How to Get Rid of a Headache

Part 1 of 6: Stopping the Pain  (source : wikihow.com)

1. 
   1
   Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Most painkillers won't kick in for about 30 minutes, so take a dose as soon as you start feeling the headache coming on. Even if you're already in the depths of misery, a quick dose of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, or aspirin can take the edge off.
   Ad

1. 
   1
   Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can lead to a headache, especially if you've vomited recently or you're hungover. Drink a tall glass of water as soon as your head starts to hurt, and try to continue drinking small sips throughout the day. You should gradually feel the pain start to ease.
2. 
   2
   Use caffeine carefully — it can be a double-edged sword. Many OTC painkillers contain caffeine, for two reasons. Caffeine makes painkillers work faster and more effectively.^[1] Without caffeine, painkillers would be slower and less effective, which leaves open the door to painkiller abuse by well-meaning individuals who are simply looking for relief.
   • But caffeine can also pose a literal and metaphorical headache when your body becomes dependent on it. If you're a heavy caffeine drinker and you suddenly take it out of your diet, headaches are a common side-effect. Read the following article to learn how to slowly and effectively overcome caffeine withdrawal.
   • Look out for "rebound headache." Rebound Headache results from taking too much caffeine in concert with caffeine-laden painkillers.^[2]If you're already taking a painkiller with caffeine as an ingredient, there's no need to drink extra coffee or energy drinks containing caffeine, as this may lead to rebound headache.
3. 
   3
   Find a quiet, dark place to take a break. If you can, try to lie down and relax for at least 30 minutes. Shut the blinds, turn off the lights, and focus on your breathing.
   • Request absolute peace and quiet. If you're forced to rest around other people, explain that you have a headache and ask that they please try to be quiet and leave you undisturbed. Pre-emptively asking for cooperation can help you avoid an ugly interruption later. If you'd like, get some sleep or take a nap, but not too long though.
   • Adjust the room temperature. Some people can only relax in a cool room, while others prefer a large blanket or a space heater. Try to imitate whatever conditions work best for you when you go to sleep at night.
   • Avoid starting a fresh tension headache. Make sure your bed or couch is comfortable and that your head is supported in a position that doesn't increase the tension to your neck.
   • Wear an eye mask to block out the light.
4. 
   4
   Use a cool compress. Placing something soft and cool over your forehead can help the blood vessels constrict, which might ease some of the pain of the headache. This works particularly well if the problem is concentrated in your temples or sinuses.
   • Wet a washcloth with cool water, and lay it over your forehead. Refresh it with more cold water as soon as it starts to feel uncomfortably warm.
   • Prep a heavy-hitting compress. Put a wet washcloth in a resealable plastic sandwich bag, and place the bag in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove it and place on your forehead for a long-lasting compress — the washcloth will be extra cold, and the bag will keep the icy wetness off of your skin.
5. 
   5
   Massage your scalp, neck and ear lobes. Doing some light massage can distract you from the pain, as well as improving circulation and relieving tension. For a basic massage, gently press your fingers over your temples, and move them in slow circles. Or, try these more advanced techniques:
   • Do a scalp massage. Hop in the shower and treat yourself to a long scalp massage as you shampoo your hair. Or, for a drier version, pour a little bit of coconut or argan oil on your fingers and rub into your scalp.
   • Find two tennis or racquet balls and put them in a sock. Lie on a flat surface and place the two balls just below the base of your skull, on the occipital bone, and relax. You may feel sinus pressure or minimal discomfort at first but it will go away. This is especially helpful for sinus headaches.
   • Have someone else massage your neck and back if possible. The simple touch of someone else who cares about you can relieve a lot of tension instantly. Have them focus on the occipital region as well.
   • Gently massaging the bridge of your nose can help relieve sinus and migraine headaches.
   • Firmly massage the acupressure point on each hand where the thumb and index finger bones meet (second metacarpal bone). It's best if somebody does this for you, so both hands can be massaged simultaneously, but if that's not possible, massage one hand for five minutes, then massage the other hand.
     
6. 
   6
   Practice relaxation techniques. People around the world use a variety of tricks to distract themselves from pain. If you're in the midst of a headache, don't worry about learning something new — stick to whatever is closest to your comfort zone. (You can always read up on different meditation techniques later, when you feel better.) Some popular options include:
   • Meditation.
   • Prayer.
   • Deep breathing.
   • Visualization.
   • Listening to binaural beats
   • [[Try to just calm down, if you can fall asleep that might help over half the time people will wake up without the headache!].

