Try These 9 Simple Headache Hacks for Fast Relief

Some home remedies and lifestyle changes may help you get rid of headaches faster. This includes staying hydrated, changing your diet, or trying things like massage and acupuncture.

Relieving your headache

For many people in today’s busy world, headaches have become an increasingly common occurrence. Sometimes they are the result of medical conditions, but often, they’re simply a result of stress, dehydration, a late work night, or just overdoing it at your spin class.

While there are plenty of treatments to reduce headaches, including over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen, or prescription headache medications, they don’t always eliminate the symptoms.

And tempting though it may be, the solution isn’t to take more than the recommended dosage. In fact, many common (and super simple) lifestyle habits can help reduce your headache pain without you ever reaching for a pill.

Yes, massages may seem luxurious, but they’re also incredibly therapeutic. Sometimes headaches result from tension in the upper body due to muscle strain from poor posture or a rigorous workout routine.

Massage therapy may be able to reduce chronic pain as well as ease muscle tension that causes headaches.

Take the time to research types of massage (Swedish, deep tissue, shiatsu, etc.) and get reliable referrals for a practitioner near you who can effectively address your specific pain points.

Share on Pinterest

For muscle tension headaches, hot and/or cold compresses can offer relief. For the cold portion, place ice in a plastic bag covered with a thin cloth to avoid harming your skin. Place the ice pack on your forehead and/or cheeks, basically wherever the greatest source of pain is.

Just be sure to limit cold pack applications to no more than 10 minutes at a time.

For the hot portion, you can purchase a heat pack at most drugstores, or make your own using uncooked rice. Take a small pillowcase or piece of fabric and fill it about two-thirds full with uncooked rice. Sew or tie the open end together.

When needed, microwave the rice for one minute. Apply to the back of your neck or forehead for heated relief.

Share on Pinterest

Aromatherapy is the study of how certain smells can trigger positive and even healing responses in the brain.

Some smells have been reported to soothe and reduce the incidence of headaches. These include peppermint extract, eucalyptus, and lavender oil. They are readily available at many local health food stores or online.

Share on Pinterest

Acupuncture involves applying fine, sharp needles to key areas on the body as a means of promoting energy flow. It’s thought to stimulate the body’s natural pain-relieving compounds, and according to the National Institutes of Health, has been shown to reduce headache frequency and severity.

Yes, breathing. You know, that thing you do all the time already! It may sound silly, but tension-related headaches can sometimes be relieved with regular breathing exercises that help focus your mind and ease your muscles.

Start by finding a quiet place with a comfortable chair in your home, office, or other location where you will not be distracted. Next, take slow, rhythmic breaths, breathing in for five seconds then out for five seconds. As you relax, your muscle tightness reduces.

You can also try a progressive relaxation technique by focusing on each major muscle group in your body. Start from your toes and work your way up.

Share on Pinterest

Dehydration can contribute to a headache, but it can be easily avoided. Grabbing a good old-fashioned glass of water can help as much as an electrolyte-containing beverage such as Pedialyte, Gatorade, or Powerade.

But just as there are drinks that can reduce headaches, there are those that can trigger them.

Drinking too much coffee or too many caffeine-filled soft drinks can lead to headaches. So if you normally start your day with a Starbucks quad latte, you may want to trade it for a toned-down mixture of half caffeinated and half decaffeinated.

Alcohol, and particularly red wine, can also lead to dehydration that triggers headaches.

We hear a lot about the health problems caused by lack of sleep, and not getting your nightly minimum can lead to chronic headaches. But knowing you need more sleep and actually getting it are two different things.

There are several ways you can improve the amount and quality of your sleep, including the following.

Commit to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at regular times. Even if you just go to bed 15 minutes earlier or sleep 15 minutes later, this can be a step in the right direction.

