How to manage a headache

Whether you have an occasional headache or suffer from them on a chronic basis, they can be an interruption to your daily life. However, the good news is that there are strategies and methods that can make dealing with a headache a little easier. Best of all, if you consistently follow these guidelines you may find yourself having fewer headaches and the ones you do have will be less severe. Keep in mind that if you are having chronic headaches you should see your health care professional to rule out any underlying medical condition. Here is what you need to know about how to manage a headache-

• Keep a routine-You may be surprised to learn that many people have more headaches on the weekend, just when you would think that life is little easier. However, this happens from turning your back on your regular schedule. Keep in mind that over or under doing anything that you normally do is a change in your routine and can bring on a headache. Anything from sleeping in to skipping the gym, may be enough to trigger one. So even if you are tempted try to keep your routine the same, as much as possible. Healthy experts also advise that if you do change things up on the weekends, don't skip the gym as regular exercise has been found to reduce headaches.
• Relax-The majority of headaches are brought on by stress. It is important to incorporate some sort of relaxation routine into every day. This can include but is not limited to:
  1. meditation
  2. yoga
  3. prayer
  4. reading
  5. any other relaxation technique
• Watch what you eat-There are plenty of food triggers that can bring on your headache. It is important that if you suffer from headaches on a regular basis that you take the time to figure out if there are certain foods that bring them on. Health experts advise that if you suffer from frequent headaches you should avoid the following foods:
  1. any highly processed foods
  2. aged cheeses
  3. alcohol (especially red wine)
  4. chocolate
  5. artificial sweeteners
  6. MSG
  Nutritional experts also advise that you limit your caffeine intake to one or two drinks a day.
• Keep your allergies under control-You may be surprised to learn that many headaches are brought on by allergies. If you are having pain over your sinus area, you are probably having an allergy related headache. These types of allergies can be indicative of a sinus infection, so for chronic pain that does not let up, you may need to see your health care professional for treatment. Most sinus headaches can be resolved with a course of antibiotics.
• Take the right pill-Once you have a headache you may think that popping just any pill is fine. However, it has been shown that plain old aspirin is the most effective for treating headaches. This is especially true if you take a dosage right at the first signs of a headache. If aspirin irritates your stomach, then you may want to consider using acetaminophen (Tylenol). However, you should be cautious when medicating headaches, since regular use can lead to a phenomenon that is known as rebound headaches, when you stop taking the drug. Consult with your health care professional on which drug is the best one to treat your headaches.
• Treat your headache early-Despite all techniques for managing headaches, you will still most likely get one. Many people make the mistake of taking a wait and see approach to treating their headache. Keep in mind that if you are able to catch a headache in its early stages, the simplest remedies are often highly effective. Don't make the mistake of thinking your headache will just go away. Experts advise treating your headache at the earliest signs for the fastest relief.