Part 2 of 6: Getting Ahead of a Migraine

1. 
   1
   Take action as soon as you recognize symptoms. It's a lot easier to stop a migraine before it's full-blown — after that, the difficulty of feeling better increases significantly. Plan to do something as soon as you recognize the following symptoms:^[3]
   • Eye pain
   • Blurred vision or a temporary blind spot
   • Tunnel vision
   • Seeing stars or pulsating zigzag lines
   • Nausea
   • Difficulty concentrating
   • Trouble finding the right words
2. 
   2
   Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Keep in mind that most painkillers don't take effect for up to 40 minutes, so it's a good idea to get a dose in your system before the pain is out of control. Use ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen or aspirin.
   • Take a painkiller combined with caffeine. Most over-the-counter drugs that advertise relief from headaches or migraines contain caffeine as well as an analgesic. If you don't have anything like this on-hand, don't worry — just have a cup of coffee or black tea with your regular painkiller.
   • Do not take aspirin if you're under 19 years old, and don't give aspirin to children. Take an alternate pain reliever to avoid Reye syndrome, a rare but deadly consequence of taking aspirin.
3. 
   3
   De-stress. Stress lowers your dopamine levels, and low dopamine can lead to migraines.^[4] As soon as you feel a potential migraine coming on, try the following techniques to relax:
   • Relax. Meditate, pray, practice breathing exercises or use whatever other relaxation technique you know. Keep it simple and don't worry about learning something new right now — stick to what you know.
   • Write down your concerns. If you're stressing out over a particular event or circumstance, quickly jot down everything that's putting you under pressure. Visualize yourself shifting the stress from your brain to the list, and tell yourself that you'll deal with it after the migraine is over — now that you've written it down, there's no need to keep thinking about it.
     
4. 4
   Rest in a cool, dark room. If you can afford to spare the time, take 30 minutes to try to calm down the migraine before it explodes. The darkness will be easier on your eyes if you're experiencing visual symptoms, and the cool temperature can ease nausea.
5. 
   5
   Know when to see a doctor. Though they're painful and inconvenient, most migraines aren't life-threatening. However, it's important to know when you should call emergency services. Get help if you're experiencing the following:^[5]
   • This is absolutely "the worst headache of your life."
   • The pain gets significantly worse if you lie down.
   • The migraine started suddenly, without the usual warning symptoms.
   • Your speech, vision or movement are significantly impaired, especially if you've never had these symptoms before.

Part 3 of 6: Natural Remedies

1. 
   1
   Be informed. There are a number of natural remedies that might work to treat your headache. As with any natural remedy, always know the side effects and allergy potential of the remedy, as well as the contra-indications, such as not using when pregnant, sick, etc.
2. 
   2
   Try herbal remedies. There are several herbal remedies that are considered to have value for getting rid of headaches:
   • Feverfew: Feverfew can be taken in capsule or tablet form, as a tea, or even eaten in a sandwich (it tastes bitter). There is mixed evidence to support the effectiveness of feverfew but it has been relied upon for centuries, so it might be worth trying.^[6] There are no serious side effects, although you might experience a sore tongue, mouth ulcers, or nausea, digestive problems and bloating. Coming off long-term use of feverfew can disrupt sleep and actually cause headaches.
   • Willow bark, peppermint, and lavender supplements might help.^[7] Note, however, that the scientific support for or extensive studies on the effectiveness of many of these supplements varies.^[8] If you feel it that works for you, and you're aware of any potential side effects, then trust your own remedies!
   • Tea: A cup of tea made from passionflower, rosemary, or lavender might alleviate a headache.^[9]Peppermint or chamomile tea can help to relax you.
     
