What to do if you have a severe headache. What to drink for a headache? I often have a headache, what should I do? Head hurts

Every person has experienced a headache in their life. It can appear due to any reasons or situations: stress, neck spasms, brain diseases and others.

To prevent headaches, you need to know the true cause of the discomfort. There are many ways to get rid of headaches. This article will talk about the most common of them.

Helpful tips on what to do if this illness occurs can also help.

The occurrence of headaches can be associated with various problems in the body. Every tenth person on Earth experiences them every day. The most common reasons are:

• stress and tension at work;
• hypertension and blood pressure surges;
• infections;
• pinched nerves and others.

If you often have a headache in certain places, you can determine the type of disease. For example, discomfort in the eye area can be a symptom of migraine, ophthalmological diseases or autonomic dysfunction. Constant pain in the back of the head indicates problems with the cervical spine.

How to get rid of headaches

Simple steps will help you get rid of it quickly:

• take painkillers. It is important to take the drug without a prescription. This universal remedy will relieve any manifestations of the disease;
• drink more water;
• Find a comfortable, quiet place and sit in silence. Solitude will allow the body to relax, and unpleasant sensations will no longer torment;
• apply cold compresses and lotions to the forehead and temples. With their help, the blood vessels of the brain constrict and the temperature decreases;
• To avoid headaches, it is necessary to conduct regular relaxation sessions.

Plants and herbs

You can get rid of it without pills using natural remedies, plants, infusions or decoctions. Mint, thyme and chamomile help you relax and relieve the stress of the day, while tea with lavender or passionflower helps with migraines. Rosemary tea also helps with stress, vasospasm, and migraines.

As an alternative remedy, you can try aromatherapy. Essential oils of lavender, chamomile, marjoram relieve illness. You can take a warm bath with lavender, fir, cedar, and patchouli oil. You should not use stimulating scents of citrus, neroli, jasmine and others.

Headache massage

You can make your headache go away with a light head massage. Massaging movements will relieve vascular spasms and relax. You can focus on painful areas. Massaging movements along the temporal part, back of the head, neck and earlobes will be especially effective.

Medicines

The easiest way for a person to make a headache go away is to take medication. Due to the abundance of funds, the question arises: what medicine should you take?

It all depends on the type and location of the discomfort. Acetylsalicylic acid has a healing effect. This substance is found in many headache medications. Treatment of migraine attacks with certain drugs is possible only as prescribed by a doctor.

other methods

An alternative to pills can be medicines made from conventional products. A headache may go away after drinking tea with honey and mint. You can add an increased dose of sugar.

Fresh cabbage leaves or lemon peels applied to the temples will help get rid of the disease. Sometimes you need to eat something warm and tasty, for example, soup, porridge or something sweet, so that your head stops hurting. One of the simplest tips is to get enough sleep.

You need to sleep more than 8 hours, go to bed and get up at approximately the same time. With constant lack of sleep and mental stress, your head may hurt, even to the point of developing headaches.

What not to do

If a headache occurs, you need to know what not to do in such cases:

• Do not take pills without a doctor’s prescription;
• drink various alcoholic drinks, smoke. In this case, a person may get additional problems and the opposite effect from such treatment;
• to drink coffee;
• eat certain foods. This list includes hard cheese, chocolate, nuts, smoked meats, and spices. It is better to use simple and familiar dishes for nutrition.

Prevention prevents problems

Preventing the causes of headaches is possible by following simple and simple rules. First of all, you need to lead a correct lifestyle.

Mobility, exercise and daily walks will contribute to this. The body must receive the required amount of vitamins. To avoid headaches, you need to eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits. If necessary, follow a non-restrictive diet.

You also need to monitor your health. Often headaches occur due to problems with the spine and musculoskeletal system. Disease prevention should be carried out regularly.

Every person has experienced headaches at least once in their life. Some experienced only a slight malaise in this regard, while others had a very severe headache, for some such pain syndrome occurs extremely rarely, for others often.

In some cases, the headache is so severe that a person does not know how to help himself or what to do with himself. He begins to swallow a bunch of painkillers in the hope that the pain will go away as quickly as possible. It is important to initially identify what triggered the headache, and only then begin treatment.

Causes

What to do if you experience headaches. The most important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t stress yourself out and panic, assigning yourself terrible and most dangerous diagnoses. Sit down, calm down and try to remember exactly what may have preceded the headache. Perhaps you were very nervous that day, or you had a very busy day.

According to statistics, headaches in most cases occur due to poisoning of the body or due to severe fatigue.

Often, the disease manifests itself in the fair sex during the menstrual cycle, or during pregnancy. Quite rarely (in about 4% of cases) the disease can indicate more dangerous conditions. It could be:

• Encephalitis;
• Neuralgia;

It must be said that recently children have begun to suffer from headaches. They complain of severe pain in the head, which significantly reduces performance and reduces attentiveness.

