• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Daily Vitamina

Daily Vitamina

Bilingual Health News

  • Health Conditions
  • Healthy Living
  • Food
  • Weight Loss
  • Fitness
Home / / The Headache Relief Guide

The Headache Relief Guide

A businesswoman and mother holding her head in one hand and her baby in the otherMigraines, tension headaches, sinus headaches, hormone headaches, cluster headaches, mixed headaches…reading about all the different types of headaches is enough to make your head hurt! According to the National Headache Foundation, over 45 million Americans suffer from some type of headache.

So what are the best, and simplest, ways to get rid of them?

 

LIKE DailyVitamina.com on Facebook! Get Your Daily Vitamin…FOR LIFE!

Relaxation

Best for: Soothing stress before a headache starts.

How they work: Simple deep breathing and stretching (neck and shoulder rolls, in particular) relax tense muscles that trigger headaches, says Sheena Aurora, M.D., the director of the Swedish Headache Center, in Seattle. A pulse-point balm with aromatherapeutic ingredients, like peppermint, can help, too.

Remember: Stretching also improves poor posture, another possible cause of headaches.

Cold or Heat Therapy

Best for: Medicine-free relief from minor tension headaches (which, unlike migraines, aren’t debilitating).

How it works: Experts aren’t sure precisely why each therapy is effective, but cold slows blood flow and reduces inflammation, and heat increases blood flow; both of these may ease pain. “Go with your personal preference,” says Jason Rosenberg, M.D., the director of the Johns Hopkins Headache Center at Bayview, in Baltimore. Apply a cold compress (a fabric-wrapped cold pack stays cooler longer) or a heating pad wherever you hurt; limit treatment to 15 minutes at a time.

Remember: You can also alternate the two in five-minute increments. Start with cold, then switch to heat.

Caffeine

Best for: Mild tension headaches.

How it works: “One way that caffeine may help is by blocking brain receptors to adenosine, a neurotransmitter that can cause blood vessels to dilate and create pressure,” says Rosenberg. Consuming caffeine constricts those vessels, relieving pain. Sip a cup of coffee at the first sign of a headache.

Remember: This method is effective only if you typically consume less than 150 milligrams of caffeine a day. (That’s about one cup of coffee.) If you usually drink more, your blood vessels won’t be as responsive.

Peppermint Tea

Best for: Those whose headaches are accompanied by an upset stomach.

How it works: “There’s evidence that peppermint may reduce spasms in the gastrointestinal tract, which can relieve headache symptoms,” says Audrey L. Halpern, M.D., the director of the Manhattan Center for Headache and Neurology. What’s more, “neurochemical changes in the brain brought on by headaches can also affect the part of the brain that stimulates nausea,” says Halpern. And peppermint has been shown to ease a queasy stomach.

Remember: If you’re pregnant, talk to your doctor before using any herbal remedy or supplement, including peppermint.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Best for: Headaches that do not respond to other remedies.

How they work: Acetaminophen products, like Tylenol, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), like Aleve and aspirin, decrease inflammation and inhibit chemicals in the brain that produce pain. Experiment to figure out which type works better for you, but use these OTCs only one day a week. Taking them more often than that can cause medication-overuse headaches, says Halpern. To minimize stomach discomfort, take with milk or food.

Remember: For stronger relief, consider a brand that combines an NSAID with caffeine, such as Excedrin. According to the National Headache Foundation, caffeine may help the body absorb the medicine better.

Acupuncture

Best for: Chronic tension headaches.

How it works: Tiny needles are inserted into specific points of the body; this can reduce muscle tension and encourages the release of painkilling endorphins, says Jill Blakeway, a licensed acupuncturist in new york city. Research suggests that, for some people, acupuncture may reduce tension-headache frequency by 50 percent or more.

Remember: Studies show that you may need 10 treatments before you start experiencing relief.

For the complete article, click here.

February 14, 2013 by Edgar Villanueva, Staff Writer

Read Next Article

The Latest In

La presión arterial es más alta y más difícil de controlar en los días fríos

En un pintoresco pueblo al pie de una montaña nevada en Ushuaia, sur de Argentina, residen dos buenos amigos: Alex y Ethan. En una tarde invernal, Ethan compartió con Alex un desconcertante fenómeno. Con una expresión de inquietud, exclamó: "Jamás [Read More...] about La presión arterial es más alta y más difícil de controlar en los días fríos

Keys to Iron Health: The Real Foods that Strengthen Our Defenses

Pablo used to turn his back on the vegetables, relegating them to a corner of his plate without considering their flavor. As his best friend, I decided to teach him how to lead a healthy life through a balanced diet. [Read More...] about Keys to Iron Health: The Real Foods that Strengthen Our Defenses

Secretos científicos. ¿Cómo la música impacta en nuestras mentes?

En su infancia de niña inquieta y divertida, la música era la llama que encendía la pasión de Victoria. Mientras tarareaba canciones de moda, sus padres veían en sus ojos una chispa de alegría deslumbrante. A medida que creció, la [Read More...] about Secretos científicos. ¿Cómo la música impacta en nuestras mentes?

Habits to Live a Healthier Life, Like the World’s Longest-Lived Communities

When life expectancy in developed countries and the Third World has declined, it is no surprise that Dan Buettner's exploration of the centenarians of the longest-lived communities on Earth is attracting a lot of attention. Dan Buettner is an American writer, [Read More...] about Habits to Live a Healthier Life, Like the World’s Longest-Lived Communities

Leche, ¿amiga o enemiga? Pros, contras y datos que debe conocer

Érase una vez un pequeño pueblo enclavado en el campo. Un día, Lily, una joven curiosa, se encontró inmersa en un animado debate entre los aldeanos. El tema: "Los efectos de la leche en la salud". Poco después, Lily visitó [Read More...] about Leche, ¿amiga o enemiga? Pros, contras y datos que debe conocer

Alert! The 7 Health Tests That All Men Should Not Ignore

Juan, 37, had been feeling bad for several weeks, but he kept putting off seeing the doctor. He feared what he might discover, but his wife finally convinced him to undergo a checkup. Speaking with his doctor, Juan was surprised [Read More...] about Alert! The 7 Health Tests That All Men Should Not Ignore

Primary Sidebar

Popular Posts

  • LIFE-1Why do Men Live Shorter Lives Than Women?
  • Silhouette of man and woman kissing during sunset10 Tips to Stay Healthy And in Love
  • BLIND-2Un mundo sin luz. ¿La ceguera se cura?
  • ACU-2How Acupuncture Helps Lose Weight
  • MARATON-28 consejos para ganar su primera maratón

Copyright © 2025, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.