Whats the best way to cure a headache?

Question

Not asprin, or advil etc.

Answer 1

Well there are several ways to "cure" a headache. The best thing you can do is prevent them from happening.

Prophylactic Treatment
Preventative medication may be prescribed for patients who have frequent headaches (3 or more a month) that do not respond to abortive treatment. Studies have shown that as many as 40% of these patients may benefit from preventative treatment.

Using one medication (monotherapy) is tried first, but a combination of medicines may be necessary. Many of these medications have adverse side effects. If migraines become controlled, the dosage is often reduced or the drug discontinued.

Beta blockers (e.g., propranolol [Inderal®], atenolol [Tenormin®]) are the preferred medications. These drugs produce an effect on heart rate. They should not be taken by patients with asthma and should be used with caution in patients with diabetes.

Antiseizure drugs such as valproic acid (Depakote®), topiramate (Topamax®), and gabapentin (Neurontin®) may be used to treat migraine.

Calcium channel blockers (e.g., verapamil, amlodipine [Norvasc®]) inhibit artery dilation and block the release of serotonin. They should not be taken by patients with heart failure or heart block.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs; e.g., amitryptaline [Elavil®], nortryptaline [Pamelor®], desipramine [Norpramin®]) block serotonin reabsorption and take 2–3 weeks be effective.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; e.g., paroxetine [Paxil®], fluoxetine [Prozac®], sertraline [Zoloft®]) are usually better tolerated than TCAs, but may not be as effective.

Methysergide maleate (e.g., Deseril®, Sansert®) may be prescribed for patients with frequent, severe migraines.


But, you take those and still get a headache...these are some quick fixes called Abortive Treatments:
Mild, infrequent migraines may be relieved using over-the-counter medication. Severe headaches with accompanying symptoms may require prescription medication.

During a migraine, people often prefer to rest or sleep alone in a dark, quiet room. Applying cold packs to the head or pressing on the bulging artery in front of the ear on the painful side of the head may provide temporary pain relief.

Analgesics (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen) provide symptomatic relief from headache pain and should be taken at the first sign of a migraine. They are most effective for infrequent migraines (less than 3 a month) and breakthrough headaches (i.e., headaches that occur despite using prophylactic medications).

Frequent use of analgesics (i.e., more than 4 times a week) can cause rebound headaches and may interfere with prophylactic treatment. Acetaminophen is sometimes combined with other drugs to form an analgesic compound (e.g., Midrin®).

Serotonin receptors (e.g., Imitrex®, Amerge®, Axert®, Zomig®), are fast-acting, usually well- tolerated medications commonly used to treat migraines. They are available in oral, injectable, and nasal spray forms and can be taken any time during the headache.

Ergots (e.g., Cafergot®, Mioranal®) may be administered orally or as a suppository and is often combined with antinausea drugs, such as prochlorperazine (Compazine®). This medication should be taken at the first sign of a migraine and may not be effective if the headache has moved into the throbbing stage.

Prevention is key.

Avoiding triggers, managing stress, and taking prophylactic medications can help prevent migraines. Keeping a migraine journal can help identify triggers and gauge the effectiveness of preventive measures. Patients should monitor the following:

-Activities
-Emotional factors (e.g. stressful situations)
-Environmental factors (e.g., weather, altitude changes)
-Foods and beverages
-Medications (over-the-counter and prescription)
-Migraine characteristics (e.g., severity, length)
-Physical factors (e.g., illness, fatigue)
-Sleep patterns
-Stress management techniques (e.g., biofeedback, hypnosis) and stress-reducing activities (e.g., meditation, yoga, exercise) may help prevent migraines.

Naturopathic Treatment for those who do not like tradition treatments.

Migraines are caused by excessive dilation of the cerebral blood vessels, though scientists do not fully understand what causes the dilation in the first place. Blood vessels don't just dilate spontaneously - they are presumably responding to chemical changes that are occurring in the body.

A naturopathic physician or holistic medical doctor will want to take a complete medical, family, menstrual, and diet history before considering the cause of migraine. Some of the illnesses to be ruled out are bowel problems, mold allergies, vitamin deficiencies, hypertension, TMJ misalignment, food allergies or intolerances, dehydration, spinal subluxations, coffee/caffeine intoxication, and aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal) toxicity among others. All of these problems can cause migraine symptoms and usually can be treated very easily without the use of drugs.

