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How to Get Rid of Headaches
June 26th, 2007 by MartinDodge
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Sponsored Links for: Headache Treatment [What's This?]
We have all had at least one in our lives – a headache. Sometimes it’s dull and slight and simply an annoyance. Sometimes it can be so bad that you need to go to the ER for immediate sedation. Why?
Ask that question 20 years ago and the answer would depend on the particular type of headache we’re talking about. We would have guessed that a migraine headache resulted from contraction and dilation of blood vessels running to the brain and that a tension headache was the result of tensed-up muscles.
Today we would say that most headaches, if not all, probably originate in the same area of the brain, and this is how they seem to work:
Headaches and Serotonin
Some event, we’re not sure what, triggers the trigeminal nerve (located in the brain stem, its branches run to your face) which releases a burst of chemicals signaling pain. Usually, these stimulate the a release of serotonin, a substance which counteracts the pain signals. The people who get headaches are those whose serotonin reaction is slow.
Two problems that trouble many headache sufferers are depression and sleep disorders which are also serotonin related. Frequently, when people diagnosed with depression begin treatment with medications called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s), the frequency and severity of their headaches disappear.
Serotonin, however, does not provide a full explanation of where headaches come from. More research is needed before we will have a complete understanding of the underlying processes.
There is a possibility your headaches are an effect of an ailment in another part of your body. If you suffer from headaches regularly you should consult your doctor, who will probably prescribe a battery of tests before making a diagnosis.
Keep a Headache Log
The best way to deal with headaches is to prevent them, and you can do that by identifying and eliminating those things which trigger your headaches. To identify your headache triggers, keep a headache diary. Whenever you feel a headache coming on, record this data:
- The time of onset.
- Where you were.
- What you were doing.
- Who you were with.
- The location of the headache in your head.
- How you were feeling (hot, cold, angry, sad, happy, anxious, hungry, etc.).
- When and what you last ate.
- Any ideas about what you think may have triggered the headache.
- What you did/will do to relieve the pain, and how it worked.
- What medications you were on and the dosage.
- When the headache ended.
Estimate, on a scale of 1-to-10, the amount of pain you felt when the headache was at its worst.
From this diary, you should begin to see a pattern. Perhaps a certain type of food, a particular person in your life, or perhaps they occur at the same times every day. Any patterns you find may help you identify the problem. Share your diary with your doctor, who may also be able to discern patterns you cannot and identify the source.
What Types of Things Can Cause a Headache?
- Emotions: Chronic headache sufferers are more prone to stress and anxiety, emotions which seem to reduce immunity to pain.
- Diet: Certain substances such as nitrites, tyramine, MSG, alcohol, caffeine, high doses of vitamins, and lack of water can trigger headaches.
- Medications: Nitroglycerin, drugs for hypertension, blood thinners, ulcer treatments, antiseizure drugs, and oral contraceptives.
- Environmental factors: You may be living or working in a place that exposes you to odors, glare, noise, stress, or other factors that can trigger headaches.
- Eating and Sleeping Patterns: Missing meals, getting too much or too little sleep.
- Strains: Straining eye, neck, or shoulder muscles.
- Hormones
- Physical exertion
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Laugh Your Headache Away
Once you have a better idea of what it is that triggers your headaches, take action. Here are some things that may reduce the number of headaches or even stop them in their tracks:
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The Headache Remedy Varies With The Headache
- Tension headache. This feels like a tight band around your head with possible additional pain in the neck. It calls for an over-the-counter pain reliever like aspirin or acetaminophen.
- Migraine. Extreme pain on one side of the head may be accompanied by vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. Prescription drugs may be needed.
- Cluster headache: Sharp, severe pain in one side of the head lasts 45 to 90 minutes. There will be several every day for a period that may be as long as 12 weeks. Calls for preventative medicine and the possible use of oxygen.
- Sex headache: Peaks with orgasm. Usually nothing to worry about, but if they recur often, see a doctor. They may be a sign of bleeding in the brain or stroke.
- Ice cream headache: Pain that goes through the roof of your mouth when you take a bite of ice cream. Don’t take such big bites.