This happens because the curriculum designed for schoolchildren has become more complicated and much more difficult, so students experience severe learning fatigue. To relieve your child a little, provide him with sleep after coming home from school, it will help restore strength. After this, you can start your homework.

Depending on the type, pain may indicate various disorders in the body.

• . This condition can occur for a variety of reasons - it could be an infection, poisoning, or a sudden change in blood pressure. For some diseases, pain in the temples is a sign that makes it possible to establish an early diagnosis.
• Occipital pain also usually occurs with diseases such as cervical spondylosis, osteochondrosis, high blood pressure;
• Soreness in the eye area may indicate the presence of migraine, vegetative-vascular dystonia, glaucoma and many other diseases. If you do not consult a doctor in time, dangerous health problems may arise, so you should not hesitate.
• Soreness in the forehead may indicate the presence of an inflammatory process, increased intracranial pressure, or pinched occipital nerve. This type of pain can also occur with certain diseases - typhoid, pneumonia, meningitis, malaria.
• A sharp headache is often provoked by spasm of cerebral vessels, this is possible with a hypertensive crisis, as well as with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. The greatest danger is pain caused by problems with blood vessels - this can be intracranial hemorrhage or rupture of an aneurysm.
• The pain is pulsating. It usually manifests itself during migraines. But it is also possible for sinusitis, disturbances in the functioning of cerebral vessels, various infectious lesions, and otitis media. The severity of this type of pain depends on the location, strength and duration.

What to do

Usually the headache starts due to extreme fatigue. Usually people who work in offices face this problem. They work at the computer during the day and sit in one place. As a result, the spine, as well as the cervical muscles, become very tense, which provokes severe headaches.

You can overcome the pain by taking medication. However, sometimes, when the degree of pain is not significant, medications will not help. In this case, you need to follow some tips:

• Your diet should include plenty of fruits and vegetables. They contain a whole range of vitamins that can ensure the normal functioning of all organs and systems.
• If you spend a long time at the computer. Then get into the habit of taking short breaks throughout the day. Turn your neck to the sides, as well as down and up, this will help improve blood circulation in the head.
• Drink plenty of plain water; drinks such as tea and coffee do not count.
• If the weather outside is cool, wear a hat.

If you follow these simple tips, you can prevent headaches.

How to cope with migraines

It must be said that this is not just a headache. With a migraine, in addition to pain in the head, nausea and sometimes vomiting may occur. What provokes this violation? So, the reasons for the development of migraines:

• A hereditary factor, especially often transmitted through the female line;
• Hormonal imbalance;
• Insomnia;
• Frequent physical activity.

In order to eliminate such an unpleasant problem, you should minimize, or even better limit, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, chocolate, and fast food.

How to get rid of headache pain? There are many ways to overcome this problem using traditional methods. However, if they do not bring the desired relief, then you need to make an appointment with a doctor, since pain can sometimes be triggered by more dangerous health problems.

Traditional methods:

• Try drinking tea with mint and linden instead of coffee and black tea. And instead of sugar, you can add honey.
• If migraine occurs frequently, then use a decoction of St. John's wort herb.
• If the pain is localized in the back of the head, then try to press your forehead against the window and stay there for 20 minutes. If the pain is caused by fatigue, then the problem will be eliminated.
• Some seasonings can also combat the disease. Add some rosemary to your food.
• Amber is also an excellent helper. Buy yourself a necklace made of amber, and as you wear it, you will very soon see how your well-being will improve.
• If you have had a busy day, it is understandable that by the evening you will experience severe fatigue. When you get home, relax. There is no need to do household chores right away. Pour hot water into a basin and place your feet there for a while. Place a cool towel on your head and neck area. This is a great relaxing treatment.
• It is also important to ensure proper rest. If you suffer from insomnia, you can try to overcome it with rosemary essential oil. Drop this product onto your pillow (just 1-2 drops) and the quality of your sleep will improve significantly. You can also use lavender oil instead of rosemary. But it's important. For the product to be of high quality, only in this case will it provide real benefits.

Prevention

If you follow simple advice, you can minimize the risk of manifestation of the disease in question. So, let's begin:

