In today’s busy and stressful life, more and more people have experienced a severe or debilitating headache.
A headache is pain or discomfort in the head or face. Headaches vary greatly in terms of the location and intensity of the pain, and how often the headaches occur. The brain tissue doesn’t have pain-sensitive nerve fibers and doesn’t feel pain. But, other parts of the head can be responsible for a headache including:
- A network of nerves that extends over the scalp
- Certain nerves in the face, mouth, and throat
- Muscles of the head, neck, and shoulders
- Blood vessels found along the surface and at the base of the brain
A headache is a common condition that involves pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. It can be a dull ache, a sharp stabbing pain, a throbbing sensation, or a feeling of pressure in the head. Headaches can range in severity from mild to severe and can last from a few minutes to several days.
There are many different types of headaches, including tension headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, sinus headaches, and others. Each type of headache has its own set of symptoms and triggers, and may require different types of treatment.
Headache Types
Here is a table that lists the types of headaches:
| Type of Headache | Description |
|---|---|
| Tension Headache | A dull, non-throbbing pain that feels like a tight band around the head. |
| Migraine Headache | A recurring headache that is often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and other symptoms. |
| Cluster Headache | A series of short, extremely painful headaches that occur in clusters, often at the same time of day or night. |
| Sinus Headache | A headache that is caused by sinus congestion and inflammation. It may be accompanied by facial pressure or pain. |
| Rebound Headache | A headache that occurs as a result of overuse of medication used to treat headaches. |
| Thunderclap Headache | A sudden, severe headache that can be a sign of a serious medical condition, such as bleeding in the brain or a stroke. |
| Hormonal Headache | A headache that is linked to changes in hormone levels, such as those that occur during menstruation or pregnancy. |
| Exertion Headache | A headache that is triggered by physical activity or exertion, such as running or lifting weights. |
| Hypertension Headache | A headache that is caused by high blood pressure. |
| Cervicogenic Headache | A headache that is caused by problems in the neck or spine, such as arthritis or a pinched nerve. |
It’s important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other types of headaches that are not included here. If you experience frequent headaches, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider to determine the cause and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Using pain medications is a quick way that many choose to relieve headache symptoms. However , this method is not effective completely because it only works for a short period of time. Moreover, if you overuse these medications during weeks, it will lead to rebound headaches.
There are several ways to avoid headaches. Here are some tips:
Ways to Avoid Headaches
1. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can cause headaches, so it’s important to drink enough water throughout the day. One of reasons for having a headache is dehydration. You are advised to consume at least eight glasses of water or other fluids a day to ward off dehydration. When your head begins hurting, you should drink a glass of water to ease the pain. People who often suffer a headache are told to drink an additional 1 . 5 litres of water a day for 12 weeks.
2. Manage Stress
Stress is a common trigger for headaches, so finding ways to manage stress, such as exercise, meditation, or deep breathing, can help prevent them. Stress is the number one cause of headaches, so it is important to eliminate it to keep your mind, body and spirit relaxed. You can get into an exercise program, go for a walk, read a book or go shopping if that works for you. You can also delegate your work to others to reduce stress and pressure .
3. Enough Sleep
Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can cause headaches, so it’s important to get enough sleep each night. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Sticking to a sleep schedule can help you avoid pain. Headache sufferers are advised to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Therefore , you should take a nap or sleep the number of hours you need to feel alert and rested. Make sure you have a comfortable pillow, peaceful and quiet environment to get a good night’s sleep.
4. Avoid Triggers
Avoid triggers: Identify any triggers that may cause your headaches, such as certain foods or activities, and try to avoid them.
5. Exercise Regularly
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help reduce the frequency and severity of headaches. Another way to prevent a headache is doing exercise regularly because it helps improve the production of endorphins, the brain’s natural painkillers. Besides, practicing relaxation techniques can be remarkably effective in addressing your headache. Relaxation exercises will manage your pain well. They are easy to learn and implement, too. Meditation and deep breathing are among the most common options to beat a headache. Practicing yoga is another way to keep you refreshed and stress free.
