Dealing with Headaches

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Digital Health Expert. Managing Editor and Founder, MedicalRecords.com

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Headaches are common, a part of life, and absolutely not fun to deal with. They can make a good day bad and if you don’t know how to treat or prevent them, can be a real problem in your daily life. Some may last only a few hours while others can last for even a few days. Knowing how to combat and prevent headaches is key to avoiding or recovering quickly from them. Thankfully, the cures for headaches are often simple, such as getting rest, taking medicine and drinking plenty of water. Though avoiding them can be a little more challenging, it’s by no means impossible.

Managing Migraine Headaches

A migraine is a throbbing headache that’s painful enough to stop your usual activities. You may also feel sick to your stomach, avoid light and noise, or have changes in your vision. They can last anywhere from 4 to 72 hours but do not cause long-term damage.

Migraines run in families, but experts aren’t sure why some people get migraines and others don’t. You can often avoid migraines by figuring out what causes them. Your doctor can also prescribe medicine to keep them from happening in the first place or at the very least, keep the pain at bay.

Learn more about migraines and your treatment options by clicking here.

Taking care of a Headache

Having a headache is no fun, especially when the weather is nice and you’d rather be outside. Everyone gets headaches sometimes, but knowing your triggers—the actions, emotions, foods, and even weather conditions that cause your headaches—can help you avoid many of them. Some triggers are common, while others may be unique to you. A few might even surprise you. For example, did you know that taking over-the-counter pain medicine too often can actually cause more headaches?

Read about common headache triggers and explore your treatment options to stay pain-free, here.

Managing Tension Headaches

Most headaches are tension headaches. They’re rarely a sign of anything serious, but that doesn’t make them any less painful. In fact, although they differ from migraines in several ways, they can be just as disruptive and uncomfortable. They can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 7 days, and any more than 15 days a month over a 3-month period could indicate chronic tension headaches.

Common triggers can include stress, depression, hunger, and muscle strain. A tension headache typically causes steady pain or pressure on both sides of your head, almost like your head is a vase.

Learn more about the differences between tension headaches and migraines, how to treat tension headaches, and how to keep them from happening in the first place by following the link here.

Headaches in children

It’s hard not to feel helpless when your child has a headache or is suffering from frequent headaches. Especially when you may not know why he or she is getting them. Over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can treat most headaches though remember that they may need a smaller dosage than an adult. Making sure they get plenty of rest and drinking water will also help your child combat the headache.

Try to find out what causes your child’s headaches, if possible. Knowing these causes may help your child’s doctor decide whether the pain is caused by a migraine headache or a tension headache.

Click here to learn more about headaches in children and treatment methods.