1. Try to be calmer about everything that happens around you. If you are constantly worried and nervous, your headache may become chronic. Try to always have a positive attitude.
2. You need to realize that a problem such as a headache cannot arise for no reason. It can be caused by external factors that surround you. Try not to focus on the fact that you will get a headache anyway when listening to loud music or when exposed to other factors. You don’t need to program yourself, try, on the contrary, to convince yourself that everything will be okay. Believe me, the attitude itself is a very powerful thing.
3. It doesn't matter what the weather is like outside. You need to spend time outside every day. Before going to bed, try to spend time outside; half an hour of such an evening walk will definitely benefit you. Believe me, then your sleep will be stronger, and your head will not hurt so much and often.
4. Be sure to find time in your daily schedule for quality rest. Rest for as long as your body needs.
5. During pregnancy, as well as during the menstrual cycle, head pain increases in the fairer sex. Try to avoid situations that could cause you stress. Drink chamomile tea, lemon balm tea or lemon balm tea - these are excellent drinks to eliminate the nervousness of stress.
6. In the cold season, be sure to wear a hat. This is the most important rule. Think about your own health - there is nothing more important than that. In this case, beauty should remain in second place. In addition, today there is an abundance of hats, and everyone can choose what suits them.
7. Even if your work is related to computers, and you have to sit in one position all day, make time for a light warm-up - do exercises for your neck muscles, for your eyes, then you won’t feel so tired.
8. Nutrition plays a huge role in the development of headaches. Try to build your daily routine so that you can have a full breakfast, lunch and dinner. Very often, a headache can occur precisely because of hunger.

conclusions

Headache pain can occur for various reasons, from the most harmless to very dangerous to health, and sometimes even human life. If your head hurts periodically, then there is nothing to worry about, since it is most likely caused by overwork and fatigue.

If the pain does not go away for a long time, then this is a good reason to consult a doctor and identify the cause. It is important to always monitor your own health.

What to do if you have a severe headache? First of all, find out its cause and properly relieve the pain syndrome, and then eliminate the cause that caused the pain. Regular severe headaches are a reason to seek medical help.

Figure 1 - Headache can occur for various reasons

Causes of severe headaches

Most often, severe pain in the head indicates problems with blood vessels, which:

• shrink too much. The main reasons for excessive compression of blood vessels are oxygen starvation, lack of nutrients (they haven’t eaten or drunk for a long time), weak venous tone;
• expand too much. A disease in which blood vessels regularly dilate excessively is called migraine. This type of neurological disorder affects about 10% of the population.

When looking for a doctor who treats headaches, go to the neuropathology department. In most cases, it is the neurologist who makes the diagnosis and prescribes a treatment regimen. If you have pain in the maxillary sinuses, nose, or ears, make an appointment with an otolaryngologist. Sinusitis, sinusitis, otitis, and other diseases of the ENT organs can also provoke pain throughout the head.

Figure 2 - Migraines can be caused by a trigger, such as a smell or taste.

Features of migraine:

• severe pain is localized in the same part of the head each time;
• before an attack, changes in taste, color, smell, and hallucinations appear (the so-called aura);
• during an attack, a person completely loses working capacity for 2–72 hours;
• pain - throbbing;
• intolerance to sounds, photophobia;
• vomiting, nausea, neurological disorders;
• the presence of a triggering factor (for example, a migraine attack can be triggered by the smell of bananas or the meowing of a cat).

Understanding whether you have a migraine or not is very simple. With migraines, the attacks are clearly expressed, and between them the head does not hurt at all. If your head aches constantly, then it is not a migraine.

Researchers claim that in 90% of cases, painful sensations develop due to overstrain of the muscles of the neck, eyes, face, forehead, and various parts of the head. Pain due to muscle strain and migraine are called primary. You can get rid of them by acting directly on the cause of their occurrence (for example, by performing a neck massage, doing eye exercises, drinking an antispasmodic). The localization of sensations is different. Sometimes it is a girdling headache, in other cases the whole head, or part of it (the back of the head, temples) hurts.

The safest drugs for the head are considered to be Ibuprofen and Paracetamol.

Secondary headaches develop due to pathological processes occurring in the neck or head. They are caused, for example, by osteochondrosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and hypertension. Pain can be localized with painkillers. The underlying disease needs to be treated, then the headache will go away on its own.

A severe headache that pills do not help get rid of is a serious reason to visit a doctor. This condition is among the signs of stroke, neurological disorders and requires emergency medical care.

Figure 3 - Severe pain in the head is sometimes provoked by diseases of the ENT organs.

Sometimes very severe headaches develop after taking high-dose headache medications. Such painful sensations are called abuse. Therefore, the principle “the more the better” does not work here.

Sudden severe headache is a sign of a stroke or cranial neuralgia. For patients with diabetes, kidney failure and cancer, this is a signal of the development of metabolic imbalance.

Figure 4 - Severe headache may be a sign of stress or stroke

Painful sensations in the head area can be a side effect when taking medications. If this is the case, coordinate further actions with your doctor.

And painful sensations await people during a hangover. Here's what to do if you have a terrible headache:

• 6 hours after the last drink, take Aspirin (can be replaced with Picamilon, Mexidol, Pantogam);
• take a contrast shower;
• drink a lot of water (this will not be difficult) and any diuretic (Diacarb, Triamten, Veroshpiron). Strong diuretics (for example, Lasix, Furosemide, Hypothiazide, Oxodoline) do not need to be used.

Citramon P or Paracetamol should not be taken. They will overload the liver, which at this moment is already working “at high speed.”

