How to relieve a headache without pills: simple life hacks at home

When you have a headache, even doing what you love becomes unbearably difficult. But what if you don’t have the necessary pills at hand? What helps with headaches in this case?

The causes of headaches vary from dehydration and lack of sleep to toxic gases, poor circulation and the onset of a serious illness. To eliminate it, people take painkillers. But when it is not there, severe headaches can be relieved in other ways.

To get rid of headaches without pills, you can:

1. Do acupressure
2. Give a general head massage
3. Perform aromatherapy
4. Take a shower or bath
5. Drink clean water
6. Get some fresh air
7. Eat lemon, ginger or mint
8. Drink cinnamon tea

Do acupressure

Acupressure, or acupressure, is a treatment that applies pressure to specific points on the body. No special knowledge is required for this massage.

First you need to relax. Imagine sitting by the fireplace, wrapping yourself in a blanket and drinking delicious hot tea. Breathe slowly and deeply.

Now massage each point with light circular movements for an average of 1-2 minutes. The pain will go away after about 5-10 minutes of massage.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are six main acupressure points on the head. To quickly understand where they are located, you can use a mirror.

Before a massage, consult a specialist.

Yintang

Remember how Indian girls draw a dot on their forehead? This is where our first acupressure point is located: between the eyebrows, above the nose. Do about 30 compressions and move on to the next one.

Jiuliao

These two points are located in the lower part of the face, between the nose and upper lip, on either side of the corners of the lips. Massage slowly for two minutes.

Quanzhu

From above, at the inner corner of the eye, closer to the bridge of the nose. Massage for one minute.

Tianzhu

In the back, at the beginning of the spine, at the hairline. Massage for 1-2 minutes.

Qubin

Points on both sides near the temples, above the ear. Massage for one minute.

Haegu

Located between the thumb and index finger. Press on the point for 1-2 minutes.

Beam (cluster) headache

Cluster (bundle) headache (CHB, PHB) is the most common type of trigeminal (autonomous) autonomic cephalgia. The prevalence of CGD in the population is low - 0.1–0.4%; men suffer 3–4 times more often than women. The age peak of incidence in men occurs in the second decade, women have two peaks - from 15 to 20 years and from 45 to 50 years. Most patients have an episodic form of PHB (90% of all cases) with alternating periods of pain and remissions; Less common (up to 10%) is chronic CBG, when remissions are either absent altogether or do not exceed 1 month.

Symptoms of cluster headache (PHB).

Attacks of severe, strictly unilateral pain, orbital, supraorbital, temporal, or any combination of these sites, lasting 15–180 minutes and occurring anywhere from once a day to eight times a day. Pain is associated with ipsilateral conjunctival injection, lacrimation, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, forehead and facial sweating, miosis, ptosis and/or eyelid edema, and/or restlessness or agitation.

Treatment
of cluster headaches
. Before prescribing therapy, the patient should be explained about the benign nature, possible prognosis of the course of the disease, the need to avoid potential provoking factors during the painful period (refusal of alcohol, medications and products with vasodilating properties, adherence to a sleep-wake schedule). Therapy includes relief of attacks and prevention of painful periods

To relieve attacks, triptans and inhalation of 100% oxygen are most effective, and to a lesser extent, local anesthetics (lidocaine, capsaicin); analgesics and opioids are not used.

Preventative treatment

should begin as soon as possible after the onset of the painful period. Even with a noticeable improvement during the first 1–2 weeks of therapy, patients should not interrupt the course: the duration of treatment should exceed the usual duration of pain bundles. Corticosteroids (prednisolone) and verapamil are most effective.

Give a general head massage

A general head massage can help you in the fight against headaches. Especially if the pain is due to a spasm, since such a massage improves blood circulation and helps relieve pain.

1. Throw back your head, lightly knead your neck with your fingers from top to bottom and vice versa. The movements should be spiral-shaped. Do this for two minutes.
2. Then move to the top of the head. Very gently and carefully make movements reminiscent of washing your hair. When performing this self-massage, you should feel a pleasant warmth. The appearance of heat signals good blood circulation. Duration of massage: 5–7 minutes.
3. Place your fingers on your temples, then massage them in a circular motion, moving from the temples along the ear to the back of the head. Massage for 3-5 minutes.
4. Now massage your earlobes. Movements should be gentle. Place your thumbs behind your ears and spread your fingers over your entire head. The massage lasts 2–3 minutes.

After the general massage, rest, do not make sudden movements and begin your business after 15 minutes.

Relieve tension

Tension headaches are a common problem for people whose jobs involve high levels of concentration, responsibility, and stress.
The prevalence of this type of pain in the world ranges from 46 to 78%. Statistically, tension headaches lead to more missed work days than migraines. There are three categories of tension headaches: infrequent episodic, frequent episodic and chronic. Doctors usually advise treating headaches with over-the-counter analgesics. However, with frequent and chronic pain, medications soon stop helping.

Massage helps treat headaches. Scientists conducted an experiment: over the course of 4 weeks, they conducted four treatment sessions for participants in two groups. For the first group, therapy included massage and manipulation of the cervical spine, for the second group - only massage. 8 weeks after the experiment, participants in both groups showed significant improvement in performance.

