Most of us experience headaches at some point in our lives. Usually, they appear at random times and disappear with no treatment or minimal treatment such as over-the-counter pain pills or some sleep.
However, some people may find themselves constantly plagued with headaches. In severe cases, it may be so bad that they are unable to do anything they usually do.
Luckily, there are a few things you can try to deal with your headaches. So next time you feel a headache coming along, try some of the following tips to see if they work for you.
Medication
Of course, medication should only be taken after checking with your doctor and asking for their opinion. You also shouldn’t take too much medication or keep taking it for prolonged periods.
But sometimes, nothing else works, and medication will be your best bet to getting rid of that headache as soon as possible. It’s important to note that there are different types of headaches, so you need to use the right medication for whatever headache you have.
If you have a headache as well as other symptoms, for example, you may have a migraine. Unfortunately, regular medication likely won’t work for this, so you will need medicine such as Imigran, which is targeted toward headaches. Some people take a melatonin supplement before sleeping because it may be effective for migraines. If you’re trying one, check the melatonin’s shelf life; an expired one may not work.
Reduce stress
Stress can often be the cause of a headache, but we’ll talk about that a bit later. For now, you need to know that, even if stress didn’t cause your headache, it certainly won’t make it disappear either.
Stress has many side effects, one of them being that it can cause or worsen headaches. We know it can be stressful to be missing work because of a deadline, but try to relax – you’ll recover much sooner, and then you’ll be back to work in no time.
Take a hot bath, read a book, or sleep. As your body releases tension, your headache will likely ease up.
Try natural methods of easing the pain
Some people don’t like medication, or perhaps they feel that it’s not working for them. Whatever your situation, you don’t necessarily need to use medication to deal with your headache.
There are many natural or homeopathic kinds of medicine that offer an alternative to mainstream medicine. You might also want to try things like meditation, salted baths, or essential oils.
Something else that may help is to have a gentle head massage. This could help reduce some of the tension in your head and neck. Have a loved one follow these tips to give you an amazing head massage next time you have a headache.
Figure out the cause
All of the above methods have to do with managing the headache itself. While this is great, if there is an underlying problem, your headaches will keep returning. And you don’t want to have to rely on medication all the time.
There are many things that cause headaches. We’d recommend that you start by looking at your lifestyle and also talking to your doctor. Headaches can be caused by things like grinding on your teeth, in which case you should see someone who specializes in oral healthcare.