Avoid stimulants in the hours before bed. Stimulants like alcohol, sugar, nicotine, and caffeine can keep you from sleeping and keep you up at night with trips to the bathroom. Give your body time to wind down before your head actually hits the pillow.

Choose a relaxing activity before bed. Turn off the television or computer and treat yourself to a good book or a hot bath. It may sound old fashioned, but a little relaxation goes a long way!

Certain foods, while delicious, have been known to contribute to headaches. Try keeping a “headache diary” of the foods and drinks you consume on a daily basis or specifically when you experience a headache.

If you identify a particular trigger, avoid it for some time and see if the headaches reduce. Possible problem foods include:

Caffeine-containing foods and beverages. Examples include chocolate, coffee, cola, and tea.

Monosodium glutamate-containing foods. MSG is used as a preservative and has traditionally been used in some Asian cooking. It’s also found in foods like instant ramen noodles.

Nitrate-containing foods. Most simple meats, such as hot dogs, lunch meat, sausage, and pepperoni can cause headaches.

Tyramine-containing foods. Tyramine is a compound produced by the breakdown of an amino acid called tyrosine, and it’s found in foods like pizza and aged cheeses.

Share on Pinterest

The warmth and comfort of a steaming cup of herbal tea makes it an excellent way to wind down at night. Those same soothing qualities can have pain-relieving effects. Because herbs can interact with medical conditions and medications, it’s important to check with a doctor before drinking these teas.

Favorites for relaxation include chamomile, ginger, and dandelion.

Share on Pinterest

Rachel Nall is a Tennessee-based critical care nurse and freelance writer. She began her writing career with the Associated Press in Brussels, Belgium. Although she enjoys writing about a variety of topics, healthcare is her practice and passion. Nall is a full-time nurse at a 20-bed intensive care unit focusing primarily on cardiac care. She enjoys educating her patients and readers on how to live healthier and happier lives.

Try These 9 Simple Headache Hacks for Fast Relief

Some home remedies and lifestyle changes may help you get rid of headaches faster. This includes staying hydrated, changing your diet, or trying things like massage and acupuncture.

Relieving your headache

For many people in today’s busy world, headaches have become an increasingly common occurrence. Sometimes they are the result of medical conditions, but often, they’re simply a result of stress, dehydration, a late work night, or just overdoing it at your spin class.

While there are plenty of treatments to reduce headaches, including over-the-counter ibuprofen or acetaminophen, or prescription headache medications, they don’t always eliminate the symptoms.

And tempting though it may be, the solution isn’t to take more than the recommended dosage. In fact, many common (and super simple) lifestyle habits can help reduce your headache pain without you ever reaching for a pill.

Yes, massages may seem luxurious, but they’re also incredibly therapeutic. Sometimes headaches result from tension in the upper body due to muscle strain from poor posture or a rigorous workout routine.

Massage therapy may be able to reduce chronic pain as well as ease muscle tension that causes headaches.

Take the time to research types of massage (Swedish, deep tissue, shiatsu, etc.) and get reliable referrals for a practitioner near you who can effectively address your specific pain points.

Share on Pinterest

For muscle tension headaches, hot and/or cold compresses can offer relief. For the cold portion, place ice in a plastic bag covered with a thin cloth to avoid harming your skin. Place the ice pack on your forehead and/or cheeks, basically wherever the greatest source of pain is.

Just be sure to limit cold pack applications to no more than 10 minutes at a time.

For the hot portion, you can purchase a heat pack at most drugstores, or make your own using uncooked rice. Take a small pillowcase or piece of fabric and fill it about two-thirds full with uncooked rice. Sew or tie the open end together.

When needed, microwave the rice for one minute. Apply to the back of your neck or forehead for heated relief.

Share on Pinterest

Aromatherapy is the study of how certain smells can trigger positive and even healing responses in the brain.

Some smells have been reported to soothe and reduce the incidence of headaches. These include peppermint extract, eucalyptus, and lavender oil. They are readily available at many local health food stores or online.