6. Maintain Good Posture
Maintain good posture: Poor posture can cause tension headaches, so it’s important to maintain good posture, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk.
7. Limit Alcohol and Caffeine
Limit alcohol and caffeine: Excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption can cause headaches, so it’s important to limit your intake.
8. Take Breaks From Screen Time
Take breaks from screen time: Staring at a computer or phone screen for extended periods of time can cause headaches, so it’s important to take regular breaks and rest your eyes.
9. Treat Underlying Conditions
If you have an underlying condition that may be causing your headaches, such as high blood pressure or anxiety, it’s important to treat that condition to help prevent headaches.
Here are 7 ways without using drugs that help you to avoid a headache or better manage it if it occurs.
10. Snack on Nuts and Seeds
Lack of food can trigger headaches but there are some foods can cause it such as chocolate, red wine, aged cheeses, processed meats and more. So you need watch what you eat to alleviate your headache. You can replace those foods with nuts and seeds that are an excellent source of magnesium. This mineral, which acts as a muscle relaxant, can be found in large amounts in oats, green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, etc .
11. Wear Your Hair Down
Wearing a tight-fitting hat, plait, chignon and Alice band is another reason for headaches because your hair is pull back, straining the connective tissue in the scalp. So the best way to avoid a headache is keeping your hair down instead of sporting a ponytail.
12. Massage Your Scalp, Neck and Earlobes
Massage therapy is a nice way to help you relieve tension and improve circulation. It also helps relax the tense muscles and cause them to place less pressure on the nerves and blood vessels. So you should massage your scalp and earlobes by yourself and have someone else massage your neck and back if possible. Make sure you press the areas lightly and use tiny circular movements while you keep massaging.
Prevention Medicine of Headache
Medications can help prevent frequent migraines. Your doctor might recommend preventive medications if you have frequent, long-lasting or severe headaches that don’t respond well to treatment.
Preventive medication is aimed at reducing how often you get a migraine, how severe the attacks are and how long they last. Options include:
- Blood pressure-lowering medications. These include beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran XL, others) and metoprolol tartrate (Lopressor). Calcium channel blockers such as verapamil (Verelan) can be helpful in preventing migraines with aura.
- Antidepressants. A tricyclic antidepressant (amitriptyline) can prevent migraines. Because of the side effects of amitriptyline, such as sleepiness, other antidepressants might be prescribed instead.
- Anti-seizure drugs. Valproate and topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy XR, others) might help if you have less frequent migraines, but can cause side effects such as dizziness, weight changes, nausea and more. These medications are not recommended for pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant.
- Botox injections. Injections of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) about every 12 weeks help prevent migraines in some adults.
- CGRP monoclonal antibodies. Erenumab-aooe (Aimovig), fremanezumab-vfrm (Ajovy), galcanezumab-gnlm (Emgality), and eptinezumab-jjmr (Vyepti) are newer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat migraines. They’re given monthly or quarterly by injection. The most common side effect is a reaction at the injection site.
I’m not trying to tell that never to use painkillers again. They can be really helpful at times, but should not become a part of their daily ration.
One more thing. Read a label and always pay close attention. Some over the counter medicine even if they are prescribed for different things can contain the same active ingredients simultaneously. In that case you will exceed maximum daily dose and make your body more harm than good.
For example, Tylenol used for reducing headaches contains acetaminophen. So does Thera Flu maximum force, used to fight the cold. If you combine those two medicines, you will most likely overdose acetaminophen. Combined with poor diet, alcohol consumption and irregular consumption will gradually destroy your liver. The worst thing is that signs of liver failure in the early stage are very similar to the flu. Not knowing that most people increase doses of flu medicine, killing their liver completely. And it all starts with something as little as a tension headache and weakened immune systems.