Resources:
- “Headaches,” Health Square.
- Zahid H Bajwa, MD, R Joshua Wootton, MDiv, PhD “Patient information: headache causes and diagnosis,” UptoDate Patient Information.
Sponsored Links for: Headache Treatment [What's This?]
I Have Major Headaches. I’m 15. I Think They’re Sex Headaches. But I’ve Had Them For About 3 Weeks Now. And They’re Unbearable. How Do I Get Rid Of Them?
hii, im 13 and i get migranes heaps
sometimes there so bad i have to go to hospital
normally when i have a migrane i get a heat pack and put it in the microwave for 3 minutes, it makes it better but it might still be there, depends how bad your migrane is.
i normally have hot milk that helps too and just lay on my bed or something
like they said at the top laughing works, it distracts you from the migrane alot.
i have a head ache now, but not a migrane and im going to try what emily said and do headstands on pillows too see if it works, LOL
if it does ill let you know
my head feels like its going to explode on one side?? lots of pressure to much pain!! wtf!!! twice a day ! couple times a month maybee more !! are these migrains?? i think so !!
If your headache is caused by lack of sleep, go drink a glass of water then go to bed. If it’s caused by too much sleep, get up, go for a run. Helps a lot
And if you don’t get enough water, stay out of the sun unless you want a big headache.
Remember, if something cannot be solved, stop worrying! Good luck to all the poor souls dealing with headaches. I’m typing this with a headache, so I definitely understand your plight. All the damn time!
Hey I get headaches after I run in the morning, especially bad when I get my period. Actually, I get headaches with any type of physical activity. I am 13, and my mom won’t let me take the pill to get rid of them.I’ve tried alot of medicines, even the Vicodin left over from my wrist surgery. Any type of medicine (except the Vicodin) makes my headaches worse. Well, if I’m not on my period, I hang upside down with three pillows between my head and the floor. Helps a ton. Then, I go into my room, turn off the light, lay down, and do nothing. Helps aleviate the pain in about an hour. (1/2 upside down, 1/2 in my room.)
HEY IT’S NIKKI AND ALYSSA IN DA HOUSE!!!
we 10 andget migraines frequently.
these might sound weird but just do it! i have tested it on peeps so shut up and listen!
eat pickles!
at walgreens migraine be koooool patches
coooooooooooooool washrag on your forehead and the back of the neck stay in a QUIET place
we have more tips but 2 lazy 2 rite
see ya’ll later!
nikki and alyssa
Hi I’m 11 years old when I get migraines i lay in my room with the door shut and lights off,tv off,and window closed. I take a nap. When I wake up it is gone but if it is not gone I get a ice cold towel and put it on my face for 10-15 mins. Then I take a nice cold bubble bath for an hour. Then TaDa my migraine is gone for good!!!!!!!
Have a headache right now the best way is to actually sniff a lemon it works for me if you dont want to do that have 3 hours sleep then make yourself wake up with a loud beep then stay awake 3 hours and continue until your head ache goes away it mainly only take 2 times x Hope my advice helped
hey i’m 10 and i have migraines like my mom ALL the time. i take motrin or maybe advil. i get a wet washrag and lay down and watch t.v. quietly. try to get these adult patches 4 the forhead. they are at walgreens and they help.
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
The only thing that works for my head aches is taking tylenole and laying in my bed for lik at least 20 min. This helps a tonnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!! If that doesn’t work, take a freezing shower.
You should try to eat a little bit but eat a good meal that you like another way is put a cold rag on youre forehead and close youre eyes and try to take a small nap you could geta headache from watching tv or using a computer also you could take youre foot and beetween youre toes anyone it doesnt matter take youre finger beetween youre toes and push down but in it helps and relaxs youre mind also drink water and just dont think about things alot then you can rub youre tempales on youre head another tip is to avoid sun light and avoid the music or noises and you problay would want to be alone or with someone to love you and take care of you but watch what you eat!!!