A course of relaxing massage, gentle manual practices, and osteopathic techniques can be an effective method of reducing the frequency and intensity of headaches. But if this is not possible, then an independent head massage will help relieve the spasm that is causing the problem.

Cervical exercises can also help situationally: bending and turning the neck will improve blood circulation and reduce the intensity of pain.

But you should be careful with circular movements, they can provoke spinal tension.

If the pain is caused by mild stress or fatigue, you can use breathing practices, meditation and other methods that reduce arousal.

Perform aromatherapy

In the 18th century, essential oils were used to treat various diseases: for a runny nose, inhalations with mint oil were made, for insomnia, they took a hot bath with chamomile or lavender. Nowadays aromatic oils are easy to find on store shelves. They are used regularly both to prevent headaches and to relieve them.

Oils from the following plants will help relieve headaches:

• lavender;
• mint;
• coriander;
• eucalyptus;
• rosemary;
• angelica;
• basil;
• sandalwood;
• clary sage;
• Linden;
• yarrow, etc.

Essential oils should not be applied undiluted to the skin! Most of them are very concentrated and will cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction. Before using the oil, you must mix it with another neutral, for example, apricot kernel oil, or with cream, shampoo, milk, yogurt, honey or sour cream. The aroma oil can be inhaled using aroma lamps, a diffuser or other means. Eight ways to use aroma oil:

• Bath.
  Mix eight drops with one tablespoon of regular bath oil or milk, then add to water.
• Diffuser.
  Aroma diffusers are special ultrasonic devices into which water and essential oil are added, and then, under the influence of ultrasound, fragrant steam is sprayed. Add 3-4 drops per 15 m2 to the bowl. Turn it on for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a day.
• Aroma lamp or candles.
  Light them 2-3 times a day.
• Compress.
  Add a few drops of essential oil to warm water. Wet a towel and place it on your forehead.
• Face massage.
  Mix about six drops with a tablespoon of massage oil. Now massage your face and neck in circular motions.
• Full body massage.
  Add a few drops to a tablespoon of unscented massage oil.
• Inhalation.
  Add 3-5 drops to a large container of hot water. Take a towel, cover your head and inhale the fragrant steam for five minutes (this method is not recommended for asthmatics).

Use only natural oils! Sometimes essential oils contain artificial scents, which can have the opposite effect or even make the situation worse.

3

CAUSES OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES

The authors have the courage to assert that the root of evil in the occurrence of migraine headaches is in improper breathing, or more precisely, in the type of breathing.

If you prefer to breathe deeply, straighten your shoulders wide and suck in your stomach, then sooner or later you will encounter headache attacks.

Over the past years, many doctors have come to the same conclusion: super-enrichment of the blood with oxygen during deep inhalation and forced release of carbon dioxide with powerful exhalation leads to oxygen starvation of tissues.

It would seem that there is an obvious absurdity: the more oxygen in the blood, the more it should enter the cells of the brain, heart, skeletal muscles, etc.

However, in our body everything is somewhat different, and the reason for this is a deficiency of carbon dioxide in the tissues. It is the currency for which cells can exchange oxygen. But it is she who is very quickly lost when breathing incorrectly.

REMEMBER ! The paradox of deep breathing is the occurrence of a deficiency in brain tissue.

It is very simple to explain the meaning of this phenomenon: hemoglobin in the blood will never give up its oxygen if a sufficient concentration of carbon dioxide has not accumulated in the tissues.

This turns into a paradox of deep breathing, or HYPERVENTILATION: there is excess oxygen in the blood, but it cannot penetrate the tissues - there is no carbon dioxide there.

Brain cells are the first to sense a lack of oxygen. Brain hypoxia manifests itself in the appearance of drowsiness and yawning, headache and vomiting.

Oxygen-deprived, suffocating tissues send alarm signals to all regulatory centers of the body.

The vascular tone selectively changes, many hormonally active substances are released, which will result in microcirculation disturbance: paleness and swelling of the facial skin, increased pulsation on the affected side.

Many people have long noticed the relationship between stuffy indoor conditions and headaches. Thinking about the lack of oxygen in the stale air, they began to breathe even more greedily. But, unfortunately, the result was just the opposite.

With such forced breathing, a person loses the necessary carbon dioxide even more and begins to physically feel the lack of oxygen. Panic seizes him, his breathing becomes more intense, and fear appears in his eyes. This situation often ends in fainting.

If for this reason our dear reader is afraid of stuffy rooms or crowded subway cars, then you just need to breathe correctly and follow the correct ratio of inhalation and exhalation in order to forget about this fear over time.

REMEMBER! With the correct type of breathing, a shallow breath is taken with the stomach for 1-2 beats, and a long exhalation with retraction of the stomach is done for 5-6 beats.

This type of breathing ensures normal gas exchange while maintaining the required level of carbon dioxide concentration. In this case, the main physical load is borne by the DIAPHRAGM - the muscular membrane between the chest and abdominal cavities. It is the main respiratory muscle, which, like the heart, does not know fatigue.