First aid for headaches

What to do when a headache takes you by surprise and there are no suitable medications at hand? The first thing you need to do is to retire, lie down, darken the room, muffle the sounds, remove all irritating factors (especially if you feel a migraine attack approaching). Relaxing eye exercises will help relieve pain caused by vascular spasm. If there is a spasm of blood vessels, you can take a warm shower, if they are excessively dilated, take a cool shower. Going to the bath is dangerous - there is a high chance of feeling bad.

Figure 5 - When your head hurts badly, try to lie down

You should not take a contrast shower. Temperature changes cause blood vessels to alternately contract and expand. If the problem is caused by spasm or excessive dilation of blood vessels, this will inevitably increase the pain.

If possible, give a light head massage. Try not to overload your body on this day - do not overeat, eliminate alcohol and physical activity. In some cases, these measures help relieve an incipient attack or use “lighter” drugs. Smooth adjustment of the diet and light physical activity (regular walks in the fresh air are suitable) in the long term will help to avoid attacks or significantly reduce their pain.

Figure 6 - A heating pad with ice will help relieve the condition during a migraine attack

What should pregnant women drink for headaches?

As you know, pregnant women cannot do everything - endure painful sensations and take medications against them. However, a way out can be found. Typically, headaches are provoked by changes in hormonal balance and an unusual increase in blood volume for the body. If the expectant mother quickly gains weight, problems are added. Those who know exactly why their headaches hurt can take No-shpa, Paracetamol, Citramon. If the sensations appear for the first time or seem suspicious, immediately go for an examination to a specialist.

Pregnant women are contraindicated:

• medicines based on tryptamine - Amigrenin, Antimigraine;
• Nurofen, Aspirin, Propranolol, Ergotamine. These drugs can provoke bleeding, premature birth, and disrupt fetal development.

Figure 7 - What to drink “from the head” for pregnant women, the doctor will advise.

What to take for headaches?

Figure 8 - To choose the right drug, you need to find out the cause of the headache.

What can you drink for a headache:

• For any pain in the head, neck, or elevated temperature - Ibuprofen, Nurofen, Burana, Mig, Faspik. Their active ingredient is considered the safest in terms of benefit/side effects ratio.
• To neutralize mild and moderate pain, which appears rarely, - Panadol, Paracetamol, Calpol, Askofen-P, Coficil, Citramon, Tempalgin, Sedalgin. Medicines are prohibited in cases of liver dysfunction and after drinking alcohol, along with other drugs that are metabolized in the liver.
• Acetylsalicylic acid will help relieve pain caused by inflammation.
• For severe pain - Migrenol (a combination of paracetamol and diphenhydramine). It causes drowsiness, so it is better to drink it before bed and should not be taken if you are going to drive.

Figure 9 - If you are prone to headaches, always carry “your” medication in your pocket or bag

• If the headaches are extremely severe and you don’t know what to do (conventional medications don’t help), Pentalgin, Piralgin, Sedal, Sedalgin. These are powerful combination medications that even contain phenobarbitals. Use them as a last resort, preferably on the advice of a specialist. They cause drowsiness and provide positive results in doping tests, so drivers and athletes are prohibited from drinking them.
• When the headache does not go away and is accompanied by fever - Analgin, Baralgin. The drugs also help with toothache. The active ingredient, metamizole sodium, reduces the production of leukocytes, so these drugs must be taken with extreme caution.
• Painful sensations in the head area caused by vasospasm - Bral, Trigan-D, Maxigan, Novigan, Spazmalgon, Spazgan, Revalgin. These drugs also help with monthly women's pain. It is not advisable to drink them on an empty stomach.
• For headaches that are accompanied by a cough (for example, during acute respiratory infections), Solpadeine and Caffetin help. These drugs are prescribed only to adults. You can take up to 6 tablets per day.
• When you have a headache with low blood pressure - Migrenol, Panadol, Solpadeine Fast, Askofen, Koficil, Citramon, Tempalgin. These medications contain caffeine and are therefore contraindicated for hypertensive patients.
• When you have a headache and conventional medications do not work, you can take Next, Brustan or Ibuklin - a combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol.

If you drive, avoid drugs containing phenobarbital and codeine. The presence of these substances in the blood during an accident is regarded as a state of drug intoxication. In order for them to be completely eliminated from the body, you need to wait 72 hours.

Figure 10 - To find out the cause of headaches, get tested

So, now you know what to do for headaches of various origins. If you have not yet been to a doctor, be sure to consult. It is likely that painful sensations signal the onset of problems in the body that can develop into a serious problem. Take the time on time and don’t get sick!

Video 1 - Treating headaches without medications

There are 2 forms of headaches (cephalgia): primary (as an independent disease, migraine) and secondary (as a symptom of another illness).

