Ways to Help Get Rid of a Headache

Headaches can be a real problem. For some people, they get so bad that it can make life almost unmanageable. When you feel the pain starting to come on, your first thought might be to head to the medicine drawer to take a few pain relievers. While this might be a fine solution sometimes, it may not always work and there are some downsides to taking these drugs too frequently. To get relief while avoiding the overuse of over the counter drugs, there are some simple things that can help a person to get rid of a headache.

The first thing to understand when it comes to managing headaches is that there are many things that can cause headaches. If you are going to manage the pain effectively, then you need to identify the cause of the pain.

For migraine sufferers, one of the best options is going to be using a cold pack. Keep a cold pack on your forehead for about 15 minutes and then take a break from the cold for 15 minutes. If you feel relieved, then you can stop, but you can repeat the 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off cycle until the pain goes away.

Another option for migraine suffers is to put their feet in a tub of warm water. For many people that experience migraines, the pain comes from blood vessel inflammation around the brain. If you place your feet in a tub of warm water, it can draw some of the blood away from the brain and down toward the feet. This will relieve some of the pressure from the blood vessel inflammation.

More common than migraines are tension headaches and sinus headaches. For headaches of these varieties, warm water or a warm compress will provide good relief. If it is a tension headache, it is probably the result of tension in the neck, shoulders or upper back. A heating pad can help to relieve the tension and by doing so, it will lessen the pain. If the problem is a sinus headache, then you want to take a warm cloth and put it over the area where you are feeling the pain. For both of these types of headaches, a hot shower can also work well as a remedy.

If you have chronic issues with headaches, a visit to the chiropractor could be a great way to get relief. If you have recurring problems with tension headaches, then chiropractic care is one of the best ways to address the problem. Many tension headaches are caused by structures in the body being out of alignment. When the body is out of alignment, it can cause problems with the nervous system and cause the tension in muscles that leads to the headaches.

While chiropractic care is almost certainly a sure thing for tension headaches, migraines can be a little trickier. However, there are things that a chiropractor can do to help a person with recurring migraines. With many migraines, the inflammation that causes the pain is a part of a nervous system response to stimuli, and the reason that it responds this way is because it is under stress or not functioning correctly. A chiropractor can apply many treatment techniques to improve nervous system function, and this should at least help to reduce the frequency and intensity of the headaches.

Beyond this, chiropractic care can also be great for the prevention of most headaches. With a body that is properly aligned and a nervous system that is functioning properly, the individual will be less likely to have the headaches. Additionally, a chiropractor can provide lifestyle advice, nutritional counseling and tips for managing work life and stress. All of this can be a part of a comprehensive treatment strategy that is designed to help the individual headache sufferer.

If you are experiencing a problem with headaches, then you need to do something about it. Sure, taking medication could address the pain, but the pain is just a symptom. Taking pain relievers will do nothing to treat the root cause of the pain. In addition to that, overuse of these medicines can be bad for your health and you can build up an immunity to the pain relieving agent to the point where it with lose its ability to provide relief. For people that have regular problems with severe headaches, the best course of action is to seek preventative care.