REMEMBER! Diaphragmatic (abdominal) type of breathing is the most physiological.

See how the sides (not the chest) of horses and dogs swell when they breathe. By the way, they won’t be able to breathe otherwise, nor will they be able to imitate shortness of breath.

Perhaps only a person is allowed to control the type and frequency of breathing.

In addition, when breathing excessively deeply, moisture quickly evaporates from the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and respiratory tract, they dry out, and a feeling of dry mouth occurs. An unpleasant odor appears from the mouth.

A person begins to drink an unreasonably large amount of liquid, but still cannot quench his thirst.

All this most often occurs during excitement or violent emotions. This is how we can explain why stressful situations and intense physical activity so often result in headaches combined with severe thirst.

REMEMBER! The best way to avoid many problems with anxiety is to breathe calmly.

REMEMBER ! The best way to avoid headaches and many problems is calm breathing.

Take a shower or bath

One of the simple and effective ways to get rid of headaches is a hot shower or bath. If the pain is associated with poor circulation due to pinched vertebrae, back problems or muscle spasms, then you need to dilate the blood vessels so that the blood circulates well and supplies the cells with oxygen. In this case, both a hot water bottle and a hot shower will do. If you add lavender oil diluted in milk to a hot water bath, it will not only relieve stress, but also relieve pain.

Seven simple ways to overcome headaches without drugs

Headaches can be overcome without resorting to medications.

Photo: Evgenia GUSEVA

1. Massage

The most common headaches in the world are tension headaches. For various reasons, they affect 70% of the adult population of the planet once or twice a week. It has been scientifically proven that if a person often suffers from headaches and at the same time devotes some time to massage at least 2-3 times a week, then his attacks will be at least half as frequent and much weaker. Massage restores blood circulation and allows the body to relax. And this relieves spasms - the main cause of tension pain. Besides, a head massage is very nice. Do it with smooth circular movements - moving from the back of the head to the forehead, advises therapeutic massage specialist Lyubov Korotkevich. And the bio-point responsible for normalizing pressure is located under the occipital protuberance [self-massage for headaches - in the BTW section].

2. Stretching

Tension pain occurs due to stagnation of blood in the collar area and because the muscles become numb and “stony”. It's simple! We stretch our neck, raising our head up, then lowering it down, then left and right, and finally making circular movements with our head. Moreover, at the end point of each movement, we make a stretching movement with our neck and fix the neck and head in this position for 10 seconds. Then rest for five seconds and proceed to the next movement.

3. Warm - cold

If the pain is throbbing, then you can apply ice or a wet towel to your temples - important arteries pass here that supply blood to the cerebral cortex. A slight decrease in temperature can quickly suppress a headache, advises expert - German neurophysiologist Gerhard Esau. On the contrary, if the pain is pressing, then you should put something warm on the back of the neck - this will create an outflow of blood and lower the pressure.

4. Control your consumption of caffeinated products

Caffeine can constrict blood vessels around the brain, causing migraines. More than 3 cups ground or 5 instant will cause problems. Try reducing the amount, or switching to decaffeinated drinks.

4. Don't eat dry food

The tissues surrounding the brain are 90% water, so dehydration leads to nerve irritation and pain. When there is a lack of fluid in the body, the blood thickens, which leads to spasms of the smallest blood vessels - capillaries, including those in the brain. And this causes a headache attack. Drink 1.5-2 liters of water daily. If you snack on the go, be sure to wash down solid foods with water.

6. Watch out for nuts, beans and ginger.

The trace element magnesium regulates blood flow to the brain and blood sugar levels, says pharmacist Natalya Masalskaya. It is found in fresh green vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, beans, and oatmeal. Together with vitamin B6, it tidies up the autonomic nervous system and reduces weather sensitivity (you can buy a vitamin complex with these substances).

Also, for those who often suffer from headaches, it is good to eat ginger more often. Its active substance, capsaicin, blocks the effect of certain substances that cause inflammation of blood vessels and migraines. Capsiacin is also found in mustard seeds and chili peppers.

7. Create a microclimate

We cannot cope with what is outside the window. But anyone can create a microclimate at home that is beneficial for your little head. Very often we cannot cope with a headache without medication simply because we do not know how to relax. Hence the constant overvoltage. Set aside “unloading” minutes - at least 20 minutes after a working day, listen to pleasant background music (preferably without words, so as not to concentrate on the meaning of the song and start humming), learn to control your breathing according to the yogic principle (breathe with your stomach, “knock down” the breathing rhythm - it helps relieve stress). And most importantly, you need to accustom yourself to clear your head of all extraneous thoughts for a short time! According to scientists, in a day we absorb only 5-7% of the necessary information; all other thoughts are empty troubles.

BY THE WAY

Self-massage for headaches

It's better to do it while sitting. All points need to be pressed with medium force for 1-1.5 minutes each.

So, if you have pain:

FOREHEAD

The first point is located above the bridge of the nose - in the middle between the eyebrows. Turn your thumb with your nail down and apply pressure with the pad.

