brightness down far enough, then she could consider lighting the wall behind the monitor so that the ambient light around the screen is about as bright as the monitor itself.
At the same time, a dim screen in a bright room is bad, because your eyes get confused about what to focus on - the image on the screen or the reflections of things in the room & this can trigger eye strain & headaches. The ideal is the screen being exactly as bright as everything else, with no reflections or glare reflecting off the screen itself at all.
posted by pharm at 5:49 AM on March 19, 2015
Definitely play with the brightness of the screen vs. the room. For me it's much better to have the room dark and the screen at normal or slightly dim brightness.
Also, I wonder if it's possible to install a dimmer switch in that room? At my workplace, several of us have migraines and the company put special lights with dimmer switches in our offices vs. the on/off switches everyone else has, so we can have more control over our lighting. I think they may have also put special types of bulbs in but I'm not sure about that.
posted by Stacey at 6:09 AM on March 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
Also, I wonder if it's possible to install a dimmer switch in that room? At my workplace, several of us have migraines and the company put special lights with dimmer switches in our offices vs. the on/off switches everyone else has, so we can have more control over our lighting. I think they may have also put special types of bulbs in but I'm not sure about that.
posted by Stacey at 6:09 AM on March 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
I agree with Stacey - for me, the room can't be brighter than the monitors. I use f.lux as mentioned up thread, and also got these for my cubicle at work (where I can't control the lighting at all).
posted by getawaysticks at 6:25 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by getawaysticks at 6:25 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Some people prefer white text on a black background (instead of the other way around). This color scheme will at least reduce the total amount of light going into her eyes.
Even if she has perfect vision, she might want to experiment with "computer glasses" -- these are like mild reading glasses that will allow her eyes to focus on the screen with less effort from her eyes' lenses.
Make sure there's no reflected window or lamp in the screen when she's sitting in position to work. If this is difficult, a computer screen hood might help.
Make sure she's not too cold or too hot. If a small fan blowing on her face helps, get one set up. If a small heater on her feet helps, get one of those set up.
There is a product called "Cool Jaw" that is essentially a stretchy fabric tube that holds cold/ice gel packs. The ends of the tube velcro together so that it can stay on your head, like a headband. It's made for icing the jaw after wisdom tooth surgery, but if you put it around the back of the head instead of the jaw, it can put coldness right at the base of the skull, which can be wonderful if you have that kind of headache. link. After it stretched out a bit, I had to sew mine together because it was just a touch too large using only the velcro, but it's _wonderful_. Also - make sure you get enough gel packs.
Alternatively, if warmth is better, you can get one of those large bean-bag-like warmers at a pharmacy.
Also - check to see if more humidity in the room is soothing, especially while winter is still with us a little longer.
Since she's working from home, a 7-10 minute break with a shiatsu massage pillow might be helpful (depending on her particular headache). Using one of these sometimes requires a little experimentation to find the right positions for the neck and shoulders, but if it works it's quite worth it.
Finally, a tight cloth band around the head is an old (medieval, I think) headache remedy. This can be surprisingly helpful. I've used braided belts (so they're adjustable to the right size) and hand-sewn one cloth headband to the right size (extra extra tight) using several layers of knit fabric. You can also put something inside the headband at the temples if you want additional pressure there.
posted by amtho at 6:47 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Even if she has perfect vision, she might want to experiment with "computer glasses" -- these are like mild reading glasses that will allow her eyes to focus on the screen with less effort from her eyes' lenses.
Make sure there's no reflected window or lamp in the screen when she's sitting in position to work. If this is difficult, a computer screen hood might help.
Make sure she's not too cold or too hot. If a small fan blowing on her face helps, get one set up. If a small heater on her feet helps, get one of those set up.
There is a product called "Cool Jaw" that is essentially a stretchy fabric tube that holds cold/ice gel packs. The ends of the tube velcro together so that it can stay on your head, like a headband. It's made for icing the jaw after wisdom tooth surgery, but if you put it around the back of the head instead of the jaw, it can put coldness right at the base of the skull, which can be wonderful if you have that kind of headache. link. After it stretched out a bit, I had to sew mine together because it was just a touch too large using only the velcro, but it's _wonderful_. Also - make sure you get enough gel packs.
Alternatively, if warmth is better, you can get one of those large bean-bag-like warmers at a pharmacy.
Also - check to see if more humidity in the room is soothing, especially while winter is still with us a little longer.
Since she's working from home, a 7-10 minute break with a shiatsu massage pillow might be helpful (depending on her particular headache). Using one of these sometimes requires a little experimentation to find the right positions for the neck and shoulders, but if it works it's quite worth it.
