In today’s busy world, headaches have become a more common experience. Seldom 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. The happy news is there are several simple things you can do to ease the pain without a trip to the doctor.
Apply a Cold Pack
Having a migraine, place a cold pack on your forehead. Ice cubes wrapped in a towel, a bag of frozen vegetables, or even a cold shower may ease the pain. Keep the compress on your head for 15 minutes, and then take a break for 15 minutes.
Use a Heating Pad or Hot Compress
Headache out of tension, place a heating pad on your neck or the back of your head. If you have a sinus headache, hold a warm cloth to the area that hurts. A warm shower might also do the trick.
Ease Pressure on Your Scalp or Head
Headache can also be too tight hairstyles. These “external compression headaches” can also be brought on by wearing a hat, headband, or even swimming goggles that are too tight.
Dim the Lights
Bright or flickering light from your computer screen can also cause migraine headaches. If you’re apt to them, cover your windows with blackout curtains during the day. Wear sunglasses outdoors. You might also add anti-glare screens to your computer and use daylight-spectrum fluorescent bulbs in your light fixtures.
Try Not to Chew
Chewing gum can hurt not just your jaw but your head. The same is true for chewing your fingernails, lips, the inside of your cheeks, or handy objects like pens. Avoid crunchy and sticky foods, and make sure you take small bites. If you grind your teeth at night, ask your dentist about a mouthguard. This may curb your early-morning headaches.
Hydrate
Drink plenty of liquids. Dehydration can cause a headache or make one worse.
Have some Caffeine
Have some tea, coffee, or something with a little caffeine in it. If you get it early enough after the pain starts, it could ease your headache pain. It can also help over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen work better. Just don’t drink too much because caffeine withdrawal can cause its own type of headache.
Practice Relaxation
Whether it’s stretching, yoga, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation, learning how to chill out when you’re in the middle of a headache can help with the pain. You might talk to your doctor about physical therapy if you have muscle spasms in your neck.
Have a massage
A few minutes of massaging your forehead, neck, and temples can help ease a tension headache, which may result from stress. Or apply gentle, rotating pressure to the painful area.
Take Some Ginger
A small recent study found that taking ginger, in addition to regular over-the-counter pain meds, eased the pain for people in the ER with migraines. Another found that it worked almost as well as prescription migraine meds. You can try a supplement or brew some tea.
Meds in Moderation
Pharmacy shelves are stocked with pain relievers for all kinds of headaches. To get the most benefit with the least risk, follow the directions on the label and these guidelines:
- Choose liquid over pills. The body absorbs it faster.
- Avoid ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) if you have heart failure or kidney failure.
- Do not give aspirin to a child under age 18.
- Take painkillers as soon as you start to hurt. You’ll probably beat it with a smaller dose than if you wait.
- If you get sick to your stomach when you get a headache, ask your doctor what might help.
- Ask your doctor what to take to avoid a rebound headache, which is pain that sets in after a few days of pain relievers.
- And be sure to talk to your doctor about what headache symptoms you should not treat at home.
When to Call Your Doctor
- A headache that follows a head injury
- A headache along with dizziness, speech problems, confusion, or other neurological symptoms
- A severe headache that comes on suddenly
- A headache that gets worse even after you take pain medications
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