How to get rid of a headache at home
Many people admit that headaches are the hardest thing to endure. The pain does not allow you to concentrate on work and do your favorite things, it prevents you from falling asleep. Together with expert Mikhail Lystsov, we will figure out what is the cause of a headache and how to quickly get rid of it at home

Probably everyone has experienced a headache at least once in their life. According to the World Health Organization, headache is one of the most common disorders of the nervous system, and almost 20% of the population suffers from chronic headaches.1. Headache can be called the oldest disease of mankind. The first descriptions of pain appeared more than 5000 years ago, and since then this problem has not ceased to be relevant.

The pain of pain is different. There are several types of headaches that differ in their cause, intensity, frequency of occurrence, localization and accompanying symptoms. To put it simply, all types of pain can be divided into primary and secondary.1.

Primary headaches are not a symptom of any disease: they include tension headaches and migraines. 90-95% of all headaches are primary.

Secondary headaches usually occur due to injuries and diseases of the brain and blood vessels1.

We will talk about the primary headache, which is short and episodic. Such pain can be relieved at home without consulting a doctor. With regular and prolonged headaches, a medical consultation is necessary.

Step by step guide to get rid of headaches

Unless your headache is caused by a serious medical condition, you can manage it on your own. We have compiled a step-by-step instruction for you on how to quickly relieve a headache at home.

Medications

The easiest way to get rid of a headache is to take over-the-counter over-the-counter medicine. It can be an analgesic or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The most effective will be aspirin, ibuprofen or preparations based on them.2. The medicine will begin to work approximately 30 minutes after ingestion.

However, you should not abuse the intake of painkillers. Be especially careful with aspirin. Among the contraindications: blood clotting disorders and stomach ulcers. Children should also not be given aspirin.

Preventive drug treatment, aimed at reducing the frequency of seizures, is carried out strictly according to the doctor’s prescription.

Massage

If you are not a supporter of taking medications, massage is an excellent pain reliever. Massage your head, earlobes and neck. Massage will improve blood circulation, relieve tension and divert attention from pain. Perfectly helps with headache massage of the occipital region and the base of the skull. A massage of the back, bridge of the nose and biologically active points on the body will enhance the effect.

Warm bath or shower

A warm bath is a great way to relax. Warm water improves blood circulation, relieves tension in the muscles of the head and neck2. To enhance the effect, add sea salt or a few drops of lavender, mint or marjoram essential oil to the water. If you can’t take a bath, a warm shower is a good alternative.

Aromatherapy

Essential oils can also be inhaled or rubbed into the scalp. Apply a drop of lavender oil to your temples and massage them for 10 minutes. A cold compress with lavender oil applied to the forehead or back of the head will also help. Rosemary, peppermint and chamomile oils also have a calming and relaxing effect.

Rest and healthy sleep

Overwork and chronic fatigue are common causes of headaches. Healthy and long sleep will help reduce the frequency of attacks. If you have a headache during the day, then lie down for at least 5-10 minutes in a dark, cool and quiet room. Even this slight rest will help reduce the headache or get rid of it altogether.

Water and food

Often, a headache can occur due to a lack of water in the body, due to which the blood “thickens”, water-salt metabolism is disturbed.3. Drink a glass of water to help relieve pain. To prevent dehydration, try to drink at least 1 liter of pure water daily.

Headache can also appear with sharp fluctuations in blood glucose levels with irregular meals. Eating hot food will help you feel better. A cup of hot coffee or strong tea will also help to cope with pain, as the caffeine and tannins contained in them constrict the vessels of the brain. But don’t get carried away, too much caffeine can also cause headaches.

Fresh air

Fresh air is an excellent remedy for headaches. Lack of oxygen and prolonged work in a sitting position disrupt the blood supply to the brain3. Take a walk in the fresh air, do a couple of physical exercises. If this is not possible, just open the window or sit on the balcony.

Cold compress

The cold constricts the blood vessels for a while, which brings quick relief from headaches. It can be ice cubes wrapped in a towel, or just a plastic bottle of cold water. Apply a compress to the forehead, temples, back of the head and base of the neck for 10-15 minutes, and the headache will subside.

Relaxation

Constant tension and stress interfere with the body’s production of dopamine (the “pleasure hormone”) and can lead to headaches. In addition, when we are stressed or excited, we often clench our teeth and tense our neck muscles.

Try to relax. Use any relaxation technique you know, be it breathing exercises, relaxation, or just prayer. Even simple yawning can help relax facial muscles.

Popular questions and answers

We asked our expert to answer popular questions related to the causes and treatment of headaches general practitioner Mikhail Lystsov.

Why does headache occur?

— There are many causes for pain. They can be the result of injury or serious illness, but most often they are not pathological in nature and are caused by overexertion of the muscles of the head and neck, or are the result of fatigue or stress. Such pain can be removed at home, it does not last long. For severe and prolonged pain, consult a doctor.

What should I do if my head hurts for several days?

– If the headache lasts for several days, especially if this has not been observed before, do not delay your visit to the doctor. The causes of such pain may lie in the violation of the functions of organs or systems of the body (for example, vascular pathology). A qualified doctor will help to find and eliminate the cause of this condition. 

Which doctor should I contact for a headache?

– Headache is treated by doctors of any profile. It all depends on the cause of the pain. Whether it is caused by a disease of the central nervous system, ENT organs or the musculoskeletal system – the profile of a specialist depends on this. If you suffer from any chronic disease, please contact your doctor. At the first visit, consult a general practitioner or neurologist. These doctors will conduct an examination, identify the cause of the disease and, if necessary, refer you to a narrower specialist.

When should you worry about recurring headaches?

– As a rule, people prefer to deal with headaches on their own at home. But often a headache is a signal of health problems. What kind of pain is especially worth paying attention to? Call your doctor right away if you develop new symptoms:

• Pain in an unusual place and is sharp;

• The pain does not go away for a long time and becomes stronger every day;

• Abrupt changes in the nature of pain: from acute to dull and vice versa;

• Headache accompanied by neck pain and high fever;

• Against the backdrop of a headache appear nausea, vomiting, photophobia, convulsions, altered consciousness.

Sources of:

  1. Akhmadeeva L.R., Azimova Yu.E., Karakulova Yu.V. and others. Clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of tension headache // Russian Medical Journal, 2016. https://www.rmj.ru/articles/nevrologiya/Klinicheskie_rekomendacii_po_diagnostike_i_lecheniyugolovnoy_boli_napryagheniya/
  2. В.Н. Шток. Головная боль. — Москва: Медицина, 1987. https://tgma-neuro-fpk.ru/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/%D0%A8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BA-%D0%92.%D0%9D.-%D0%93%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F-%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C.pdf
  3. Tabeeva, G. R. Headache: a guide for doctors. Moscow, 2018. https://www.rosmedlib.ru/book/ISBN9785970444849.html

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