Factors that provoke pain

Doctors call hereditary predisposition the main culprit in the occurrence of primary headaches. Based on the characteristics of the transmission of genes responsible for pathology (through the female line), women are most vulnerable to this disease. The most common provoking factors are: stress loads; intoxication: hangover, food poisoning, etc.; some types of food additives: nitrites, aspartame, monosodium glutamate; food addictions: eating large amounts of chocolate, nuts, eggs, cheese; tobacco smoking and hookah smoking; weather dependence, changes in atmospheric pressure; taking certain types of medications; being in the mountains; hormonal imbalances: migraine during pregnancy, menstruation, menopause.

Cephalgia can be caused by certain pathologies of internal organs:

• vascular disorders: high blood pressure (BP), vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• viral infections: acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections;
• inflammation of the meninges: meningitis, encephalitis, arachnoiditis;
• other inflammatory foci: lesions of the ENT organs, especially the sinuses, oral cavity (teeth, gums), sinusitis, etc.;
• injuries (fall, blow) and/or head tumors, concussion;
• pinching of the basilar artery with cervical osteochondrosis;
• chemotherapy or long-term antibiotic therapy (taking antibiotics);
• anesthesia, spinal or epidural anesthesia;
• some endocrine diseases.

According to the mechanism of occurrence, primary cephalgia can be pain:

1. Voltages. Occurs as a result of muscle spasm of the cervical region and head. “Tightening”, aching, but not sharp pain impulses are felt.
2. Hypertensive, appearing with high blood pressure. It is pulsating, mainly localized in the temples and occipital region. It manifests itself as soreness of the skin of the scalp when touched, pre-fainting, with a feeling of weakness, dizziness, nausea.
3. Migraine associated with family history. Manifests itself under various provoking factors.
4. Cluster - very intense, mainly in the temples and eyes. This is a hereditary pathology that can manifest itself at any age. Attacks are sudden, irregular, excessively painful. Pain is caused by malfunctions of the central nervous system (reduced activity of the hypothalamus, abnormalities in the structure of nerve highways). Men are more likely to suffer from terrible cluster headaches, as well as coughs.

Let's list them:

1. Avoid stressful situations, mental and physical fatigue. Master auto-training, relaxation, breathing exercises. Try meditation and yoga - perhaps these methods will increase stress resistance and help you maintain calm and peace of mind.
2. Stop smoking tobacco and hookah. Nicotine and tobacco tar destroy the entire body, disrupt the functioning of the heart, and lead to severe oxygen starvation, which is most harmful to brain cells.
3. Review your diet, food preferences, and eliminate alcohol. Minimize the consumption of smoked, fatty, spicy foods, processed foods, and food with synthetic additives.
4. Limit the time spent on the computer regularly, taking a break every 40 minutes. Combine your rest time with a short warm-up, open the window, and breathe in some fresh air.
5. Eliminate irritating factors: bright lighting, noise, too active types of recreation. In sunny weather, wear sunglasses and take walks.
6. Play sports without unnecessary zeal, dosing the load. Do not use stimulants, energy drinks, which deplete strength and overwork the body.

To more accurately answer the question of what should be done if you have a headache, you need to understand the mechanism of development of the pathology, and, if possible, identify and eliminate provoking factors. Only in this case can stable and long-term remission be achieved.

Headache: what to do and how to help

Traditionally, migraine is treated with triptans (Sumatriptan, Naratriptan, Zolmitriptan tablets). They block serotonin receptors. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are suitable for stopping an attack of cephalgia: paracetamol, analgin, aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac.

For spastic pain, the use of antispasmodics is indicated. If migraine is the result of spasm of the cerebral vessels, No-shpa (the international name of the active substance is Drotaverine), Papaverine is prescribed. The maximum benefit comes from combination drugs consisting of several components.

This pharmacological group included Migrenol, Solpadeine, Pentalgin plus, Citramon, Spazmalgon. Along with drug therapy, the use of non-drug methods is recommended. Massage and self-massage come first.

There are 2 types:

1. Acupressure. Try massaging active points: the occipital fossa, ears, infraorbital, palmar and eyebrow areas. On the hands, this is the area 2 cm below the palm, the space between the thumb and index finger.
2. General massage - shoulders, neck area. The technique helps relieve spasms and normalize blood circulation. This massage is especially indicated for patients with cervical osteochondrosis.

And if you often have a headache, what should you do? If you experience frequent and severe headaches, you need to seek medical help, so going to a medical facility is a mandatory step. In most cases, it is possible to identify the root cause of cephalalgia after obtaining and evaluating data from laboratory and hardware diagnostic procedures.

How to help yourself without drugs and get rid of headaches without pills

Peace and relaxation are an affordable and effective remedy for headaches. It is better to take a comfortable position, tilting your head slightly back. Try to relax as much as possible, ventilate the room, but keep your body warm, and take a nap if possible. If the root cause of cephalgia is overwork, then after such rest the headache will go away. Walking in the fresh air is useful; it normalizes the effects of physical inactivity and hypoxia after office routine. If possible, walk home from work.

