More often than not, some of our favorite buys are small, how-didn’t-I-know-about-this products that solve an everyday problem. That’s what we’re highlighting in our Little Lifesavers series: cheap, simple purchases that you’ll use on the daily. Hit “Add to Cart” and thank us later!
Problem: I suffer from regular headaches and occasional migraines that are debilitating.
Solution: The Headache Hat is one of the few items that can ease the pain and burden from my regular headaches.
If you suffer from migraines, you know how terrible they can be. I wouldn’t wish a migraine on my worst enemy. Migraines are not just headaches: They can come with a horrific range of symptoms, which can include nausea, vomiting, obscured vision, light sensitivity, and in extreme cases, loss of balance or even speech.
I’ve dealt with regular headaches since I was 6, but fortunately, migraines aren’t something I live with every day. Over my years of consistent headaches, I’ve assembled an arsenal of items that prevent and help me cope with my head pain. At the top of that list is the Headache Hat.
The Headache Hat is a patented compression headwrap made from cotton, spandex, and Velcro that’s filled with 24 ice cubes.
Priced at $40, the Headache Hat is not cheap, especially for an ice pack. But trust me when I say it’s well worth it. Before investing in the Headache Hat, I used a number of various cold packs ranging from frozen veggies to recycled ice packs from previous surgeries, and two similar, but cheaper headache caps from Amazon that use gel instead of cubes for their method of cooling. I can honestly say that this is the only Headache Hat helps ease my head pain. Not to mention I don’t have to lift my arm and hold it to my forehead, which is a relief in and of itself.
Rather than using a gel-like substance in the ice pack, the Headache Hat has individually sewed-in cubes, so it keeps cold longer than other ice packs (normally up to 5 hours). I love that the cubes can be moved around to target specific pressure points — be it my temple or forehead.
The Headache Hat stays in place, and you can go about your day while wearing it without having to balance a cold press on your head or neck. Most would agree that it’s a bit absurd-looking, though. I can’t say I would feel confident wearing it out of my house!
I’ve never dealt with any leakage or melting, and the material is surprisingly soft. The Headache Hat is comfortable enough to sleep in, and it’s big enough to shield my eyes if I want complete darkness. It even works well for treating pain on your neck, knees, arms, or legs. I also like that it comes with a dust cover bag to store it in your freezer and keep it from getting dirty — especially since it’s not machine-washable.
It’s worth mentioning that technically, the Headache Hat isn’t really a hat: I’d say it’s more of a wrap or headband, since it doesn’t cover the top of my head. I recommend folks buy the extra-large size, too. I have an average-sized head, and the regular size feels a bit too snug. Since the hat uses Velcro, you can still tighten it to find your preferred fit.
Although I wish the Headache Hat were a little cheaper, you can’t put a price tag on pain relief from a headache or migraine. I love my Headache Hat so much that I bought a second one, just in case I get a migraine and need to swap the original out after it thaws too much to my liking. If that isn't an endorsement, I don't know what is.
