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• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Relieve the headache yourself
• Method 2 of 2: Talk to a doctor about treatment

Headache is a condition that anyone can experience. This can be caused by a variety of triggers, including noise, dehydration, stress, certain foods, a missed meal, and even sex. If you have a very bad headache, you can try to relieve it yourself or see your doctor if it is taking you away from your normal activities.

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Method 1 of 2: Relieve the headache yourself

1. Take a pain reliever. Most headaches are easily treated with over-the-counter medications. Take over-the-counter medications to help relieve the pain. If the pain persists, see your doctor to rule out a more serious medical condition.
   • Take acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to relieve your headaches.
   • Over-the-counter pain relievers are suitable for relieving tension headaches.
2. Have a drink with caffeine. Many over-the-counter headache medications contain caffeine. There is some evidence that a small amount of caffeine can relieve headaches, but too much can have a negative and opposite effect, making the pain worse.
   • Don't drink more than 500 mg of caffeine per day, or about five cups of coffee.
   • Try not to drink more than a cup of coffee, soda, cocoa, or tea for some caffeine-related pain relief.
   • Drinking a caffeinated beverage can help relieve pain more quickly when taken in combination with a pain reliever, as it allows the body to absorb medication more quickly.
3. Use heat therapy. Heat for a headache not only relaxes the muscles in your head and neck, but it can also help relieve the pain. From hot packs to warm baths, there are many different types of heat treatments that can help relieve an extremely bad headache.
4. Take a warm bath or shower. Make yourself a warm bath or shower. Warm water can soothe tense muscles and help relieve your headaches quickly.
   • Make sure the water is between 36 and 40 degrees Celsius so you don't burn your skin. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature.
   • A bubble bath can help relieve your headache as the rays massage your muscles and relax you.
   • Epsom salt can have a calming effect and aid in further relaxation and headache relief.
5. Apply a cold compress. Use cold compresses on your head and neck. This can help reduce the swelling and relieve the pain.
   • You can use a cold pack as often as needed for 20 minutes at a time.
   • You can freeze a foam cup of water and then gently massage the affected area.
   • You can also use a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a tea towel. The frozen vegetables adapt to the shape of the neck and may be more comfortable than a cold pack.
   • If it is too cold or your skin becomes numb, remove the pack.Place a towel between the ice pack and your skin to prevent frostbite.
6. Get a massage. A head, neck, and even shoulder massage can relieve tension or muscle spasms that can cause headaches. A licensed massage therapist can feel the knots and tension in your muscles and massage them away.
   • Many types of massage are available, including Swedish massage and deep tissue massage. Your therapist will choose and apply a proven approach during the session, after obtaining the informed agreement.
   • You can find a qualified massage therapist online or through your doctor.
   • If you can't find a professional massage therapist, try self-massage. By massaging your face, temples, or even just your ears, you may be able to relieve a bad headache.
7. Use acupressure to relieve the pain. Some doctors recommend acupressure to reduce the tension in the neck and shoulders that causes a headache. Learning the five acupressure points and self-massage acupressure points can help relieve your headaches.
   • Specifically, you can stimulate the following acupressure points: 20 GB (Feng Chi), GB21 (Jian Jing), LI4 (He Gu), TE3 (Zhong Zhu) and LI10 (Shou San Li).
   • The video http://exploreim.ucla.edu/video/acupressure-points-for-neck-pain-and-headache/ can teach you to track these points and also offers tips on how to use acupressure for headache relief .
   • If desired, you can ask a specialist in Eastern medicine to treat you with acupressure.
8. Drink water to keep yourself hydrated. Studies have shown that a lack of moisture can contribute to headaches. Drink enough water to relieve your headache.
   • You don't need anything other than water to get enough moisture. If you prefer sports drink or juice, drink it with some water.
9. Eat a small snack. Some headaches are caused by not eating enough. Eat something in between if you haven't eaten recently to help relieve a headache.
   • Fruits, nuts, muesli, and canned soups are good snacks. You can also eat yogurt or some humus and pita.
   • If you experience nausea or vomit during your headache, you may not be able to contain anything. In that case, try some stock. In addition, if you experience these symptoms, it is important to consult your doctor.
10. Soothe the headache with aromatherapy. Try essential oils, which studies have shown can relax you. Certain scents, such as lavender, can help relieve headaches.
    • Essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, rosemary, bergamot, peppermint and eucalyptus can help relieve headaches.
    • There are many different ways to apply essential oils. You can massage it in your temple or on your ears, or use a scent burner.
    • Peppermint and eucalyptus candies can help relieve the pain.
11. Take naps in a dark and restful environment. Rest and relaxation can often help relieve extreme headaches. By paying attention to factors such as the temperature and how dark it is, comfortable beds or places to sleep, turning off troubled electronics and blocking out traffic noise, you can quickly get rid of your headaches.
    • Make sure the temperature in the bedroom is between 15-24 degrees for optimal sleeping conditions.
    • Remove computers, television and work equipment from the bedroom as much as possible so that you can rest without stress or stimulation.
    • Light stimulates you to wake up, so make sure your room is dark enough to help your brain settle down and fall asleep. You can use curtains or eye masks if the bedroom is too bright.
    • Noise will also keep you from sleeping and can make your headaches worse. Make sure your room is as quiet as possible and if necessary, use a white noise machine to combat all the loud noises in your bedroom.
    • A comfortable mattress, pillows and bedding can help you relax and fall asleep.
12. Meditate for a few minutes. Meditation is a powerful method of relieving headaches. Set aside a few minutes to meditate when you have a headache to relax and relieve a headache.
    • Meditation can force you to break free from the distractions around you. Once disconnected you can relax.
    • Begin with meditation for five to 10 minutes and gradually expand as needed.
    • Find a quiet and comfortable place where you will not be disturbed. By eliminating all distractions, it is easier to focus on your breathing, relieve pain, and let go of any thoughts or feelings that may arise.
    • Sit up straight and close your eyes. Good posture is an essential part of meditation. It helps your breath and blood flow, which teaches your brain to focus on one point. Closing your eyes will shut out distractions.
    • Breathe relaxed and evenly. Do not try to direct your breathing; rather just let it come and go. An excellent technique to help with concentration is to focus solely on the breath by saying "let" on the inhale and "go" on the exhale.
13. Visualize yourself in a relaxing place. If you're in a place where your headache gets worse, pretend you're somewhere else, like a beach. Framing is a behavioral technique that can help you change how you think and feel about specific situations and help relieve your headaches.
    • For example, if you have a really bad headache with kids screaming around you, take a deep breath and picture yourself as if you were on a beach in Hawaii, or somewhere else you would like to be.

