Ice on my forehead really relieves my fatigue

[glazevedx]

This is remarkably the unique therapy that really works for me instantly. It works better than any medication, including prednisone, which is one of very few drugs that have effect on me. My insane mental fatigue and brain fog (in a lower level), as well as light intolerance) immediately diminishes.

If I can in a normal day read 6 pages, I am able to read 12-15 pages doing it.

What is it indicative of? I mean, ice packs around the eyes was an old method of diagnosis for Myasthenia Gravis very long ago.

 

[NameHere]

How long have you been doing this (days/weeks/months?), and does it work every time? How long does the benefit last?

 

[Norwegianlad]

I haven't tried putting ice on my face yet, but i love to put cold water on my face, or cold items like the remote of the TV (it's from some kind of aluminium or steel, feels cold).

Ever since i got mast cell issues / symptoms this all started and cold in general helps me. So maybe it has something to do with mast cells.

 

[Dysfunkion]

How long do you hold it there for and is the effect accumulative or is there any regressions if you do it too long/with too much frequency? I'll try this after, I'm outside in freezing cold all the time but from what I noticed from RLT there is something really weird going on with skin sensations and reactions to things on the skin can be extremely specific to the most mundane variables.

 

[glazevedx]

Ever since i got mast cell issues / symptoms this all started and cold in general helps me. So maybe it has something to do with mast cells.

Possibly. Clonazepam helps me. Diminishes this constant intoxicated feeling.

How long have you been doing this (days/weeks/months?), and does it work every time? How long does the benefit last?

For 1 week. It doesn't work every time as much because Im more tired after these mental exercises. It always increase my baseline though. If I bypass my limit one day, the following I wouldnt be able to read any, for example, but with the cold bags, I will be able to read a few.

Once I put on my face, let it there for hours (I exchange the ice bricks every hour or so). It works immediately and last around 20-30 minutes more after I ceased.

 

[andyguitar]

What is it indicative of?

 

[ruben]

Something which has given me temporary relief in the past was going in the sea. Sadly it was only when I was actually in the water though.

 

[glazevedx]

Something which has given me temporary relief in the past was going in the sea. Sadly it was only when I was actually in the water though.

This is insanely curious. I can do free diving for hours, but can't run 1 kilometer. Water always give me relief of my symptoms. I think this acts as an anti-inflammatory, as its temperature is almost always lower than our body.

 

[southwestforests]

Once I put on my face, let it there for hours (I exchange the ice bricks every hour or so). It works immediately and last around 20-30 minutes more after I ceased.

Oh my, that is not an option for me, cold is painful and the more cold the more painful.
Which was true even before getting ME/CFS.
Raynaud's syndrome (fortunately relatively mild) and a few other things are in play here.

For illustrative purposes:

Because the uncovered areas will be painful I don't wear short pants at temps less than 77F, 25C.
You know how Americans like their refrigerator ice makers and keep ice trays in the freezer?
My ice trays are kept in the pantry.
You know how so many American homes have air conditioning?
My air conditioner is set on 78F, 25.5C

(furnace does not get set similarly, winter is pile on the layers and hope to survive until spring)

 

[linusbert]

i noticed recently that when i was not in crashy state but in warning before crashy state or after crashy state and i shower , despite i should not, i am better off after the shower, not sure the next day though.
i tried warm-cold cycles in shower, not for everything, just lower parts , and i generally shower before i go out whole body in lukewarm or mild cold but not cold.
the cold seams to help with lower gut inflammation. i have significant less pain or non even. but need to be careful not to freeze my menly parts and make icicles.
it did not even help on the same day , but even the days after.

 

[kushami]

Cold water on your face activates the mammalian dive reflex. I wonder if that could be involved? It works via the vagus nerve.

The parasympathetic nervous system (part of the autonomic nervous system) gets involved, breathing stops briefly, the heart rate slows, and there is also "massive peripheral vasoconstriction".

Reference: Very long article in journal Physiology that I should get round to reading one day.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3768097/

Maybe next time you could check your pulse and see whether it changes.

Peripheral vasoconstriction could be beneficial for people who have blood pooling in the lower body. Constriction in the legs would squeeze blood up towards the head. Midodrine is one drug that can help with this.

But icing your forehead sounds cheaper and I'm guessing you have no side effects.

 

[kushami]

I also found a couple of articles saying that cooling the face causes an increase in cerebral blood flow. (Mind you, they were looking at healthy subjects.)

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I"m just a tiny bit chilly right at the moment (its drizzling outside)

Just reading about putting ice on forehead is freaking me out.

My ice trays are kept in the pantry.

thats what I drink. Ice. I put three ice cubes in my glass with a tiny bit of water: and sip on it. My sore throat and the heat that pours out of the mouth, love ice. I hate AC.