Next, find a point located along the midline of the face 1-1.5 cm above the front border of hair growth. Press down on it with the pad of your thumb.

From above, inspect your hand with your fingers tightly folded. A muscle tubercle forms between the thumb and index finger. The point we need will be in its center. Press down firmly with the thumb of your other hand. Massage the points on both hands alternately.

Different remedies will help with different types of headaches.

Photo: Nail VALIULIN

WHISKEY

Feel the hole on your temple - this will be the “sun” point, especially revered in Chinese massage. It is better to massage these points simultaneously with your middle fingers.

The next point is located on the head directly behind the top point of the ear. Press on both points simultaneously with the pad of your middle finger.

NAPE

First, thoroughly stretch the muscles in the neck and shoulder area.

Then, using your index fingers, use light circular movements to massage the brow ridges from the bridge of your nose to the center.

Find a point under the occipital protuberance. Massage it a little longer - 2-2.5 minutes.

Drink clean water

Dehydration is one of the things that can easily lead to a little personal headache-related hell. Perhaps pain is just a signal from your body about a lack of moisture.

It is very important to drink clean water. Tap water may be hard or have high levels of iron or chlorine. Therefore, to take care of your health, it is better to use a water filter.

Causes of headaches

There are many possible causes of headaches, among the most serious and dangerous are destruction of brain matter, vascular diseases, inflammatory processes, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, chronic intoxication, and diseases of the nasopharynx.

If serious diseases and pathologies are excluded, then the causes of headaches should be sought in the routine, rhythm, and lifestyle. There is a concept of tension headache. Approximately 50% of people suffering from headaches are patients with tension headaches. The causes of these headaches are social stress associated with overwork, depression, anxiety, non-compliance with the daily routine, sleep disturbance, and muscle stress due to prolonged static loads, prolonged sitting at the computer, working in a forced position with eyestrain. Such headaches can be episodic (2-3 times a week), or chronic - constant. Basically, these are bilateral headaches, as if “there is a helmet on the head”, and “the head is constantly tied with a hoop.” The main problem is that very often these pains are not diagnosed and patients take painkillers, which, on the contrary, increase the disturbances.

A general negative attitude and lack of positive emotions is what also provokes headaches. Look around on the street on public transport, you will see only gloomy, frowning faces, most of these people suffer from headaches.

Get some fresh air

Increased carbon dioxide levels are one of the most common causes of headaches.

To normalize the level of carbon dioxide, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room. But open windows do not guarantee relief from migraines: noise, harmful gases and unpleasant odors can enter from the street, which will only intensify the pain. The breather supplies fresh air with the windows closed, cleaning it from dust, allergens and gases. It also has a climate control function and can heat the air in the room to the required temperature.

Go for walks in public gardens and parks more often. Even fifteen minutes in the fresh air will help normalize heart function, relieve headaches, reduce stress and improve your mood.

Change your contraceptive method

In some cases, if you have a headache, it should be treated not by prescribing medications, but, on the contrary, by stopping taking them.
For example, patients suffering from migraine with aura should avoid taking combined oral contraceptives due to the high risk of ischemic stroke due to their ability to provoke thrombogenesis. For women suffering from severe headaches and migraines without aura, the risks are lower, but for them exogenous hormones and estrogen withdrawal may also be triggers.

Therefore, if you notice that after starting to take oral contraception, headaches have become more frequent and intense, this is a reason to think about changing your method of preventing pregnancy.

Eat lemon, ginger or mint

Some products help in the fight against headaches:

1. Lemon.
   Apply lemon peel or zest to your temples and forehead, or mix a couple of drops of lemon with water and drink slowly to help relieve headaches. A cup of tea with lemon is also great.
2. Mint.
   Pour one tablespoon of dried mint into 200 ml of boiling water and leave for ten to fifteen minutes. After this, strain the broth and drink.
3. Ginger.
   Make a cup of ginger tea. It will not only relieve headaches, but also help improve immunity.

You need to prepare tea as follows:

• Add a tablespoon of grated ginger root or a teaspoon of dry ginger to a small saucepan with boiling water;
• cook over low heat for several minutes;
• strain and let it brew;
• add tea, as well as honey or sugar to taste;
• Drink this ginger tea several times a day.

Ginger inhalations also help. To do this, add a few tablespoons of ginger to water and boil. Then cover your head with a towel, lean over the hot broth and inhale the steam.

Massage against headaches

Acupressure is an effective way to help cope with headaches. It has no contraindications and does not require special conditions. You can find massage points for headaches yourself using an acupuncture guide. Reflexologists at the Yusupov Hospital use headache points on the head during acupuncture sessions.

Massage not only helps to quickly relieve headaches, but also has the following effects:

• relieves or reduces stress;
• promotes calm and relaxation;
• improves blood supply to the brain;
• increases body tone and concentration;
• improves sleep quality.

If the headache is not severe and is due to fatigue, you can massage the entire head. It calms the nervous system, eliminates negative thoughts and helps the patient find peace. With light movements, massage the entire scalp with your fingertips for 4-6 minutes.