To prevent dehydration, drink one or two glasses of clean water in small sips and rest. Stretch your shoulders by massaging your head in a circular motion from the forehead to the back of the head.

The massage will relax tense temporal, frontal, and occipital areas of the head. You can breathe in the steam with the addition of lavender oil. Menthol balm helps a lot (apply to the temples and back of the head). All these methods are effective and time-tested many times. If cephalalgia is not a consequence of any serious pathology, then it is quite possible to cure it with the help of these remedies, without resorting to pharmaceutical drugs.

Exercise for headaches

Swimming, fitness, yoga, walking and jogging are especially useful for headaches. Physical exercises are also aimed at eliminating basilar insufficiency. They should eliminate pinching of the artery in the cervical region, which will help normalize blood circulation in the bloodstreams of the brain.

The set of classes includes walking, head rotation, and arm swings. If dizziness occurs, it is better to lie on your back or stomach. Monitor your health, if it worsens, take a little rest, slow down the pace and reduce the amplitude of the exercises performed.

Headache in children

The causes of headaches in children and adults are almost identical. Migraine attacks often occur as a result of stressful situations, lack of sleep, overwork, or after prolonged work at the computer. The disease can be aggravated by problems with the spinal column, osteochondrosis, and scoliosis.

It is necessary to find out the root cause of a child’s headache. Try to alleviate the condition with the help of folk remedies without resorting to drug therapy.

During pregnancy

Migraines in early pregnancy are not uncommon. During this period, a number of complex changes occur against the background of hormonal changes. The nature of the pain is usually of weak or strong intensity. Folk remedies, walks, sufficient duration and proper rest will help relieve attacks.

If the pain is intense or manifests itself in later stages, then it is necessary to urgently seek medical help. The root cause of such pain may be pregnancy pathology or the development of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is accompanied by high blood pressure, edema, and urine tests reveal the presence of protein. This condition is extremely dangerous for the life and health of the mother and fetus and requires the intervention of the attending physician and monitoring of the patient’s condition.

What to do for headaches: non-drug methods

Let's figure out what to do for a headache without resorting to medications. First of all, it is necessary to ensure maximum peace and relaxation. Aromatherapy provides significant and rapid results, because essential oils can quickly be absorbed into tissues and improve the functioning of the entire body.

For cephalgia they use:

• mint;
• sandalwood;
• lavender;
• eucalyptus;
• lemongrass;
• rosemary;
• angelica;
• basil;
• coriander;
• linden;
• clary sage;
• sweet oregano;
• yarrow.

Even for headaches, water procedures are especially useful, because water can relieve muscle tension, improve blood circulation, and eliminate tissue hypoxia. It would be advisable to take a course of brine baths. They are offered at the resorts of Odessa, Israel, and in the sanatoriums of Saki. A hot bath may help. It relaxes, relieves tension and spasm. When vascular circulation is normalized, the pain will subside. But a hot bath is strictly contraindicated for elevated body temperature and blood pressure, certain skin diseases, etc.

Traditional medicine has accumulated many useful recipes for pain relief. To relieve symptoms, herbal medicine methods (herbal teas), cold compress on the frontal area, decoctions, tinctures, and diet therapy have proven themselves well.

Compresses

Use an ice pack on your forehead. It will help normalize blood circulation and act as a distraction. They also make a potato compress. To do this, raw potato tubers are ground on a fine grater. Warm milk is added to the resulting substance. Then soak the fabric and keep it on the forehead for several hours.

A mixture of salt water with ammonia and camphor oil works well. All ingredients are taken in equal volumes. You can leave this compress overnight. To reduce headaches, apply cabbage or burdock leaves to your temples. Before use, knead it to release a little juice.

Teas and decoctions

What to do if you have a severe headache due to nervous overload? To stop headaches after nervous stress, it is useful to take a decoction of sedative herbs. Motherwort and medicinal chamomile are suitable. In some cases, rosehip or linden flowers, dill seeds, oregano, mint, and rosemary will help. The pharmacy chain offers mixtures of medicinal herbal raw materials. Decoctions are taken orally several times a day, or in courses.

Tinctures

Treatment of cephalalgia with tinctures is a common practice. They are sold in convenient packaging, are easy to use, and give quick results. For headaches, a tincture of peony, mint, eucalyptus, valerian, hawthorn, and ginger is often used. You can read a lot of positive reviews about the “25 drops” tincture.

Food

For persistent cephalgia, it is necessary to carefully select the diet. Minrenal attacks can be triggered by the consumption of soy and dairy products, tomatoes, dates, figs, prunes, and chocolate.

It is better to use natural dishes prepared at home. Canned sausages contain flavorings and other harmful food additives. Blue cheese is harmful; it can reduce the diameter of blood vessels and cause headaches. Monitor the condition of the gastrointestinal tract. Problems in the digestive tract impair the absorption of nutrients, which can worsen headaches.

