If you’ve got a mean headache brewing under the surface, you know that horrible feeling. You begin to rub your temples, breath out your nostrils instead of in, and try to get away from loud noises and bright lights. Today we’re going to look at some of the best ways to get relief from your headache pain.
Headache Pain Relief
Over the Counter
One of the most straightforward ways to deal with headache pain is to just take an over the counter pain reliever. These include NSAIDs, like ibuprofen and Tylenol. There are also headache powders you can take, which are usually loaded with caffeine and other ingredients, to help reduce your headache symptoms.
Dedicated headache relief medicine also exists. These tend to be a great way to throw pain relief directly at whatever type of headache you’ve got brewing. The downside to these types of medication is that they don’t work right away. You’ll often have to wait for as long as two or three hours for your body to metabolize the medicine for it to take effect. For quicker-acting relief, you’ll need to use a headache powder, as we mentioned earlier.
Setting
If your headache symptoms stem from migraine tendencies, you might need to change your setting to deal with them. Migraines get worse in the face of bright lights, loud sounds and rooms of extreme temperature. Try to get somewhere dark and quiet with a nice, neutral temperature where you can recover. If you’re still having trouble recovering, try breathing in through your mouth and out through your nose, warming your sinuses.
Headaches can be caused by inflamed blood vessels around the skull. In these cases, you could get a bit of relief by pinching the bridge of your nose or rubbing your temples. These simple acts are similar to a massage, sending signals to your nerves to relax. This could, in turn, cause your blood vessels to stop expanding and constricting your skull.
Stay Hydrated
Many headaches are caused by dehydration. If this is true of yours, a great preventative action could be to try to stay well-hydrated. Keep a reusable bottle for water with you during your job or during class. This will allow you to drink water when you’re thirsty and help to keep you hydrated throughout the day. Make sure to refill it between classes or on breaks from the job.
Another common cause of headaches is not eating enough food. Make sure you don’t skip any meals throughout the day. In the morning, make sure you get some breakfast. Don’t be afraid to grab some healthy snacks if you’re hungry between meals! Keeping your body hydrated and full of the right nutrients is a cornerstone of good health.
Relaxation
Other headaches can be caused by stress, plain and simple. These are the simplest, but also some of the hardest to address. How do you get rid of stress? If you’re suffering from a headache and can’t get away from the stress that is causing it, such as at work, you’ve got a few options available to you. You can keep a stress ball with you to help physically work out any stress you may have.
Another option is to listen to calming music throughout the day, if your school or work is conductive to this. Consider adopting a mantra, a personal saying, that you can repeat throughout the day to help calm yourself. Other calming techniques include deep-breathing exercises, short jogs while between classes or during breaks, and doing yoga or tai chi before or after school or work. Hopefully some of these tips help you tackle your headaches and manage your pain symptoms!