Share on Pinterest

Acupuncture involves applying fine, sharp needles to key areas on the body as a means of promoting energy flow. It’s thought to stimulate the body’s natural pain-relieving compounds, and according to the National Institutes of Health, has been shown to reduce headache frequency and severity.

Yes, breathing. You know, that thing you do all the time already! It may sound silly, but tension-related headaches can sometimes be relieved with regular breathing exercises that help focus your mind and ease your muscles.

Start by finding a quiet place with a comfortable chair in your home, office, or other location where you will not be distracted. Next, take slow, rhythmic breaths, breathing in for five seconds then out for five seconds. As you relax, your muscle tightness reduces.

You can also try a progressive relaxation technique by focusing on each major muscle group in your body. Start from your toes and work your way up.

Share on Pinterest

Dehydration can contribute to a headache, but it can be easily avoided. Grabbing a good old-fashioned glass of water can help as much as an electrolyte-containing beverage such as Pedialyte, Gatorade, or Powerade.

But just as there are drinks that can reduce headaches, there are those that can trigger them.

Drinking too much coffee or too many caffeine-filled soft drinks can lead to headaches. So if you normally start your day with a Starbucks quad latte, you may want to trade it for a toned-down mixture of half caffeinated and half decaffeinated.

Alcohol, and particularly red wine, can also lead to dehydration that triggers headaches.

We hear a lot about the health problems caused by lack of sleep, and not getting your nightly minimum can lead to chronic headaches. But knowing you need more sleep and actually getting it are two different things.

There are several ways you can improve the amount and quality of your sleep, including the following.

Commit to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at regular times. Even if you just go to bed 15 minutes earlier or sleep 15 minutes later, this can be a step in the right direction.

Avoid stimulants in the hours before bed. Stimulants like alcohol, sugar, nicotine, and caffeine can keep you from sleeping and keep you up at night with trips to the bathroom. Give your body time to wind down before your head actually hits the pillow.

Choose a relaxing activity before bed. Turn off the television or computer and treat yourself to a good book or a hot bath. It may sound old fashioned, but a little relaxation goes a long way!

Certain foods, while delicious, have been known to contribute to headaches. Try keeping a “headache diary” of the foods and drinks you consume on a daily basis or specifically when you experience a headache.

If you identify a particular trigger, avoid it for some time and see if the headaches reduce. Possible problem foods include:

Caffeine-containing foods and beverages. Examples include chocolate, coffee, cola, and tea.

Monosodium glutamate-containing foods. MSG is used as a preservative and has traditionally been used in some Asian cooking. It’s also found in foods like instant ramen noodles.

Nitrate-containing foods. Most simple meats, such as hot dogs, lunch meat, sausage, and pepperoni can cause headaches.

Tyramine-containing foods. Tyramine is a compound produced by the breakdown of an amino acid called tyrosine, and it’s found in foods like pizza and aged cheeses.

Share on Pinterest

The warmth and comfort of a steaming cup of herbal tea makes it an excellent way to wind down at night. Those same soothing qualities can have pain-relieving effects. Because herbs can interact with medical conditions and medications, it’s important to check with a doctor before drinking these teas.

Favorites for relaxation include chamomile, ginger, and dandelion.

Share on Pinterest

Rachel Nall is a Tennessee-based critical care nurse and freelance writer. She began her writing career with the Associated Press in Brussels, Belgium. Although she enjoys writing about a variety of topics, healthcare is her practice and passion. Nall is a full-time nurse at a 20-bed intensive care unit focusing primarily on cardiac care. She enjoys educating her patients and readers on how to live healthier and happier lives.

Don’t drink, it won’t go away: when you don’t need to get rid of a headache

09/01/2022 at 11:37

Society

822

Share

Who among us does not sometimes have a headache? She can catch you at the most inopportune moment: at a concert of your favorite artist, early in the morning before the start of the working day, or on the day of an important celebration.

