Headaches: 7 steps to complete relieve

1 Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Take a dose as soon as you start feeling the headache coming on as most painkillers won't kick in until half an hour.
A quick dose of ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, or aspirin can take the edge off.

2 Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can lead to a headache, especially if

you've vomited recently or you're hungover. Drink plenty of water as soon as your head starts to hurt, and try to continue drinking small sips throughout the day. Gradually the pain will subside.

3 Use caffeine carefully––it can be a double-edged sword. Many OTC painkillers contain caffeine, for two reasons:

- Caffeine makes painkillers work faster and

- It makes them work effectively.

Without caffeine, painkillers would be slower and less effective, which leaves open the door to painkiller abuse by well-meaning individuals who are simply looking for relief.

However caffeine can pose a literal and metaphorical headache when your body becomes dependent on it. If heavy caffeine drinkers suddenly take it out of their diet, headaches are a common side-effect.

Watch out for "rebound headache." Rebound Headache results from taking too much caffeine in concert with caffeine-laden painkillers. If you're already taking a painkiller with caffeine as an ingredient, do not drink extra coffee or energy drinks containing caffeine, as this may lead to rebound headache.

4 Find a quiet, dark place to take a break. Try to lie down and relax for at least half an hour. Shut the blinds, turn off the lights, and focus on your breathing. A damp flannel over your eyes can help.

• Request absolute peace and quiet: If you're forced to rest around other people, let them know your condition and ask that they please try to be quiet and leave you undisturbed. If you'd like, get some sleep or take a nap, but not too long though.
• Make sure your bed or couch is comfortable and that your head is supported in a position that doesn't increase the tension to your neck.
• Adjust the lighting. Avoid bright, unnatural light, as it tends to make headaches worse. You can also wear an eye mask to block out light.
• Adjust the room temperature: Try to create whatever conditions that works best for you.
• Concentrate on your breathing while massaging the side of your forehead.

5 Use a cool compress. Placing something soft and cool over your forehead can help the blood vessels constrict, which might ease some of the pain of the headache. This works particularly well if the problem is concentrated in your temples or sinuses.

• Wet a clean cloth with cool water, and lay it over your forehead. Refresh it with more cold water as soon as it starts to feel uncomfortably warm.
• Prepare a heavy-hitting compress. Put a wet washcloth in a resealable plastic sandwich bag, and place the bag in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove it and place on your forehead for a long-lasting compress A cold compress on the neck can also be helpful.

6 Massage your scalp, neck and ear lobes. Some light massage can distract you from the pain, as well as improve circulation and relieve tension. For a basic massage, gently press your fingers over your temples, and move them in slow circles. Alternatively, try these more advanced techniques:

• Do a scalp massage.
• Find two tennis balls and put them in a sock. Lie down on a flat surface and place the balls just below the base of your skull, on the occipital bone, and relax. You may feel sinus pressure or minimal discomfort at first but it will go away. This is especially helpful for sinus headaches.
• Have someone else massage your neck and back if possible. Have them focus on the occipital region as well.
• Gently massaging the bridge of your nose can help relieve sinus and migraine headaches.
• Massage the soft part of your hand in between your index finger and thumb. Nerves in that spot allow your blood vessels in your forehead to constrict
• Firmly massage the acupressure point on each hand where the thumb and index finger bones meet (second metacarpal bone). It's best if somebody does this for you, so both hands can be massaged simultaneously, but if that's not possible, massage one hand for five minutes, then massage the other hand.

7 Practice relaxation techniques: People around the world use a variety of tricks to distract themselves from pain. If you're in the midst of a headache, don't worry about learning something new — stick to whatever is closest to your comfort zone. (You can always read up on different meditation techniques later, when you feel better.) Some popular options include:

• Meditation
• Prayer.
• Deep breathing.
• Visualization.
• Listening to binaural beats
• Try to just calm down. If you can fall asleep, that might help.

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