Which is a nonpharmacologic means to decrease migraine pain?

• A. Caffeine
• B. Cold compress on the back of the neck
• C. Acetaminophen
• D. Sumatriptan

Answer: (B)

Nonpharmacologic approaches to migraine relief focus on physical or behavioral strategies rather than drugs. A cold compress applied to the neck area can help reduce migraine pain by causing local vasoconstriction, which tightens dilated cranial vessels and slows the inflammatory processes that contribute to headache. The cooling also provides a local anesthetic effect, dampening nerve signals that convey pain, and it can ease neck muscle tension that often accompanies migraines. This combination of vascular, neural, and muscle effects can lessen pain without introducing medication.

The other options involve pharmacologic agents: caffeine acts as a stimulant that can influence headache dynamics and isn’t a pure nondrug measure; acetaminophen is a drug that reduces pain; sumatriptan is a targeted migraine medication. That’s why the cold compress on the back of the neck stands out as the nonpharmacologic choice.