These include simple management and prevention strategies and learning more about your condition and how it affects you.
Create a Soothing Environment
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Light and noise can aggravate headaches and migraines.
When your pain strikes, give a shot to create a calm, dark, quiet space.
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If possible, sleep or at least rest and relax as much as you’re able to.
Some essential oils, used for aromatherapy, may help ease head painor be soothing.
Wearable heating and cooling packs and other devices are available.
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Topical products likeIcy Hotmay also help.
Use Caution
Be sure not to expose your skin to extreme heat or cold.
Limit the length of time you use heating and cooling products.
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Put a towel or piece of fabric between your skin and a cold pack.
Only use ice for 15 minutes, then take at least 15 minutes off before applying again.
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Research shows that caffeine can sometimes help with a headache or migraine.
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But it can also trigger them.
Tea and soda typically contain lower levels of caffeine.
So you’d need several servings to reach 130 mg.
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Some headache medications include caffeine, as well.
However, if you consume caffeine regularly, the effects may diminish over time.
Also,caffeine withdrawaloften causes a headache.
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Caffeine may be a trigger for chronic daily headache (CDH) in some people, though.
It may be worth experimenting to see if caffeine aggravates or relieves your headaches.
Set aside a period of time every day that’s dedicated to relaxation.
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This self-care will pay off, leaving you more relaxed and aware of yourself.
Replacing processed foods with fresh alternatives that reduce inflammation can go a long way in preventing head pain.
Optical-grade lenses dont have the distortion that some inexpensive lenses have, and polarization is essential for cutting glare.
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Wear them whenever the light is bothersome, even if it’s indoors.
Your eyes (and your head) will thank you.
For some people, even milddehydration can trigger head pain, so drinking lots of fluids is essential.
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Some fruit juices and caffeinated drinks can trigger headaches and migraines.
Stop worryingthe house almost certainly won’t fall down around you.
Dont fall into this trap.
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Good overall health is essential when you’re struggling with any specific health problem.
If you stay generally healthy, you may even help yourself contain your head pain.
An important component of both good health and pain management is regular exercise.
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So is maintaining a healthy weight, as being overweight increases the risk of chronic headaches.
It also helps to learn about your condition, identify your triggers, and find a support system.
National Headache Institute.Does sound therapy actually help relieve migraines?
2021;265:113326. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.113326
National Headache Foundation News.Hot and cold packs/showers.
American Migraine Foundation.Caffeine and migraine.
Harvard Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing.4 ways to tame tension headaches.
The Migraine Trust.Migraine and sleep.
Dalkara T, Kilic K.How does fasting trigger migraine?
A hypothesis.Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2013 Oct;17(10):368. doi: 10.1007/s11916-013-0368-1.
2011;31(8):925-936. doi:10.1177/0333102411409076
American Migraine Foundation.What is migraine?
The Migraine Trust.Migraine attack triggers.
May A, Schulte LH.Chronic migraine: risk factors, mechanisms and treatment.Nat Rev Neurol.
2016;12(8):455-464. doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.93
American Migraine Foundation.The timeline of a migraine attack.
