Some people do seem to be much more prone to regular headaches than others. If you feel that might be true for you, or you just want to try and reduce the number of headaches you have anyway, there are a lot of things you can bear in mind to make this easier. By adopting some simple practices and getting to the bottom of how headaches are caused, you can do away with the vast majority of them, and thus improve the quality of your life in a big way. So let’s take a look with our guest author at some of the things to think about here in terms of understanding & alleviating headaches
Understanding & Alleviating Headaches
The Difference Between Headaches & Migraines
The clear and obvious similarity between headaches and migraines is that they both cause a pain in the head. However, beyond that point, they are actually quite different, and it’s important to know the difference so that you have some idea of what you are up against when it crops up for you. With a migraine, you might have sensitivity to bright lights too, as well as tinnitus for some people, and sometimes you might feel nauseous too. It’s truer to say that headaches are a symptom of migraines, but can also exist separately from them.
Pressure Points
Pressure points are useful to know about, and the truth is that you often know about them in a kind of instinctive way, even if you haven’t specifically learned about them. Think about it: when you have a headache, one of the first things you generally do is to rub your temples as a way to feel better. That works because your temples are a pressure point, but there are other ones too – such as the centre of your forehead and the nape of your neck. It’s worth trying these out when you have a headache – one of them is bound to do something.
Hydration
Of course, the most common cause of the headache is dehydration. Whether that is caused by simply forgetting to drink enough water, drinking too much alcohol the night before, or by spending too long in the sun, the solution is clear and always the same: drink more water. In general, if you have a headache, this is the best thing you can do, even if it takes a while for the full effect to come off. Make sure you are drinking your eight glasses a day every day, and you will probably hardly ever get headaches at all.
Trauma
Sometimes a headache is caused by some kind of trauma, such as falling over and hitting your head. When this happens, you might well need more serious attention on the head – perhaps even going to the emergency room in some cases. You will probably also benefit from having some painkillers administered, but be careful not to overdo it or become too reliant on them. In general, you should avoid simply popping pills every time you have a headache, and instead try the other methods above first. They will often suffice.