5 Quick Tips To Relieve Headaches Naturally Plymouth Meeting

Have you ever had a headache in Plymouth Meeting?

Of course, we all have! Headaches are a common symptom that most adults and many children experience, but just because they are common doesn’t make them any less annoying and distracting; especially because they always seem to come at the worst time.

Here are some quick tips for relief from those nagging headaches.

1. Figure Out What Type of Headache You Have in Plymouth Meeting

There are many different types of headaches that people experience. Determining what kind of headache you have is the first step to knowing how to get relief from them.

Sinus headaches – Sinus headaches are caused by pressure being built up within the sinuses and are usually caused by sinus infections or allergies. These headaches cause pain deep within your nasal passages and forehead. These symptoms may also be accompanied by ear pain, head congestion and a stuffy or runny nose.

Tension headaches – These are the most common type of headache that people experience. Tension headaches most often occur because of poor posture, holding stress in your shoulders and neck and even staring at a computer screen for too long.

Migraine headaches – Migraines are typically the most severe of headaches and can last from a few hours to even multiple days and in many cases migraine sufferers can experience them multiple times a month. Migraines are often accompanied with neurological symptoms such as an aura, numbness and visual disturbances as well as additional symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and even sensitivities to light, sound and smell.

Cluster headaches – Cluster headaches are the least common headaches on the list but can be quite severe. People who suffer from cluster headaches often describe the pain as an intense burning or stabbing pain behind the eyes. Cluster headaches get their name from their frequency. The often come in “clusters”, meaning that someone may get several of the headaches over a period of a few days to a few weeks.

It is important to know the type of headache that you are experiencing, that way you can narrow down your treatment options based on what is truly effective for your type of headache.

2. Drink Water

Inadequate hydration may lead you to develop a headache.

In fact, studies have demonstrated that chronic dehydration is a common cause of tension headaches and migraines.

Thankfully, drinking water has been shown to relieve headache symptoms in most dehydrated individuals within 30 minutes to three hours.

It’s also interesting to note that being dehydrated can impair concentration and cause irritability, making your symptoms seem even worse.

Hydration Tip:

To help avoid dehydration headaches, it is best to keep track of how much water that you are drinking per day. As a general rule of thumb, we recommended to drink ½ your body weight in ounces. (Not to exceed 100oz per day) For example if your weight 150lbs then you should plan to drink at least 75 fluid ounces of water per day.

3. Use Hot/Cold Therapy

Ice and heat can be very useful when applied properly. Heat helps to relief muscle pain and tension by increasing blood flow and oxygen to a desired area while ice can help calm aggravated nerves and decrease inflammation. Knowing how, where and when to use the therapy can certainly help get the result that you are looking for.

Here are some useful tips below to help relieve common headache symptoms.

Heating Tip : (May be beneficial for tension headaches)
If you use a heating pad make sure to use a microwave-safe gel pack.

1. Place the gel pack in the microwave and heat as directed.
2. Take the gel pack out and wrap in a damp towel.
3. Apply heated gel pack to the shoulders and/or base of the skull.

Ice Tip : (May be beneficial for migraine and sinus headaches)

1. Take the ice pack from the freezer.
2. Wrap the ice pack in a dry towel.
3. Apply ice pack to the forehead or directly over the painful areas for 15 minutes.

Note: Never place heating pack or ice pack directly on skin.

4. Try Stretching

Whether your headache is posture related or not, you may find relief from stretching your neck and back.

5. Essential Oils

Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts that contain aromatic and therapeutic compounds. They have many therapeutic benefits and are most often used topically, though some can be ingested.

Peppermint and lavender essential oils are especially helpful when you have a headache.

Applying peppermint essential oil to the temples has been shown to reduce the symptoms of tension headaches.

Meanwhile, lavender oil is highly effective at reducing migraine pain and associated symptoms when applied to the upper lip and inhaled.

Searching For Long Term Headache Relief?

In the long-term, your best bet is to get evaluated by a professional to determine the type of headache and proper treatment plan to resolve true cause of the headache.
Correcting the true underlying cause can often greatly reduce the pain of headaches and even eliminate them altogether. If you are suffering from frequent headaches, Restoration Spine and Wellness can help! Please call our office at 610-828-9634 to learn more about our Headache relief program.