LOOK I HAVE MIRGRAINES AND WAS ON IMITREX WHEN I RAN OUT OF MY MEDS I WENT CRAZY BUT A FRIEND OF MINES MOM TREATED ME WITH THIS ALL NATURAL TREATMENT AWESOME AND TOOK MY MIGRAINE AWAY IN THREE MINUTES NO LIE. SO GET A BUCKET A BIG BOWL OR A BABY IGLOO COOLER FILL IT WITH ICE AND WATER. STICK YOUR FEET IN IT OFF AND ON. MEAN WHILE HAVE SOMEONE OR YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF POUR RUBBING ALCOHOL ON YOUR HEAD. DONT GET IT IN YOUR EYES. RUB IT IN. THEN HAVE A LITTLE WASH CLOTH WITH ICE AND ALTERNATE IT ON YOUR FOREHEAD AND TO THE BACK OF YOUR NECK…I DONT KNOW WHY THIS WEIRD CRAZY THING WORKS…BUT HEY I SAVED MONEY FROM BUYING PILLS AND IT TOOK MY PAIN AWAY IN LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES. IM DOING THIS FOREVER!!!!!!!!
I wear glasses and my perscription changes often. It used to cause headaches when I was younger. I have new glasses, however and my headaches within the last two months have jumped up to about twice a week, and migraines sprinkled in the mix every once in a while. I have found that the only thing that helps is hot/cold/dark showers. I sit in the bottom of my tub and let the water run over me, turn off the lights and switch the water from warm to cool (dont do it too extreme- bad for the heart!!) this is really relaxing, gives medicine time to dissolve, and helps me fall asleep. Especially if you let a little water run into your eyes.
If its cool out, sit out on your patio. Cold air always helps me. I also drink herbal tea as hot as I can stand it, without it being uncomfortable. The hot tea in conjunction with the cool air at least makes my headache more bearable. At least its relaxing, right? Excedrin migraine also works pretty well for me, if I have it with a cup of coffee. Good luck!
Hello,
I am 31 and have suffered from migraine since my early 20’s. I know they can be extremely painful and dehabilitating. I have had several migraines during work that have casued me to go home early. I am grateful my boss is so understanding and has worked with me. I have suffered from the typical nausea and light sensitivity. I find that laying down in a dark room and taking Excedrin Migraine has helped. I needed something stronger and I have been perscribed Imitrex 100mg which has helped tremendously. I now only get headaches a couple times a month as opposed to every week. I take antidepressants as well as migraines can be casued from a low production of seratonin. Effexor is an SSRI and this may have helped in cutting down the number of migraines I have been getting. Kurtis I read your post and you may want to consider Imitrex as it has helped me very much! The have tablets as well as nasal spray. Best of luck and I hope you get better.
I’m 15 years old and I get migraines frequently. it friggin’ sucks but i learn to handle the pain (if i don’t have anything to take… THEN I’LL TAKE IT!!) but I’ve been getting them since about the age of four, so I DO know what it is like and I feal sorry for anyone else who suffers from migraines and sinus headaches. Oh, yeah, the tip part, haha, if you have extreme migraines like I do, take Excedrin Migraine, and then take a nap, it S H O U L D work, if it doesn’t, I’m sorry for getting your hopes up… Oh, I got my eyes checked to see if I just needed glasses, and it turned out I didn’t need them. Consider it, please… Seriously.. So, I hope that I was of any help at all! Sorry if I wasn’t though. If some one trys what I do and it works for you, pleez tell me!
BYE!!!
Drink Gatorade and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. If you can’t do that make yourself a quiet place where you can relax.
Herbal tea remedies to relieve migraines:
CHAMOMILE:Is good for dull, throbbing headache with a feeling of queasiness-add a little ginger to relieve more severe nausea.
ROSEMARY:Helps where stress is a trigger for migraines and where local warmth gives relief.
I found I got headaches every day upon waking after smoking and keeping the window shut. Even if you don’t smoke allow fresh air in by keeping your window open (only slightly if it’s cold) overnight, it lessens headaches a lot and I don’t get half as many now
Also, I find taking a painkiller and then distracting myself from the headache works best