How To Get Rid of a Headache

Headaches strike in different ways and range from slightly uncomfortable to debilitatingly painful. Several types of headaches exist—such as migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches—and can occur for several reasons, from certain foods to not getting enough sleep.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stop a headache without always using medication, like trying acupressure, taking screen time breaks, and exercising regularly. If you want to know how to stop a headache, read on to learn more about options for natural headache relief.

What Causes Headaches?

Headaches have many causes. Headaches may be primary—not due to a health condition—or secondary, which is when another condition is responsible. Some reasons why you might have a headache can include:

• Brain tumors
• Brain bleeding
• Caffeine withdrawal
• Certain foods like chocolate or some types of cheeses
• Extremely high blood pressure
• Fevers
• A lack of sleep
• Meningitis
• Muscle tension due to stress, depression, or anxiety
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Viruses that cause the cold and flu
  

1. Rest

Headaches can be a way of your body letting you know you need to slow down—especially if you're not getting enough quality sleep. Poor sleep might look like not getting enough sleep, sleep deprivation, or not getting restful sleep. Headache symptoms can worsen with poor sleep.

At the same time, make sure you don't get too much sleep; oversleeping can be responsible for migraine attacks. Your best bet is to keep a consistent bedtime and wake time—even on the weekends.

2. Eat Enough Food

If you haven't eaten anything in a while, you might have a headache because of low blood sugar. Eating something healthy right away and eating enough food, in general, can also help with headaches. For example, the following foods rich in the mineral magnesium may be especially helpful in alleviating headaches:

• Almonds
• Black beans
• Chia and pumpkin seeds
• Spinach

3. Ice Your Forehead

Coolness or cold can be helpful for headaches. Lying down with a chilly, wet washcloth, cold compress, or ice pack over your forehead or eyes may provide temporary relief from a headache that's bothering you.

4. Take a Hot Shower

A steamy shower can offer relief from tension headaches. The steam from the shower may also be helpful if you have sinus pressure. One study found that while steam inhalation was not an effective treatment for most sinus symptoms, patients did report it helped their sinus headaches.

5. Get a Massage

Massage therapy can potentially be helpful if you have headaches, though research is limited. Self-massaging or getting a professional massage may provide relief. Some people have also found scalp massagers work well.

6. Try Acupressure

Acupressure is a form of traditional Chinese medicine massage where manual pressure is applied to points on the body called acupoints. Acupressure is designed to balance your flow of energy, or qi.

For headaches, you can try applying pressure to a point on the hand between the thumb and index finger. Squeeze the indentation between the two digits with your opposite hand's thumb and index finger and massage in a circular motion for five minutes, then switch hands.

More data is necessary to understand if acupressure can relieve headache pain. Researchers still found that acupressure could at least relieve migraine nausea.

7. Limit Alcohol

Drinking alcohol can result in headaches: Alcohol has been identified as a migraine trigger for up to 60% of individuals. To help reduce the likelihood of headaches, you can limit how much you drink. Drinking in moderation means adults of the legal drinking age limit themselves to two drinks or less in a day for men and one drink or less in a day for women.

8. Stay Hydrated

Headache is one of the first signs of dehydration, the process of losing body water. Dehydration alone may cause headaches and worsen headaches related to an underlying condition.

Your water intake needs to take into account your age, weight, and daily activity. You can also reach your water requirement from sources other than plain water—like low-calorie liquids, fruits, and vegetables. You'll need to increase your water intake to stay hydrated and stave off headaches if you're physically active or live in a warm, humid environment.

9. Get Your Medications Checked

Learning if a medication you're on has a side effect of headache could be key to alleviating your pain. If you are overusing the medication you're taking for your headache, you may be unknowingly worsening your pain.

These headaches are called medication-overuse headaches (MOH). You may also hear them called analgesic rebound headaches, drug-induced headaches, or medication misuse headaches.

Talk to a healthcare provider about how to safely stop taking the medication if you're worried you may be misusing or overusing it. Medications that can be overused—and consequently cause more headaches—include:

• Acetaminophen
• Aspirin
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Opioids
• Sleep medications
• Triptans—commonly used for migraines
  

10. Manage Stress Levels

The effects of stress on the body can include headaches. Tension headaches are sometimes called muscle contraction or stress headaches because there may be a link between stress and posture.