Paradoxical as it may seem, a surprising percentage of migraine headaches may be caused by migraine medication. The "rebound effect" of analgesic and ergotomine compounds has been implicated as a contributing factor for sufferers of daily headaches. Discuss this phenomenon with your prescribing doctor if you are taking more than 30 analgesic tablets a month or if you regularly use ergotamine derivatives. Withdrawal from these products can temporarily make headaches worse, but eliminating these products altogether may ultimately mean no more headaches -- ever.

How & What You Eat Can Give You Migraines
When exploring the causes of headaches, the easiest, cheapest place to start is diet. Food reactions are a significant contributor to headaches and some improvement in symptoms, if not complete remission, can always be achieved by eliminating problematic dietary items. The elimination/challenge trial described below is a good way to identify food reactions that may be causing your headaches.

Foods that most commonly induce migraines:
-cow's milk
-wheat
-chocolate
-egg
-orange
-benzoic acid
-cheese
-tomato
-tartrazine (yellow food dye)
-rye
-Foods like cheese, beer, and wine induce migraines in some people because they contain histamines and/or vasoactive compounds that cause blood vessels to expand. Women tend to react to histamine-containing foods more frequently than men do, on account of a deficiency in an enzyme (diamine oxidase) that breaks histamine down. Taking supplemental B6 may be helpful in these situations, as it can increase diamine oxidase activity.
-Nitrites, which are common ingredients in lunch meats and smoked/cured meats, dilate blood vessels, and may trigger migraine.

Nutritional supplements for the relief of migraines

Wobenzyme: 5 tablets 3 times a day between meals; or, if this dose causes loose stools, 3 tablets 5 times a day

Magnesium citrate: 250mg to 500mg 3 times a day with meals

Vitamin B6: 25mg 3 times a day with meals; vitamin B6 supports the enzymatic breakdown of histamine.

5-HTP (5- Hydroxytryptophan): 100mg to 200mg 3 times a day; 5-HTP increases seritonin and endorphin levels in the brain and has been shown to be as effective as commonly used migraine drugs and with none of the side effects.

Physical medicine

Submerge the feet in a bucket of very hot water while applying an ice compress to the back of the neck. This actually draws the blood down to the feet away from the head. Reduction of pain coincides with the duration of application.

Acupressure can be helpful. See a trained acupressure therapist for instructions on procedures to do at home.

Chiropractic adjustments and maintaining correct spinal alignment can be very supportive in the prevention of headaches that are triggered by muscle stress and spasm.

Miscellaneous treatment options

Intravenous magnesium: IV magnesium can be very helpful for migraine patients who have low-grade magnesium deficiencies. Physician monitoring is needed for this procedure.

Biofeedback therapy: Look for a certified biofeedback practitioner to learn how to reduce pain with a relaxation response that is as effective as Inderol without the side effects.

TENS Unit: Electrical nerve stimulation units can reduce muscle spasm in patients with tension and migraine headaches. A health care practitioner's prescription is needed for insurance coverage of these units, which should be available through medical supply companies. Some chiropractors and physical therapists loan these devices out to patients for a small deposit.

Acupuncture: Acupuncture can balance underlying hormonal deficiencies, tone the gastrointestinal system, and calm reactive blood vessels.

A word of caution: When selecting an acupuncturist, be very careful to research the training and qualifications of your practitioner. Medical doctors can take weekend courses in acupuncture and call themselves certified acupuncturists. A weekend course is NOT enough to time to understand the complex philosophy or practice of Chinese medicine. These doctors can do harm, so be careful.

Choose a practitioner who holds a full doctorate degree in Chinese medicine, an O.M.D. (Oriental Medicine Doctor), or Lic.Ac (licensed acupuncturist). These practitioners are required to complete several years of training and often have completed internships in China, Japan, or Korea. The letters TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) after the name means that the doctor has additional training in prescribing Chinese herbs. The more knowledge a practitioner has about Chinese medicine and its supporting philosophy, the more able they are to diagnose and treat your symptoms. Also, as with all health care practitioners, check their practice's reputation in the community.