Pain medication only relieves the symptom, it does not cure. Photo: Pexels

Some do not even pay attention to her and continue to do their usual things: go to work, study, play sports or household chores. Others immediately drink painkillers in order not to endure an unpleasant symptom, and still others experience terrible migraines, because of which they cannot look at bright lights, get annoyed at loud sounds and dream of getting rid of this scourge forever. Do you really need to get rid of a headache? What if it is a symptom of a very dangerous disease and, by drowning it out, a person can detect the disease very late? “MK in St. Petersburg” decided to sort out this issue with experts.

“I became addicted to painkillers”

A year ago, Marina noticed that she began to take painkillers very often. If not every day, then every other day for sure. Moreover, there were days when the head began to hurt in the morning. The girl decided to go to the doctor.

“The neurologist immediately found out that I have a very hectic job. Constant processing, irregular schedule, plus eternal stress. She advised me to start a headache diary and write down exactly when my head hurts and what I do about it. As a result, we found out that I drink so many painkillers that my head already hurts from them, ” – says Marina.

The treatment seemed very unusual to the girl. The doctor, among other things, prescribed antidepressants. It turned out that they are just treating such an addiction to painkillers, against which Marina experienced constant headaches.

“Also, the neurologist immediately told me that it would be nice to change jobs, because such a schedule would simply not allow me to recover. I didn’t come to this right away, but I can say that the change of job and the prescribed therapy helped me, ” – says Marina.

The girl finds it very useful to keep a headache diary. In addition, she realized that it is impossible to overdo it with painkillers, now she tries to drink them infrequently, only if her head hurts very badly.

“The problem is in the neck”

Victoria has recently started experiencing severe headaches. She just didn’t notice it before. Only painkillers helped relieve the pain.

“I almost never took painkillers, but here I had to. But what exactly is the problem, I know – in the first vertebrae of the cervical region. I made an appointment with two specialists at once – a traumatologist and a chiropractor”, – says Victoria.

The girl had a problem with the cervical region before, but Vika did not experience much discomfort because of this. She now feels a throbbing headache that radiates from the base of her skull to her temples.

“I know that if your head hurts, it’s not always in your head. And here it is very important to come to a good specialist in order to understand what exactly is wrong. My friend suffered from pain for 15 years. She was treated, examined, and in the end it turned out to be a malfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. When the gastrointestinal tract was cured, the headaches also disappeared”, – adds Victoria.

What are the types of headaches?

Medical professionals divide headache into primary and secondary. Primary headache appears due to the influence of some factors, when a person has no health problems, but his head still hurts. The primary ones include tension headache and migraine. And a secondary headache appears when a person has some other condition or disease, in which the head can just hurt.

“Secondary headache is a manifestation of some other process. It can be a brain tumor, diabetes, heart failure. That is, a disease that does not have a headache as its main symptom, it, in fact, is the result of some kind of effect on the body, ”, says Pavel Dynin, a neurologist at a multidisciplinary medical center, candidate of medical sciences.

Each of us has experienced a headache at least once. It is not necessarily the result of a serious illness. You can feel it from overwork or the morning after a good holiday.

“Painkillers only relieve headaches. To have a therapeutic effect, you need to establish the cause of the headache. In fact, it is not always a symptom of some disease. For example, if a person has not slept enough, the next day he may feel a diffuse headache. And who has not experienced a headache if there was a holiday the day before? In this case, we are not talking about a disease, but about intoxication of the body, which is manifested, among other things, by a headache. And in this situation, we either drink more water, sleep, rest – and the headache goes away by itself, or we can take an anesthetic pill and remove this symptom, ” – says a neurologist, candidate of medical sciences, chief physician of the neurological clinic, researcher at the Department of Neurology, St. Academician I.  P. Pavlova Olga Rodionova.