Finally, a tight cloth band around the head is an old (medieval, I think) headache remedy. This can be surprisingly helpful. I've used braided belts (so they're adjustable to the right size) and hand-sewn one cloth headband to the right size (extra extra tight) using several layers of knit fabric. You can also put something inside the headband at the temples if you want additional pressure there.
posted by amtho at 6:47 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Here's something no one else has mentioned (I think) give her some simple way to check that she is staying hydrated. Some forms of migraine are greatly reduced just by making sure you drink enough water. If your mum is sitting down for long stretches of time in front of a monitor, she might be experiencing mild dehydration and not even realise it.
posted by Faintdreams at 7:01 AM on March 19, 2015
posted by Faintdreams at 7:01 AM on March 19, 2015
Good advice above. As you're already seeing, some of us have very different (even opposite!) triggers w/r/t light, etc. So in implementing these, it's also important not to try too many things at once. Except the hydration; have her pair that with everything.
posted by deludingmyself at 7:43 AM on March 19, 2015
posted by deludingmyself at 7:43 AM on March 19, 2015
Magnesium supplements, if her doctor signs off on them.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:32 AM on March 19, 2015
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:32 AM on March 19, 2015
Is your mother open to learning how to use a screen reader to "listen" to her screen, reducing the amount of time she is forced to look at the screen? JAWS is the industry leader for Windows. Another highly-rated product, WindowEyes, is free to all people who own Microsoft Office or higher. Apple has a similarly powerful set of accessibility tools built-in, including VoiceOver. With all screen readers, there is a bit of a learning curve (study the online tutorials, etc) but once you know the keyboard/voice commands, you can drastically reduce the amount of time looking at the screen.
I "listen" to my email, articles, eBooks and more on my Mac and iOS devices; the reduced screen time helps me a great deal.
posted by apennington at 9:47 AM on March 19, 2015
I "listen" to my email, articles, eBooks and more on my Mac and iOS devices; the reduced screen time helps me a great deal.
posted by apennington at 9:47 AM on March 19, 2015
Eye strain, especially from digital devices, is one of the biggest problems related to extended computer/screen usage. I really like the 20-20-20 rule - every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. To remind myself to do this, I use SnapTimer set to 20 minute increments that autorestarts and has an audible tone. Since going to this, my evening headaches and dry eyes have all but disappeared; it is clear to me now that I was beating my eyes up all day by staring at a screen for extended amounts of time.
TL;DR
20-20-20 rule. Use it.
posted by _DB_ at 11:44 AM on March 19, 2015
TL;DR
20-20-20 rule. Use it.
posted by _DB_ at 11:44 AM on March 19, 2015
One more thing which beat my migraines into the ground: Migrelief. It combines feverfew, magnesium, and riboflavin. I don't know how or why it works, but I only have one headache every three months and it used to be every other day.
Stealth hydration technique: tea, tea, tea.
posted by Jesse the K at 12:35 PM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
Stealth hydration technique: tea, tea, tea.
posted by Jesse the K at 12:35 PM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
If glare is the primary problem, she may want to look into getting a different kind of monitor. This made a big difference for me. If she's got a laptop, you can get a separate monitor and plug it in to the laptop. Mirror the displays and cover up the laptop screen.
I have a hard time with glare in general and find it easier to work if I use lamp lighting instead of overhead lighting. I keep (not especially bright) lamps behind my computer and around the room so there isn't a large contrast between the screens and the lighting , but it never feels bright. All my lamps have cloth shades that soften the light.
Programs like f.lux or redshift make a big difference in eye comfort. They also seem to help a bit with my sleep schedule, which is a nice bonus.
I am not an eye doctor, but I have had two eye doctors tell me not to wear sunglasses indoors. I'd recommend glasses tinted just with FL-41 ("the anti-migraine filter") for indoor wear. I like the TheraSpecs brand. Axon, mentioned by if only i had a penguin... above, makes a similar product, but I don't have experience with them.
Postural stuff or any discomfort while working may also exacerbate things. Making sure the chair, desk, keyboard, mouse are all set up at the right heights and such can help or at least add some variety to the migraines. I got a new mouse and almost completely stopped getting left-sided migraines.
I find getting up and stretching and moving around and resting my eyes many times a day decreases the likelihood I'll be sick the next. I find timers incredibly annoying, but drinking teas with mint all day long does the trick (and keeps away those dehydration headaches). Every time I get up to pee I stretch or pop out to the garden or do a few dishes or something else active.
posted by congen at 6:46 PM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have a hard time with glare in general and find it easier to work if I use lamp lighting instead of overhead lighting. I keep (not especially bright) lamps behind my computer and around the room so there isn't a large contrast between the screens and the lighting , but it never feels bright. All my lamps have cloth shades that soften the light.
Programs like f.lux or redshift make a big difference in eye comfort. They also seem to help a bit with my sleep schedule, which is a nice bonus.
I am not an eye doctor, but I have had two eye doctors tell me not to wear sunglasses indoors. I'd recommend glasses tinted just with FL-41 ("the anti-migraine filter") for indoor wear. I like the TheraSpecs brand. Axon, mentioned by if only i had a penguin... above, makes a similar product, but I don't have experience with them.
Postural stuff or any discomfort while working may also exacerbate things. Making sure the chair, desk, keyboard, mouse are all set up at the right heights and such can help or at least add some variety to the migraines. I got a new mouse and almost completely stopped getting left-sided migraines.
I find getting up and stretching and moving around and resting my eyes many times a day decreases the likelihood I'll be sick the next. I find timers incredibly annoying, but drinking teas with mint all day long does the trick (and keeps away those dehydration headaches). Every time I get up to pee I stretch or pop out to the garden or do a few dishes or something else active.
posted by congen at 6:46 PM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by If only I had a penguin... at 5:44 AM on March 19, 2015 [1 favorite]