Answer 2

It depends on the source of headache. A lot of headaches are caused by mild dehydration (I'm going to asses about 50% of them, in fact, are cause or enhanced by mild dehydration) Drinking more fluids will ease, and help prevent headaches. Nicotine in small quantities can help ease a headache. If you're a regular smoker, chances are it's going to enhance the headache. Avoid smoking during headaches, largely because it increases blood pressure Caffiene is good in small doses as it does inprove blood flow. In large doses it will cause your blood pressure to go high, and could cause pounding or prolonged headaches. Ibuprofin (Advil), is a great anti-inflamatory but isn't that useful for headaches. It helps, but not nearly as much as other medications. Aspirin and Aceteminiphene are both popular and useful headache relief medication. Excedrin is a multi-painkiller. I think it contains Aspirin, Aceteminiphene and caffiene. Ideal for bad headaches if you don't have them frequently. Potentially bad long term if you take it on a regular basis. As a rule of thumb, you should never take a pain medication more than once a day, and not more often than 2-3 days in a row without at least 2-3 days downtime without the pain medication. Exceeding that amount can create a dependancy (Even though it's perfectly acceptable for the drug limits. The labels don't take into consideration dependancy though) Be careful if you take pain killers frequently. Frequent use of pain killers will cause a dependancy on them, and will result in more headaches more frequently. If you take a lot of pain killers, you might want to consider cutting back. Vitamins may help if you suffer frequent headaches. A lack of B and C vitamins are link to frequent headaches, and simply just taking a multi-vitamin daily (especially if you're on a fast food diet), might help your overall body functions. Stress relief is always useful. I recommend short meditations, or naps. A quick nap in the afternoon is linked with incredible stress reduction, and is even shown to assist in getting better sleep at night. Personally, I both meditate and take an afternoon nap, and since I've begun doing these things I'm always far more rested, and yet still manage to get a lot more done.

Answer 3

Well I have suffered from migranes my whole life, and if you're not willing to take pain killers (which are perhaps the fastest way), then the BEST way to cure headaches is to sleep them off. Headaches are pretty much caused by muscle tension so getting someone to massage your head and your temples (side of your head near the ears)/ or doing it yourself always worked wonders for me (My dad used to do it for me). Drink water as well since headaches are very often caused by dehydration and hunger. Don't use caffeine, one you get hooked and 2) it often makes it worse. The principle behind caffeine working is that it is a stimulant and should eleviate tiredness related headaches but when you come down from your caff-high you'll feel worse/ and caffeine burns faster than gasoline.

If you don't have time to rest/ i.e. you're at work and in desperate need of some relief don't suffer - take a pain killer/ not necessarily aspirin because that stuff is nasty but something like panadol or paracetamol - provided you are not allergic to it.

But in response to your question the best natural way is massage and sleep.

Answer 4

If you are looking for a prescription try Midrin . They are for severe head aches though. You take 2 pills at the onset and then if it does not work you take 1 more. At least that is how it is prescribed to my husband. He has really bad headaches and the first 2 usually works within 30 minutes. Over the counter meds never worked for him. The good thing about this medication is that it is non narcotic.

Answer 5

First of all, it is important to figure out what kind of headache it is. If it is pulsing, you have sensativity to light or sound, it is on one side of your head, or you are nausous, it is a migrane. If it is a dull band around your head, it is a tention headache. Tention headaches are usually easier to treat. Drink a cup of coffee to contract the blood vessels, but only drink one or 2 cups a week. Then take a pain reliever. Over the counter ones work for many people, but if they don't work, ask a doctor. I currently take Indocen (I used to take midrin, but it made the headache worse) If it is a migraine have a cup of coffee, and take a pain relever. Alleve tends to work well. But if you go to the doctor ask for a triptain. It is spacifically for migraines. Zomig and Amerge are a couple of good ones. You spray them up your nose. The important thing for both types of headaches is to relax. Tention makes it much worse. So take a breather, a couple of pills, and good luck!

Answer 6

Inhaling Peppermint Oil Of The Best Natural Headache Remedies

Answer 7

My mom always said sex...it relieves tension that causes headaches...

Answer 8

1) Have enough food in right time
2) Avoid stress
3) Be relax

Answer 9

Caffeine!!

Answer 10

massage temples,apply ice at temples,massage your neck,r u hungry maybe hunger headache,or try caffeine

Answer 11

try lying down, eyes closed and put a cool rag on your forehead.