Here we are talking about a situational story, when a person understands why he is experiencing a headache. In this case, if the ailment is relieved by sleep and rest, according to doctors, it makes no sense to immediately run to the doctor with this problem.

“It happens that the head hurts because of an uncomfortable position of the body or problems with the neck. For example, a person flew for a long time in an airplane. He felt uncomfortable anyway. Plus pressure drop. If special orthopedic pillows are not used, then a person may fall asleep in an uncomfortable position, which will lead to a headache due to the tension of the pericranial muscles (muscles of the head, face and neck). This is called cervicocranialgia, a pain in the head caused by problems with the neck. It is clear that in this case we are talking about a person who does not have any clear concomitant diseases,” – adds Pavel Dynin.

Working in an uncomfortable position can come back to haunt you with a headache. Photo: Pexels

But if a person does not understand why he has pain, this is a reason to turn to a neurologist. For example, if, with a little fatigue, your head starts to hurt or it “buzzes” for several days in a row. Here, doctors advise paying attention to concomitant diseases, sometimes they can cause a headache. You need to go to an appointment with a therapist, and he will decide which specialized doctor to refer the patient to.

“It makes sense to go to a specialized specialist first. Not to a neurologist, but, say, to an endocrinologist, if a person has diabetes and has a headache, pain can be a characteristic symptom for destabilizing blood glucose numbers. And then, if the endocrinologist shrugged his shoulders, since everything is normal, the patient can go to another specialist, ”, says Pavel Dynin.

When is it dangerous to treat a headache?

It would seem that it could be terrible that you drank one painkiller tablet. And then another one. Why put up with a headache when you can take it away? But it is very important not to overdo it with pills.

“If you have headaches very often and just take painkillers, you can really hurt yourself, because you will simply remove the symptom, and not remove the cause of this pain. And it can be a sign of quite formidable diseases, including a volumetric formation in the brain. Therefore, if the headache becomes more frequent, it has become daily – this is a reason to consult a doctor, and not just take painkillers, ” says Olga Rodionova.

Pavel Dynin adds: when pain appears, the body says that something is wrong. It can give general symptoms (headaches belong to them) or local ones. But there is a risk of not seeing the second ones due to the fact that we drowned them out with an anti-inflammatory or pain medication.

“Headache can be a symptom of various systemic adverse conditions. In particular, general weakness, headache can be characteristic in some cases of terminal, dangerous conditions, such as erosive gastritis or gastroduodenitis with a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. And non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used for headaches, can provoke, increase the risk of such pathological conditions, so you also need to be careful in terms of treatment, “ — the expert explains.

Neurologist Olga Rodionova says that, of course, painkillers are a boon that the pharmacological industry has given us, but they have certain side effects that patients should be aware of. It is also important to understand that if a headache is a symptom of some disease, then by drowning it out with drugs, a person delays the moment of making the correct diagnosis.

“For example, if a headache is a symptom of sinusitis, and the patient is simply taking painkillers, the infectious process in the sinuses can spread and lead to more serious infectious consequences”, – says Olga Rodionova.

“It is better not to self-medicate”

One headache pill taken is unlikely to harm anyone. But, if you start taking them on a regular basis, this can lead to the fact that the head will hurt directly due to the frequent use of these drugs.

“There is such a thing as overuse headache, it is a headache that arose against the background of long-term treatment with certain drugs. In particular, there is just such a category of patients who take painkillers for months. Any medicine has a period of administration, which is either regulated in the instructions or determined by the attending physician. It is better not to engage in self-medication on an ongoing basis, “ – says Pavel Dynin.

“It is a very common situation when a patient with a migraine attack starts taking painkillers, they do not help, he drinks more and more. As a result, this leads to the fact that he takes medication every day, which is fraught with huge complications. When taking painkillers for more than 15, and sometimes more than 10 days per month (depending on the drug), for a quarter, the patient develops drug-induced headache caused by drug abuse. And it is often much more difficult to treat than a migraine or tension headache, – adds Olga Rodionova.