Method 2 of 2: Talk to a doctor about treatment

1. Consult your doctor. If your over-the-counter treatments for the headache aren't helping, see your doctor. This can rule out underlying conditions and draw up a treatment plan for you.
   • Your doctor will work towards the correct diagnosis and try to rule out competing diagnoses in an effort to choose the right therapy.
   • The primary care physician will determine the need for additional testing at this appointment, including but not limited to blood pressure monitoring, additional cardiovascular monitoring, blood tests, and scans of the head.
2. Take prescription or preventative medications. Depending on the severity and type of headache, your doctor may prescribe a powerful pain reliever and preventative medication to prevent further headaches.
   • Your doctor can give you prescription pain relievers such as sumatriptan and zolmitriptan.
   • Your doctor can give you preventative medications, such as metoprolol tartrate, propranolol, amitriptyline, divalproex sodium, and topiramate.
   • Many of these preventative medications are particularly effective for migraines, as they counteract blood vessel narrowing or the painful dilation phase.
   • Some antidepressants can also help prevent extreme headaches.
3. Try oxygen therapy for cluster headaches. If you suffer from cluster headaches, oxygen therapy is considered one of the best treatments. You inhale air through an oxygen mask and your headache can be reduced in a mere 15 minutes.
   • Oxygen therapy is most effective when applied right at the beginning of a headache. Treatment should be resumed when the next headache starts.
4. Consider other treatments. There are other more rare treatments you can discuss with your doctor. This includes botox injections and transcranial magnetic stimulation.
   • There are a number of studies showing that the Botox, aka botulinum toxin type A, can help relieve and prevent severe headaches. If your headaches do not improve with standard therapies, discuss this with your doctor.
   • Transcranial magnetic stimulation uses electrical currents to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, which can help minimize and prevent headaches from coming back.