Which points to massage for headaches? Almost 100 biologically active points are located on the human ears. There are points on the earlobe to relieve headaches and pressure. Rubbing your earlobe for one minute helps relieve headaches. When pressing on a biologically active point, pain is felt.

Drink cinnamon tea

Consuming cinnamon helps improve blood circulation, which is a necessary condition for saturating the body with oxygen and other nutrients.

Pour hot water (not boiling water) over half a teaspoon of dry cinnamon or one tube. Add a little sugar and leave for half an hour. Drink two sips every hour. In case of severe pain, it is necessary to make this solution more concentrated.

Make cinnamon tea. For this:

1. Brew tea in a small kettle.
2. Add one teaspoon of dry cinnamon, ground ginger and a little black pepper.
3. Leave for five minutes to allow the tea to steep and cool properly.
4. Stir and add a teaspoon of honey. Honey contains vitamins A, C, E, B vitamins, potassium, iodine, calcium, magnesium. Calcium and magnesium improve cerebral blood flow and relieve pain. In addition, headaches can be caused by a drop in blood sugar levels. Honey will also solve this problem. It is important that the water is not too hot, otherwise the honey will lose its healing properties. Scientists have found that when honey is heated above sixty degrees, fructose begins to oxidize, which turns into a carcinogen.
5. Add a couple of orange slices, lemon, lemon balm or mint to taste.
6. Drink this tea if you have a headache several times a day.

There is another way to use cinnamon:

Prepare a thick mixture from ground cinnamon. Mix three teaspoons of cinnamon with a small amount of water so that the consistency resembles thick sour cream or paste. Lie down, apply the mixture to your temples and forehead, leave for half an hour. A warming mixture of cinnamon will relieve headaches, especially if they are caused by a sudden change in weather and pressure changes.

People with gastrointestinal problems, as well as heart disease and high blood pressure, are better off drinking cinnamon in small quantities. Frequent consumption of cinnamon irritates the walls of the stomach, increases heart rate and increases blood pressure.

Cinnamon is prohibited for nursing and pregnant women!

All about migraines. Why does this headache appear and how is it treated?

Vera Osipova, a neurologist, cephalologist (specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of headaches), and member of the World Campaign Against Headache (LTB), spoke about the causes of migraine and ways to combat it

Natalia Gerasimova, AiF.ru: Who most often suffers from migraines? When does it appear and disappear?

Vera Osipova: Migraine is 3-4 times more common in women and, as a rule, begins in childhood or adolescence. In the first years of the disease, the clinical picture may not yet be typical. Basically, all manifestations characteristic of migraine appear later, after 20-25 years. Sometimes there is a slight worsening of migraines during menopause. Often the disease disappears by the age of 55-60, after the onset of menopause. In a small number of women and men, migraine may persist into old age.

What foods cause migraines? More details

— What diseases do people with migraines suffer from more?

— Migraines can be accompanied by several dozen diseases. These are so-called “comorbid disorders”. The most common symptoms are mental disorders (depression, anxiety, panic attacks), night sleep disturbances, other pain syndromes (tension headaches, back pain), diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and less commonly - epilepsy, essential tremor (shaking of the head and hands). Most migraine patients in young to middle age have low or normal blood pressure.

— How to identify migraine? What are its main features?

— The main method for diagnosing migraine in the Russian Federation and throughout the world is clinical, that is, a thorough questioning of the patient. The main signs of migraine are repeated attacks of the same type, usually in one half of the head in the area of ​​the eye and temple, aggravated by physical activity, and pulsating. Often the pain is accompanied by nausea, intolerance to light, sounds, smells (during an attack, patients prefer to retire to a dark, quiet room), and less often, vomiting.

Article on the topic

This mysterious migraine. How to treat headaches for pregnant and lactating women Some people experience a so-called migraine aura 15-30 minutes (less often an hour) before the onset of a headache. As a rule, these are visual illusions: a luminous zigzag, a flickering halo, shiny spots, a dark spot. Less common are sensory disturbances (numbness of one hand, half of the face, tongue) and speech difficulties (difficulty finding words and naming objects). Most people experience migraine without aura: the attack begins with a mild headache that gradually increases to a very severe one.

— Are additional examinations needed to make a diagnosis?

— Diagnostic methods, such as MRI, ultrasound examination of the vessels of the brain and neck, consultation with an ophthalmologist, electroencephalogram, are useless because they do not reveal the specific characteristics that are characteristic of this disease. For example, in patients with migraine, lesions in the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres may appear on MRI as they age. The same lesions can occur in people without migraines who have age-related vascular insufficiency. Unfortunately, quite often these isolated lesions are incorrectly interpreted by doctors as signs of multiple sclerosis or vascular damage to the brain.

If the patient's interview reveals a typical migraine pattern, this is sufficient to establish a diagnosis. When there are atypical characteristics of a headache or a neurologist sees abnormalities in the neurological status, additional examinations are prescribed to rule out the presence of another disease.

