Headache Relief Strategies

A bad headache can ruin your whole day. This simple primer will help you identify what is causing your headaches so you can find ways to eliminate them.

When you have a headache, basically you're responding to the swelling of vains and muscles in your scalp. Those sensitive nerves shout an alarm to the brain, telling you in no uncertain terms that they do not like this swelling. The end result is a terrible headache.

Most headaches are related to tension. This sort of headache can feel like someone is squeezing your head. You can usually identify a tension headache by the pressure you feel across the front or back of your head. Menstruation, dehydration, noise, exhaustion, sugary foods, and stress are all triggers for this kind of headache. You can usually cope with a tension headache by lying down, getting a massage, using a cold compress, or simply getting away from the source of stress.

Another common headache is the sinus headache. Sinus headaches usually feel like pressure across your forehead or in pockets in your face. For quick relief, try applying gentle pressure to your sinuses, standing in a closed bathroom with a hot shower running, removing mucus from your sinuses, and drinking hot tea or coffee.

One of the worst kinds of headaches is the migraine. Migraines are incredibly painful headaches characterized by vomiting, intense pain, feeling dizzy, and unbearable sensitivity to light, sounds, and scents. You maybe able to cope with your migraine if you can find a dark, peaceful place where you will not be disturbed.

If a headache is accompanied by high fever, convulsions, loss of muscle control, or the inability to communicate clearly and cohesively, you will want to visit the emergency room to rule out meningitis, stroke, or encephalitis.

You will usually be able to fight off headaches by adjusting your diet or surroundings. You may find that a good rest and a couple of analgesics (such as ibuprofen) will do the trick. However, if your headaches persist or are intense in nature, you will want to see a doctor for an evaluation.