Author: Charles Frank

Headache Relief How to Stop a Headache: Tension, Sinus & Migraine

You assume responsibility for decisions made with your individual medical situation. Until recently, avoiding migraine triggers was considered the best advice. But new research suggests this may actually increase sensitivity to potential triggers. The same lifestyle choices that promote overall good health also can reduce the number of migraines you have and lessen the migraine pain. They are regarded as some of the most painful forms of headaches. The B vitamins are readily available as supplements with several brands that people can buy online.

1. For people who often experience migraines, avoiding strong smells may be a wise step to take when trying to prevent them.
2. In other cases, such as with a tension headache where the muscles are too tight, a warm compress may help relax these muscles and bring relief.
3. If you have a sinus headache, hold a warm cloth to the area that hurts.
4. Many people find that massaging the temples, jaw, or neck may help relieve tension and reduce a tension headache that comes from being too stressed.

Sipping on beverages that contain caffeine, such as tea or coffee, may provide relief when you are experiencing a headache. For example, one study in 80 people diagnosed with migraine demonstrated that taking 100 mg of CoQ10 per day reduced migraine frequency, severity, and length (39). Keep reading for 18 effective home remedies to naturally get rid of headaches. When a headache comes on, you want to do everything you can to make it stop. Medication usually does the trick, but taking medication isn’t something you should make a habit of—and sometimes you just don’t have any handy. An incredibly painful headache should never be ignored as it may be indicative of a severe head injury or underlying illness.

Bright office lights or even the bright light from a smartphone may make symptoms worse. In other cases, such as with a tension headache where the muscles are too tight, a warm compress may help relax these muscles and bring relief. In this article, we look at a range of home and natural remedies for headaches. People can try many of these remedies right away, and some of them might help to prevent headaches in the future. Taking up yoga may even help reduce the intensity and frequency of your headaches. Therefore, people who get frequent headaches should be mindful of their caffeine intake (44).

Avoid contact with chemicals or other strong smells

It also helps increase the effectiveness of common medications used to treat headaches, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen (43). Although many medications can be used to treat headache symptoms, a number of effective natural treatments also exist. Sinus headaches are often mistaken for tension headaches but sinus headaches are usually triggered by allergies. Maintaining a healthy weight through exercise and diet can provide additional benefits in managing migraines.

It’s also important to take good care of yourself and understand how to cope with migraine pain when it strikes. Whether it’s stretches, yoga, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation, learning how to chill out when you’re in the middle of a headache can help with the pain. You might talk to your doctor about physical therapy if you have muscle spasms in your neck. If you have a tension headache, place a heating pad on your neck or the back of your head. If you have a sinus headache, hold a warm cloth to the area that hurts. Ice cubes wrapped in a towel, a bag of frozen vegetables, or even a cold shower may ease the pain.

Research suggests that peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus essential oils are especially helpful when you have a headache (28, 29, 30). Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Citrate is a great choice for people who want to try magnesium for headaches. Interestingly, magnesium has also been shown to be a safe, effective remedy for headaches. The following headache remedies can help provide all-natural relief. Your response today was provided by ChatGPT trained on the proprietary content of this page. Please note, this tool is for information purposes only and not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice.

One of the simplest ways to reduce headache frequency and severity is to engage in physical activity. Nitrites may trigger headaches by causing the expansion of blood vessels (56). Aged cheeses, alcohol, chocolate, citrus fruits, and coffee are among the most commonly reported food triggers in people with migraines (1).

Some other areas to try massaging include the area between the eyebrows and the two spots at the base of the eyebrows on either side of the bridge of the nose. These spots may hold tension from the eyes or head, and massaging them could help relieve this tension. Different issues may lead to headaches, and sleep problems are among the more common ones. They can also run tests to help rule out health conditions and nutrient deficiencies, such as B12 and iron deficiency, which may cause or worsen headaches (65, 66). A doctor can help rule out potential underlying causes of your headaches and give you the right care. Not only is it cost-effective to make, but drinking the tea is a healthy way to stay hydrated.

Get adequate sleep

Adding magnesium to the diet, as a supplement, may help reduce headaches or prevent them in these cases. One study investigated the effects of yoga therapy on 60 people with chronic migraines. Headache frequency and intensity were reduced more in those receiving both yoga therapy and conventional care than in those receiving conventional care alone (49). Caffeine improves mood, increases alertness, and constricts blood vessels, all of which can have a positive effect on headache symptoms (43). A 2016 study in 50 people with migraine found that eliminating migraine-triggering foods from the diet significantly reduced migraine attack frequency, duration, and severity (42).

Effective treatments depend on the type and cause of the headache you’re experiencing. Taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen can also help reduce headache pain (67). Evidence suggests that magnesium deficiency is more common in people who get frequent migraine headaches than in those who don’t (13). Tension is the most common type of headache, and is the type that most people mean when they think of headaches. If you’re unsure what type of headache you have, please head to the “Types of headaches” section at the end of the article.

Headaches can be a symptom of a serious underlying health issue, such as a tumor, a blood clot, or another medical condition that requires immediate medical attention (5). There are many ways to increase your activity level, but one of the simplest ways is to increase the number of steps you take throughout the day. This hypersensitivity to odors is called osmophobia and is common in those with chronic migraines (52). Medication overuse and infections of the central nervous system can cause headaches as well (6). Our clinically-backed AI will ask you questions and provide an answer specific to your unique health situation. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health.

Additionally, some people are more likely to experience headaches than others. For example, headaches can result from potentially life threatening conditions, including tumors and blood clots, as well as from traumatic brain injury (5). Migraines may keep you from falling asleep or wake you up at night. Likewise, migraines are often triggered by a poor night’s sleep. Combining medicine with behavioral measures and lifestyle can often be the most effective way to handle migraines. The same is true for chewing your fingernails, lips, the inside of your cheeks, or handy objects like pens.

Relax with meditation or yoga.

Avoid crunchy and sticky foods, and make sure you take small bites. If you grind your teeth at night, ask your dentist about a mouth guard. It may help if people avoid sources of these smells, such as department stores, others who wear a lot of perfume, or chemical smells from cleaning products. Anyone who is uncertain if alcohol affects them in this way could try limiting their drinking and seeing if it changes or prevents their symptoms. Sometimes food intolerances may be the underlying cause of symptoms such as a headache. Exercise may help keep the body healthy and promote better circulation, which might reduce the chances of a headache showing up.

A severe headache or migraine can last from a few hours to several days and they are very painful. Often, these types of headaches must be treated by a physician, who may prescribe a prescription medication to help alleviate the pain and occurrence of these headaches. A few minutes massaging your forehead, neck, and temples can help ease a tension headache, which may result from stress.

Bright or flickering light, even from your computer screen, can cause migraine headaches. If you’re prone to them, cover your windows with blackout curtains during the day. You might also add anti-glare screens to your computer and use daylight-spectrum fluorescent bulbs in your light fixtures. Headaches are common and most people will experience them in their lifetime. Typically, headaches do not cause debilitating pain and can be managed with over-the-counter medication.

After a migraine, a tension headache is the most common form of headache. Read on to learn more about the varying types of headaches, what causes them, and how you can find relief at home. People may want to discuss a persistent or particularly severe headache along with other symptoms with a doctor to find and resolve a problem. There are several natural and home remedies that people can try to get rid of a headache without using medication. Massaging certain pressure points may help relieve tension in the head and reduce a headache. Many people do this instinctively, such as rubbing the back of the neck or pinching the top of the nose when they feel stressed.