Danger signals that require additional testing include the following: onset of migraine after 50 years of age, aura lasting more than an hour, clearly unilateral pain that does not change sides, changes in neurological status (deviations of reflexes, violations of coordination tests, persistent visual disturbances ), mental disorders (memory lapses, inappropriate behavior), episodes of loss of consciousness with convulsions, as well as increased headaches when standing up and exertion associated with increased intracranial pressure (coughing, sneezing, straining when going to the toilet, sudden lifting of weight).

Get out of my head. How to get rid of migraine attacks? More details

— What triggers migraine attacks?

— There are provocateurs with which nothing can be done: weather changes and menstruation in women. There are provocateurs that the patient can avoid: staying in a stuffy room, drinking alcohol, skipping meals, excessive sleep at night, lack of sleep, bright sunlight, fatigue, physical activity, emotional stress. Chocolate, citrus fruits, nuts - they contain tyramine, which contributes to headaches. Sometimes a migraine comes during a period of relaxation after stress. For example, it was a hard day, there was a conflict at work. While the woman was solving these problems, her head did not hurt, but when she came home, ate, relaxed, watched TV, drank a glass of wine, an attack began.

— How to distinguish migraine from other diseases?

— Migraine is often confused with tension-type headache (TTH). The latter is not inherited. This is a diffuse pain around the head, like a helmet or hoop, and there may be mild nausea. Three migraine symptoms never occur at once: nausea, fear of light and sound. The provoking factors of TTH are stress and tension in the muscles of the head and neck associated with prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position. An important risk factor for the development of tension-type headache is a decreased ability to psychologically and muscularly relax. Most of these patients live in constant stress and do not have relaxation skills.

Article on the topic

Migraine is all over the place. How to get rid of headache attacks? It must be said that in Russia, instead of the diagnoses of “migraine” and “tension headache,” false diagnoses of discirculatory encephalopathy (chronic cerebral circulatory failure), spinal osteochondrosis with headaches, and arterial hypertension with cephalgic syndrome are still made. Patients are prescribed vascular nootropic drugs, but they do not work for migraines. During the time the patient receives this treatment, his headache only gets worse.

— What are the causes of migraine?

— It is assumed that migraine is a neurovascular disease. First, the activity of the brain structures responsible for conducting pain impulses increases, and substances that cause pain are released into the blood. Then the vessels of the membrane that covers the brain dilate.

The hereditary factor is of great importance. About 65% of patients have relatives with migraine and pass on their migraine to their children and grandchildren.

— What worsens the course of the disease?

— The course of migraine is worsened by stress, depression (long-term and persistent decrease in mood) and increased anxiety, excessive intake of painkillers, strong tea and coffee. Coffee and strong tea help with migraines. They have a kind of analgesic effect. But only in moderation. The same goes for painkillers. Patients should clearly understand that excessive use of any painkillers increases the frequency of migraines and can lead to the development of so-called drug-induced headaches. The highest risk of its occurrence is in patients who often take narcotic codeine-containing drugs. Therefore, the number of days with any painkillers should not exceed 8 days per month, one dose per day.

Why does my head hurt? And what pills lead to migraines Read more

— When should a patient with migraine see a doctor?

— The acceptable number of days with migraine headaches is 3-4 per month. If the number of migraine days begins to exceed 4-5 per month, you should contact a neurologist, or even better, a cephalgologist, in order to receive adequate preventive treatment.

— Is it possible to fight migraines on your own?

— To reduce the number of attacks, you need to lead the right lifestyle: do not overdose on caffeine and analgesics, avoid stress, take a contrast shower, experience positive emotions that relax patients (hobbies, travel, change of impressions). Don’t take on too much and develop “healthy indifference,” because migraine patients are often perfectionists who cannot refuse anyone or anything. During an attack, some patients are helped by an influx of fresh air and tightly pulling the head with a cold, damp towel, others by rinsing the head with warm or cold water. For migraines, intense sports that require strong drive are undesirable: tennis, hockey, basketball. You can do fitness, yoga, Pilates, swimming. If this is a gym, then it is better not to run, but to walk on a treadmill; for men, lift light weights. Work in production with strong odors, in the cold, at night, in stuffy rooms, in rooms with vibrations, has a bad effect on people suffering from migraines,

— How to relieve a migraine attack?

— In about a third of patients, several hours before the onset of an attack (less often, a day), precursors appear (the so-called prodrome - not to be confused with an aura that occurs immediately before the pain phase): mood changes, thirst, increased sensitivity to light and smells , drowsiness, increased activity or loss of energy. With these symptoms, people can prevent an attack from developing by taking the right pain medications early.

Article on the topic

My head is pounding! How to get rid of migraine? Rare attacks can be stopped with painkillers: first of all, try simple analgesics (ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, paracetamol), secondly, combined ones (Excedrin, in extreme cases - pentalgin) and thirdly (for severe attacks) - triptans (sumatriptan, zolmitriptan and eletriptan).

But a much more important task (or maximum program) is not to stop an attack that has already developed, but to alleviate the course of migraine as a disease as a whole, that is, reducing the number of days per month with migraine pain.

- How to achieve this?