Why is alcohol prohibited for persistent headaches? The fact is that alcohol-containing drinks poison the body, disrupt cerebral circulation, increase blood pressure, and impair the nutrition of brain cells. All these factors only provoke the appearance of cephalgia. A migraine attack is triggered by red wine.

It affects at least 70% of the population of developed countries. But in fact, many more people are familiar with this condition; many simply do not go to the doctor, preferring to deal with it on their own. But we must remember that the only symptom of many serious diseases is a severe headache. Only a doctor can advise what to do in this case. And, despite the fact that now there are many remedies that can quickly relieve suffering, you should not get carried away with them. After all, to get rid of headaches, you need to eliminate the causes that cause them, and not just the symptoms themselves. Therefore, before taking pills, you need to find out why you have this condition.

What diseases can cause headaches?

Their most common cause is vascular diseases: arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia and others;

Migraines are also quite common, especially among women;

Cervical osteochondrosis can lead to pinching of an artery, resulting in severe headache and nausea;

Often this condition is a symptom of viral diseases;

Sinusitis, tonsillitis and sinusitis also cause headaches;

It will certainly occur after a traumatic brain injury;

Various vision problems, ranging from increased intraocular pressure and glaucoma to incorrect selection of glasses, can cause headaches;

This condition is sometimes caused by otitis media and dental diseases;

Constantly strong may indicate the development of a brain tumor;

It can also be caused by some diseases of the endocrine glands, as well as such fairly rare diseases as temporal arteritis and disorders of the temporomandibular joint.

Other causes of this condition

But in many cases, completely healthy people complain of severe headaches. What to do in this case can be understood if you remember what events preceded this condition. After all, pain is often caused by poor lifestyle and diet. What can cause them?

Most often these are stress, depression and psycho-emotional stress;

Nervous and muscle fatigue, as well as excessive mental stress;

Sedentary lifestyle and lack of fresh air;

Incorrect posture, the habit of tucking your legs under you and hunching your back;

Sleep disturbances, night work;

Changes in meteorological conditions, sudden hypothermia or heat stroke;

Poor nutrition: malnutrition, diets, predominance of nitrites, caffeine and histamine in food;

Poisoning by alcohol, chemicals and drugs;

Deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals, such as iron or vitamin B deficiency.

Types of headaches

Depending on the reasons, the pain may vary. It can vary in intensity: strong, sharp, dull, aching, pressing or pulsating. The pain may increase gradually or with changes in position, sounds and smells. Sometimes it subsides when you are in peace and quiet, during sleep. Depending on this, you need to choose means to combat it. Headaches are also classified according to the location of their occurrence. It can be shingles, when the whole head hurts, or it can be localized in one place. It often depends on the reasons causing it. Most often pain appears in the temporal region. It can be caused by various diseases, stress and poisoning. Pain in the back of the head occurs due to pressure surges or cervical osteochondrosis. Eye strain and infectious diseases can cause this sensation in the forehead area. Sometimes they are localized on one side. For example, a severe headache on the left side of the head indicates the development of a migraine.

Diagnostics

It is already clear that taking analgesics cannot always be a salvation from suffering.

If you incorrectly identify the cause and do not eliminate it, then after the medication stops working, the algia will occur again. Therefore, you need to know why a severe headache occurs. After an examination, your doctor can advise you on what to do to get rid of it. He will find out where the pain is located, how frequent it is, and when it hurts most. You should definitely tell your doctor about additional symptoms: dizziness, nausea, blurred vision and others. You will need to remember what preceded the onset of pain, what medications you took and how you ate. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe additional laboratory tests: usually these are blood tests, magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalogram of the brain and x-ray of the cervical spine. You may also need to consult other specialists: an ophthalmologist, a dentist, a neurologist and an endocrinologist.

When can you treat yourself?

Many people suffer from severe headaches. Some people decide on their own what to do in this case. But you can do without visiting a doctor only when you have already been examined and know your diagnosis. If headaches torment you periodically, and you know their cause, you can not consult a doctor every time, but use the treatment that he prescribed for you. When is it necessary to visit a medical facility?

You have a headache for the first time, and you don’t know what could cause it.

The pain appeared suddenly, for no apparent reason, and gradually intensified.

The usual location and intensity of pain has changed.

Additional symptoms appeared: nausea, dizziness, spots before the eyes, weakness.

Treatment of headaches

If you know your diagnosis and the cause of this condition, if pain occurs infrequently and goes away after using medications, you can self-medicate. Most people try to cope with pain with pills. Usually non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, etc. help, but in many cases you can do without these by no means harmless drugs if you eliminate the causes of the pain. Rest, a walk in the fresh air, a relaxing massage or a warm bath often helps. For many, headaches go away after sleep, meditation or auto-training. Folk remedies help well: herbs, compresses and acupressure. When treated in a medical facility, physiotherapy may be prescribed: electrophoresis, salt caves, magnetic and laser therapy. In any case, all methods of getting rid of pain should be aimed primarily at its cause.