The expert reminds that painkillers can have a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract, cause allergic reactions, and also affect blood clotting. It is simply impossible to use medicines of any class without limit. If a headache bothers you often, it is best to come to a specialist, understand its causes and start the right therapy.

Subscribe

Authors:

• Anna Pshechenko

St. Petersburg
Medicine

• 30 June

  Waited half a century and waited!!!

• 30 June

  Now with gas: blue fuel has come to Kostroma residents

• June 29

  At home: a kindergarten school in the village of Shalaevo is preparing to receive blue fuel

What else to read

• Walking along the trails: a short guide to the eco-routes of St.

  Petersburg and the Leningrad region

  Photo

  126

  Anna Pshechenko

  Saint Petersburg

• Lawyer Ismailov told in which currency it is more profitable to keep savings

  500

  Daria Astanina
  Dana Turta

  Saint Petersburg

• New rules for issuing microcredits to Russians came into force: experts revealed the essence of

  7183

  Dmitry Dokuchaev
  Natalia Trushina

• Named two tools to ensure faster income growth for Russians

  4960

  Konstantin Smirnov

• “I remember big frightened eyes”: a volunteer spoke about the battles with Ukrainian soldiers

  18472

  Elizaveta Medvedkina

What to read:More materials

In the regions

• A tourist spoke about the situation and prices in Crimea

  Photo

  36809

  Crimea

  photo: MK in Crimea

• In Yaroslavl, battered models wrote a statement to the police

  Photo

  17403

  Yaroslavl

• Crimea will surprise tourists with Russian Maldives in 2023

  Photo

  5568

  Crimea

  photo: MK in Crimea

• The fate of the “Dushegubka”: what will the “new owner” do with the tower of the XIV century and why does it excite Pskov residents

  Photo

  4765

  Pskov

  Svetlana Pikaleva

• I calmly watched her die: how the “usual” beatings in a Pskov family ended in a painful death

  Photo

  4080

  Pskov

  Svetlana Pikaleva

• Yamal schoolchildren watched the launch of a carrier rocket at the Vostochny cosmodrome.

  Video

  2995

  Yamal

  Ekaterina Rudenko

In the regions:More materials

Headache Clinic in Volgograd

Almost all people have experienced a headache at least once in their lives. But if for someone this is a rare occurrence, then for some it is a significant problem and torment. Most often, a person is simply trying to “drown out” the pain with medicines. But such a reaction is a signal from the body that something is wrong. And the problem must be solved, not hidden.

Headache is one of the most frequent visits to the doctor. It can be a symptom not only of pathological processes localized in the head area, but also a leading manifestation of many somatic and psychogenic diseases.

There are many methods and options for the treatment of headaches in our time. And what works best for one person may not work for another. Therefore, the need for treatment in one way or another is determined by the doctor.

Headache treatment methods in our clinic

Medical treatment

All medicines are selected by the doctor individually

More details

Physiotherapy

MLS M6 laser therapy or BTL SIS magnetotherapy

More details 900 05

Acupuncture

After a course of acupuncture, as a rule, not only headaches disappear but also improves the general condition of the body

More details

Botulinum therapy

The introduction of the drug relieves spasm and thereby relieves headache

Read more

Massage or psychiatry

Can be used as an additional method. After all, sometimes headaches can be the cause of stress or overwork

More

What types of headaches do we deal with?

✓ Episodic tension headache
✓ Chronic tension headache
✓ Episodic migraine
✓ Chronic migraine
✓ Cluster headache
✓ Cervicogenic headache
✓ Headache due to infections
✓ Post-traumatic headache
✓ Headache associated with increased intracranial pressure
✓ Headache associated with trigeminal nerve involvement

Additional diagnostics

Most cases to determine the exact cause of the headache or to exclude a number of pathologies, the doctor may recommend additional diagnostics.