I began to get a hemiplegic migraine--meaning the pain goes from the left side of my head down the left side of my body--in 1983. It appears five or six times a week, and lasts six to eight hours. That said, it disappears whenever I have a fever, as quick as a light switch. When the fever returns, the migraine disappears again. I used to pray that I'd get the flu or a nice, long cold. And now that I am in a fullblown ME/CFS crash, I pray for any kind of fever.
I now mark 1983 as the beginning of my gradual onset ME/CFS, because the headache had a viral connection. Also, the part of the hemiplegic migraine that occurs below the neck -- spasms/numbness/semi-paralysis--now appears on its own during fibromyalgia and flashes through me right before blackouts and seizures.
Throughout the decades, I've tried analgesics with codeine, anti-inflammatories, Tylenol, imitrex, fiorinal, tricyclics and other anti-depressants that help migraine, accupuncture, acupressure, hypnotism, self-hypnosis, massage, swimming/exercise, meditation, several changes of diet, cold packs, heating pads and aromatherapy. (Anti-convulsants don't help my seizures or my migraines--they found out about a decade ago, I think, that anti-c's can have that side effect.) When I was recovering from an operation in hospital, I was on a morphine drip--and had a migraine. So apparently, opiates don't touch it. As for acupuncture, it eliminates the headache for an hour, but costs much too much for just an hour's relief.
In my life today, I pray for fever. When I don't have one --about half the week -- generic imitrex works well for migraine, but stops working after 2 weeks, and I must take about a month's break. (In the end, that's fine, because I can afford imitrex only four times a year.) Otherwise, fiorinal (which is expensive, but not as bad as imitrex) works best. And my limbs feel better with tiger balm (the old-fashioned kind that smells like camphor. The odorless kind doesn't work for me at all.) There's a liquid/linament tiger balm, and when the migraine is tightening my scalp, I have actually poured it on my head, right through my hair. (Just don't get it in your eyes. And put a towel over your pillowcase.) You'll need to wash your hair a few hours later, but the sensation on your scalp is bearable, and definitely distracts from the migraine.
God knows all the analgesics are horrifying for my organs (thank god I don't drink, and never have), but my level of migraine is insane, and I am willing to live with this thoroughly bad solution because the alternative is worse. Meanwhile, I keep trying every solution that comes along, and retrying things that didn't work before.
The only solution I never tried was a chiropractor. I guess my belief that they can't cure headaches is pretty profound. I also can't afford to see one.
As Neilk mentions, taking too many analgesics can definitely affect the intensity of a headache and even give you migraines if you take them too regularly. In Canada this is called a "rebound" headache and every few years I do three months without analgesics to confirm that I don't have 'rebounds.' (And being a freak of nature, it seems that I do not have "rebound" headaches.)
Everything that I listed above, and that others have listed, seem to work for all sorts of people. It's a long road to find out which works for you, but keep going. You will find something.
To me, meditation, tiger balm and small, calming things like a lavendar pillow are essential. If I can't control what my body does, at least I can control my anxiety and nerves. A bit of self-hypnosis--somehow carving out a place inside that you lock away from the migraine's reach--is great too.
Finally, keeping a regular sleep schedule (very hard when you have ME/CFS, I know) really helps.