When possible, frequent breaks from stressful situations to relax can be beneficial for headache relief. The key is to find a relaxing activity that you enjoy, which can range from taking a walk and reading a book to crafting or finding a new hobby.

11. Try Limited Amounts of Caffeine

Caffeine is a potential headache reliever. Researchers indicated that 100 milligrams (mg) of caffeine or less combined with NSAID use offered the benefit of migraine symptom reduction.

While consuming caffeine can relieve headache symptoms, it can also cause them. You can get headaches from caffeine intake or withdrawal—when you stop eating or drinking it.

12. Take Computer Breaks

Increased screen time—like looking at computer screens for a long time—can result in headaches. "Screen headaches," as they're sometimes called, need more research, but one study pointed to a relationship between high levels of screen time and migraines in young adults.

You may also have screen-related headaches as part of computer vision syndrome, or digital eye strain. Other symptoms can include blurred vision, dry eyes, and pain in your neck or shoulders.

Having the right chair, desk, and computer set up can help with digital eyestrain and, by extension, any associated headaches. You'll also want to take breaks if you have to sit in front of a computer screen for a long time and make sure you blink frequently enough.

13. Be Careful in the Sun

When you're spending a lot of time in the sun, it can be a migraine trigger. Limited time in the sun is essential for other reasons. Headaches can be also symptoms of heat exhaustion—a condition that requires medical attention.

To prevent headaches from heat exposure, consider the following tips:

• Limit outdoor activity to cooler times of the day
• Stay hydrated
• Wear light, loose clothing, sunglasses, or a wide-brimmed hat

14. Exercise Regularly

A vigorous workout can leave you with a pulsing, throbbing headache. During the times you're headache-free, regular exercise is a good way to help you stay that way. Researchers concluded that aerobic exercise—like biking, cross-training, and walking briskly—could help in migraine prevention treatment.

15. Watch Out for Food Triggers

Certain foods may be linked to headaches for some individuals. Other than alcohol and caffeine, common foods and drinks connected to headaches have included chocolate, milk, and cheese.

An elimination diet could be beneficial if you suspect certain foods are causing your headaches. Try removing the suspected foods and then reintroducing them to your diet one at a time.

16. Avoid Highly Stimulating Situations

Another common cause of headaches is anything too bright, fast, or flashy. Your best bet is to try to avoid situations with this type of environment when possible.

17. Ride in the Front Seat

Headaches often go along with motion sickness. There are ways to reduce the instances of a headache from motion sickness. Something as simple as not reading while using transportation and riding in the front seat so you have a good view of the road may prevent motion sickness.

19. Use Biofeedback

Research has suggested biofeedback could help improve migraine and tension headache symptoms. Biofeedback is a therapy technique that uses electronic sensors to monitor muscle tension, skin temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.

20. Consider Supplements

Some supplements may potentially offer headache relief. One review analyzed how riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamins B6, B9, and B12, vitamin E, and vitamin C could affect migraines. The review concluded larger clinical trials would be necessary to understand how and if these supplements affect different types of headaches.

Another study found that 500mg of magnesium oxide could help prevent migraine attacks. Talk to a healthcare provider before taking any new supplements to be sure it's safe for your specific medical situation. The FDA minimally regulates dietary supplements, which may or may not be suitable for you.

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Not all headaches will need medical care. However, you'll want to see a healthcare provider for headaches that:

• Are worse in the morning
• Change in pattern or intensity based on what you're used to
• Happen a lot but without cause
• Interrupt your sleep or keep you from falling asleep
• Last more than a few days

In some cases, headaches may need immediate medical attention. Seek medical care as soon as possible if you have the following symptoms:

• A first-in-your-lifetime severe headache that affects your daily activities
• A headache that you consider to be the worst one you've ever had
• A new headache and a history of cancer
• A sudden, very severe headache
• A weakened immune system due to health conditions or medications
• A worsening headache within 24 hours
• An immediate headache after activities like aerobics or sexual activity
• Headache after a head injury
• Headaches that just began, especially in people older than 50
  
• Headaches with other symptoms like chewing pain, loss of balance, nausea, slurred speech, and vision changes
  

A Quick Review

Several natural headache remedies exist. You may be able to get relief from options like biofeedback, stress management, acupressure, and rest.

Preventing and treating your headache could come down to you and a healthcare provider understanding what kind of headache or migraine you're experiencing. Figuring out an underlying cause could help you choose the best remedy.