3. 
   3
   Use aromatherapy. Aromatherapy preparations vary considerably but some of the more commonly used essential oils for headache treatment include lavender, sweet marjoram, and chamomile. Use for neck massaging, in a bath, or to inhale.^[10]
   • For relief of aches and pains: Mix five drops rosemary oil, five drops nutmeg oil, five drops lavender oil in a carrier oil. Massage on the neck and upper back area.^[11]
4. 
   4
   Use food-based remedies. Lack of food can cause a headache, so make sure you've eaten something recently. In addition, some foods are thought to help alleviate headaches. None of the following are guaranteed but they've worked for some people, so they might just work for you:
   • Eat almonds. Almonds contain pain-relieving chemicals that might reduce your headache symptoms.^[12]
   • Try cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper—another endorphin stimulant—might help to alleviate your headache. You could try consuming it, though some research suggests only topical application works effectively.^[13] It is probably best to get your doctor's (or your chef's) advice if you're planning to apply this topically!
   • Apply a compress with vinegar (preferably home-made, apple vinegar) to your head.
   • Drink a cup of a caffeine-containing beverage. Caffeine constricts the blood vessels, which can lessen head pain. Too much caffeine may trigger migraines in some people so instead of coffee, you might like to try tea. If taken in conjunction with a painkiller, caffeine can also speed up the medicine's effect, and in fact, many painkillers include caffeine.^[14]

Part 4 of 6: Helpful Exercise Techniques

1. 
   1
   Stretch. If you have a tension headache, stretching your neck and back muscles might improve your headache, especially if you have physical tension such as aching shoulders.
2. 
   2
   Do yoga. Yoga aimed at reducing tension can remove or minimize headaches. Simple neck rolling or relaxation yoga exercises are best.
3. 
   3
   Take a brisk walk in the fresh air. This can be especially effective if you've been sitting hunched up for a while and you have a lot of challenging thoughts circulating in your head. The exercise will get the blood moving, the new scenery will refresh your outlook, and the fresh air will awaken you. By the time you return home, you might find that you're feeling much better.

Part 5 of 6: Lifestyle Fixes

1. 
   1
   Set up an ergonomically correct workstation. The way that you're sitting at the desk and using a computer might be contributing to your headache. Be sure that everything is at the right height and distance for your size.
   • Take regular breaks from all desk work and computer use. Exercise your eyes by looking at different distances for a few minutes every hour and do some basic body stretches.
2. 
   2
   Change your diet. Although this won't alleviate your headache straight away, making dietary changes in the longer term can potentially remove a source of headaches for you in the future. If you don't know where to begin, see your doctor, a dietician/nutritionist, or a naturopath.
   • Find out whether you have any particular food allergies and eliminate those foods from your diet.
   • Reduce your intake of caffeine. Caffeine can induce headaches. Ironically, withdrawal from caffeine will probably cause a temporary headache but once you're through the withdrawal period, you'll notice a positive difference.
   • You might consider avoiding or minimizing potential headache-triggering foods, especially those containing MSG, nitrites and nitrates (cured meats), tyramines (aged cheese, wine, beer, and processed meats), sulphites (dried fruits, condiments, and wine), and salicylates (tea, vinegar, and some fruit).
3. 
   3
   Treat musculoskeletal problems. If your back or neck are misaligned, or you're suffering from poor posture and muscle tension, it's important to fix this source of pain. While you can try to improve your musculoskeletal problems through exercise such as stretching, yoga, Pilates, etc., it is usually important to see a specialist such as a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or osteopath to assess and treat your condition.^[15]
4. 
   4
   See your range of health professionals. If you're experiencing problems in other parts of your head, it can be a good idea to get help that might alleviate the headache. For example:
   • See your dentist: If you have jaw misalignment, tooth decay, abscesses, or post-extraction infection, these can be a source of headaches.
   • See your optician: If you need glasses but it has gone undiagnosed, your eyestrain could be causing unnecessary headaches.
   • See your ear, nose and throat specialist: If you have untreated infections, perforations, or other problems with your ears, nose, and throat, these could cause headaches.
5. 
   5
   Calm down. If you're angry, irritable, frustrated, etc., you may be building up daily muscle tension to a point where it has become unmanageable and causes headaches. Seek professional counseling or psychological help for mapping out some fruitful ways to manage your emotions if they're dominating your approach to life every day.
   • If you clench your jaw or grit your teeth, make an effort to relax your face. Try yawning to reduce facial tension.
   • Practice relaxation exercises before stress-producing events like exams, getting married, taking a driver's test, etc.

Part 6 of 6: Types of Headaches

1. 
   1
   Identify the type of headache you're experiencing. Most headaches are tension or lifestyle induced and aren't harmful, even though they're painful and can prevent you from fulfilling your tasks. If you experience frequent headaches, a severe headache, a headache that won't respond to analgesics, or the headache is accompanied by other symptoms, consult your doctor or health professional for immediate investigation and a proper diagnosis. The following list of common types of headaches demonstrates the wide variety of possible causes, which is why it's so important to seek further treatment if your headache issue won't resolve:^[16]