How to help yourself without drugs

If you understand why you have a severe headache, what can you do at home to relieve the attack? If it is caused by overwork, you need to take a break from work, take a walk in the fresh air or just relax. It is useful to drink a decoction of chamomile, valerian, linden or mint.

Then you need to lie down and try to relax. To do this, turn off the computer, TV and radio, and close the curtains. You can turn on pleasant music and light up. A warm bath with sea salt or aromatic oils will also help you relax. It’s good to do it with your fingers or a stream of warm shower. Sometimes the pain caused by tension goes away if you tightly bandage your head with a towel for 10 minutes, you can simply press hard on the temple area for a short time. In some cases, relief comes by drinking warm tea with lemon and honey or simply sweetened water. All other treatments should be chosen depending on the reasons for the severe headache. What to do - in each case a doctor can advise. For example, if you have high blood pressure, you need to take medications to lower it, during infectious diseases you need to take antiviral and antipyretic drugs, and if you have osteochondrosis, you need to get a massage. But in any case, measures must be taken in a timely manner; you cannot tolerate it if you have a severe headache.

What to do: what pills to take

All medicinal pain can be divided into several groups. Any of them, without a doctor’s recommendation, can be taken only once - to relieve an attack.

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will help with pain of any origin, in addition, they will relieve inflammation and fever. The best of them are Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Nurofen, Imet, Ketorolac and others.

2. Antispasmodics are used for tension pain, vasospasm, if NSAIDs do not help. “Papaverine”, “Drotaverine”, “No-shpa”, “Spazgan” and others are recommended.

3. If pain is caused by pressure fluctuations or other vascular disorders, analgesics will help in this case: “Analgin”, “Nebalgin” and others. But in combination with them you need to take vasodilators or special hypertensive drugs.

4. These medications may not help if your headache is very severe. Usually in such a state a person cannot decide what to do. Combination drugs can quickly bring relief: Pentalgin, Solpadein, Brustan, Novigan and others.

Folk remedies

But sometimes taking medications is impossible for various reasons, and a severe headache occurs. What to do in this case? Many people benefit from various herbal infusions, compresses and other traditional medicine. You just need to choose a treatment method that is acceptable to you and that will truly alleviate the condition.

You can drink warm herbal decoctions: St. John's wort, coltsfoot, oregano, mint, valerian and some others will help;

You can make compresses with lemon, lavender or orange oil, or simply inhale their scent;

You need to drink the juice of potatoes, spinach or viburnum berries;

Many people find ginger tea or cinnamon tea helps;

Acupressure and acupuncture also help well.

Severe headache during pregnancy

What should women who are expecting a child do, since most medications are contraindicated for them? And pregnant women often experience headaches. This is due to hormonal changes in a woman’s body, toxicosis and circulatory failure.

If the headache is not very severe, you can try to cope with it without medication. Can help:

Rest and sleep;

Shower or warm bath;

Relaxation exercises or breathing exercises;

Massage of the neck and shoulder area;

Apply a warm or cold compress to the bridge of the nose and forehead for pain in this area, as well as on the neck if you have a severe headache in the back of the head.

What to do if these methods do not help? You can take one painkiller tablet. If you do this infrequently, it will not cause harm. What medications can pregnant women take? In small doses, Citramon or Paracetamol is allowed; there is also a little-known drug, Acetaminophen. It is strictly forbidden to drink Nurofen, Aspirin and analgesics. The same rules must be followed during lactation if a severe headache occurs. “What should I do: I’m feeding the baby, but I can’t stand it?” - women are often interested. There are drugs compatible with breastfeeding, mainly based on paracetamol. This is "Calpol", "Eferalgan" or "Panadol". They harm the child the least, but they should not be taken often either.

Headache in children

Young patients are much more difficult to treat because they often cannot accurately describe their condition. Therefore, in case of a headache, you should definitely show your child to a doctor. Only after making a diagnosis can the doctor determine how to cope with the problem. In addition to pain associated with various health disorders, modern children often experience tension pain and even suffer from migraines. A light massage, rest and sleep, linden tea or a cool compress can help your baby. For a one-time relief from a severe attack, it is permissible to give the child paracetamol-based medications. Most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics are contraindicated for children under 12 years of age.

Prevention of headaches

As you know, all medications are unsafe for health. Therefore, it is better to avoid a condition where you need to take strong drugs. For those who regularly suffer from headaches, it is very important to maintain the correct daily routine, go to bed on time and walk more in the fresh air. It is necessary to lead an active lifestyle, spend less time watching TV and computer. It is also very important to monitor your diet, because many foods can cause headaches: coffee, chocolate, carbonated drinks, canned food and sausages. It's best to avoid them. You should also give up alcoholic beverages and smoking.