— All classes of drugs are available in the world, and in the Russian Federation in particular, which, with long-term use, can significantly reduce the number of migraine attacks, reduce the severity of headaches and improve the quality of life of patients.

And these are not vascular drugs, nootropic drugs or vitamins, but classes of drugs such as antidepressants, some antihypertensive drugs (beta blockers), antiepileptic drugs, botulinum toxin.

In 2021, a new class of drugs was registered in Russia that is extremely effective in preventing migraines: monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the main pain substance that is released during a migraine attack. These are subcutaneous injections (in the forearm or buttock once a month or every three months), which can significantly reduce the number of days with headaches and improve the performance and well-being of patients. The duration of treatment ranges from 3-6 months to 1 year or more, depending on the effectiveness. Treatment with MAT is prescribed by a cephalgologist.

Mysteries of migraine. Why can’t this disease be cured forever? More details

— Is it possible to completely cure migraine?

- It is believed that this is impossible. However, it is possible to significantly ease its course and improve the quality of life of patients. In addition, migraines may spontaneously stop temporarily or permanently. It is possible to significantly alleviate the course of migraine and the appearance of another form against the background of severe stress: tension headache. Often patients have both forms - migraine and tension-type headache - of which one is the main one.

The correct lifestyle is extremely important to alleviate the course of migraines: avoiding and repressing life stresses, moderate physical activity, water procedures, positive emotions and strict control of painkillers.

When should you see a doctor?

Take headaches seriously.

You should contact a specialist if:

• headache more than once a week;
• you take pills more than once a week;
• You need to increase the dose of your medications to relieve your headache;
• the pain becomes stronger or its nature and location changes;
• pain is accompanied by fever, clouding of consciousness, general weakness, speech impairment or other factors.

Table of contents

Relieve tension Change contraceptive method Check your vision Primary or secondary headache? Sources

Headache can be caused by stress, fatigue, taking oral contraceptives, overstrain of the eye muscles with incorrectly selected glasses or lenses, a jump in blood pressure, dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, which in turn leads to secondary tension in the cervical-occipital muscles, causing tension in the aponeurosis, and many other reasons.

One of the common triggers of headaches can be anemia, leading to chronic pain syndrome.

It happens that there is no painkiller at hand or it is impossible to use: the pain is caused by a side effect of another drug, the patient fundamentally avoids taking pills, the medicine cannot be taken due to pregnancy or lactation. How to relieve a headache in this case?

Headache prevention

To minimize the occurrence of headaches, you must:

1. Get enough sleep.
   Constant lack of sleep leads to stress and weakened immunity. To get enough sleep and rest, a person needs to sleep on average eight hours. For normal rest during sleep, it is better to go to bed at the same time. Following a routine helps set your internal biological clock and therefore improve your sleep quality. Also, in the dark, melatonin is produced - the so-called hormone of sleep and youth, which has a beneficial effect on health.
2. Exercise.
   During exercise, the “hormone of happiness” is produced - endorphin, which helps reduce emotional tension and relieve stress. Physical activity also saturates the body with oxygen. This has a beneficial effect on blood circulation and the general condition of the body.
3. Drink less coffee.
   With constant abuse of coffee, the nervous system is overloaded, which always works in stress mode. Excess caffeine can lead to a number of serious consequences, such as insomnia, irritability, decreased mental alertness and headaches.
4. Drink more water.
   Water removes toxins from the body and improves metabolism. Scientists estimate that you need to drink an average of two liters of water per day. If you are not used to drinking this amount, you should not force yourself. It is better to drink a little more every day, gradually accustoming the body to the desired norm.
5. Worry less.
   Try to devote more time to your family, friends and what you love. Even a simple walk in the fresh air will help relieve stress and therefore prevent headaches.
6. Watch your diet.
   Eat foods that do not contain dangerous additives. When consuming a large number of low-quality products, intoxication of the body can occur, and as a result, a headache may occur. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. They contain many vitamins and microelements, which will help strengthen the immune system and protect against diseases that can lead to migraines.

Attention! All the methods presented for combating headaches do not guarantee a 100% result. Before using them, consult a specialist. Be healthy!

Author: Anastasia Panova

Treat without maiming. Neurologist on how to properly deal with headaches

Instead of drinking handfuls of painkillers and convincing yourself that the pain will go away, think about why exactly you have a headache and whether you are already dependent on pills.

There is hardly a person in your circle who has not had a headache at least once in their life. How to distinguish dangerous pain from non-dangerous? When is it not necessary to take medication? Who is at risk of getting hooked on pills?

Five important questions about AiF headaches were answered by the head of the Pain Clinic of City Clinical Hospital No. 1 named after. N.I. Pirogova, neurologist Ekaterina Abramova.

Is it possible to endure a headache and do without pills?

If a headache interferes with your work responsibilities or household chores, then you don’t need to endure it, you should take a painkiller. However, there are situations when even with a seemingly ordinary headache, it is necessary to consult a doctor, and not try to relieve it with analgesics yourself.

There are four criteria for a dangerous headache, accepted by leading experts around the world. Everyone needs to know them.

1. Did your headache first appear after you were 50 years old? This is most often a sign of a serious illness.

2. Did your head hurt suddenly and very badly? Such pain may be a symptom of intracerebral hemorrhage.

3. Does the headache gradually increase, become stronger, and last for several days or even weeks? This is how the first attack of migraine, the development of a tumor or an infectious process in the brain (meningitis, encephalitis, etc.) may manifest itself. The infection may be accompanied by symptoms of general malaise, in particular high fever and weakness. But sometimes there is only one symptom: headache.

4. Is the headache accompanied by nausea or impaired consciousness (fainting, confusion, the person seems to be inhibited, loses orientation, etc.) or is it significantly worsened by coughing and sneezing? This condition indicates that there is increased intracranial pressure. The cause may be a tumor or problems with the cerebrospinal fluid that washes the brain (impaired circulation, increased or decreased production, etc.).

Any of the listed symptoms indicates that you need to consult a specialist.

What to do if your head hurts often?

Of course, in the case of chronic pain, when the headache is frequent and severe, because of which a person is forced to constantly increase the dose of painkillers, it is also necessary to go to the doctor. Otherwise, there is a high risk of acquiring a drug-dependent headache. Such a headache will not go away on its own; it will require an increasingly larger dose of pills. And they, in turn, can provoke complications from the cardiovascular system, for example, a tendency to thrombosis, or cause an exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease, in severe cases even gastrointestinal bleeding.

Here again there is a clear criterion. If you take more than 15 tablets a month specifically for headaches (this can be calculated from the purchased packages), it means that you have developed a dependence on medications. You should definitely contact a neurologist or cephalgologist: this is also a neurologist who has undergone special training in the treatment of headaches. Young working women with a family often come to our clinic with a similar problem: they cannot afford to endure a headache, but do not have time to take care of their health, start taking painkillers, and even go so far as to take several tablets a day. However, the headache continues to hurt, sleep is disturbed, and overall health worsens. In this case, a detoxification course is carried out for a week, sometimes with the installation of intravenous drips, and special medications are prescribed to relieve headaches. As a result, the dosage of painkillers is gradually reduced, and over time the headache itself stops.

How to choose painkillers?

Everything here is individual. For some people, regular paracetamol or ibuprofen helps with headaches. For others they are useless. There are more modern drugs that do not have such a negative effect on the wall of the gastrointestinal tract and generally cause fewer side effects.

The most reasonable approach is to choose a painkiller together with your doctor, especially if you have, for example, chronic gastritis, if the patient is over 40 years old.

Is it possible to get rid of headaches without medications using home remedies?

Yes, but not always. For example, against migraine (unilateral pain, often in the eye area or behind the eye, pulsating, gradually increases and lasts from 4 to 72 hours), there are no “folk” remedies. An adequate course of drug treatment is necessary.

If the headache is caused by increased blood pressure, then you need to take a blood pressure lowering drug (not a painkiller). If you have a headache, you should first measure your blood pressure before taking pills for pain.

But headaches associated with overexertion can be relieved with non-drug methods. Often the head starts to hurt due to improper posture. For example, a person works at a computer for a long time, sits in the wrong position: his shoulders are raised, his head is moved slightly forward. As a result, the neck muscles become overstrained and produce a characteristic nagging headache, not very strong, but debilitating. In this case, simple exercises to stretch the neck muscles and massage help a lot. You can even just get up from your desk, move around, and the pain will go away.

Often a headache occurs towards the end of the work week. Especially if you have a busy schedule and the person did not get enough sleep, did not eat very well, etc. In this case, you need to first of all get enough sleep (healthy sleep is extremely important for a person with a headache). You can take a hot bath, if there is no high blood pressure, drink green tea, and take a walk in the fresh air. In general, if it is possible not to take pills, it is better not to do so.

What to do if you have a headache after being in the sun for a long time?

When exposed to the sun for a long time, the headache most often occurs due to fluid loss. In the sun, a person sweats much more than usual, especially if he moves or swims in the pool. At the same time, the amount of water you drink often remains the same as on days when there is much less sun. As a result, a headache occurs. In this case, preventive measures are most effective. During a long walk on a sunny day, drink enough water, use hats, umbrellas, and be sure to wear sunglasses. Eye strain, such as squinting into the sun, can also make headaches worse.

If a headache has already appeared after prolonged exposure to the sun, then be sure to drink water, preferably mineral water, to replenish the loss of electrolytes. You can take a cool shower, wash your hair, that is, cool your body. When you can’t take a shower, you can wet a towel with cool water, put it on your head and lie there for a while. If the headache does not go away from such general activities, you can take a painkiller tablet: paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, or any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is in the medicine cabinet. However, if the headache after returning from a sunny beach is very strong, coordination is impaired, and dizziness appears, this indicates severe loss of fluid, an increase or a sharp decrease in blood pressure. In this situation, it is imperative to move the person to the shade, carry out all cooling measures, and give him a painkiller tablet to drink. If symptoms persist, you should definitely consult a doctor so as not to miss a more serious disease.

Source of information: “Arguments and Facts”