8 Ways to deal with tension headaches, must try!

Tension headaches are a type of headache that is relatively common at all ages, including adolescents and adults. The condition commonly referred to as tension headaches This occurs when the muscles in the neck and scalp become tense and contract. Before your condition worsens, find out how to also deal with tension headache medications as below.

There are many ways to deal with tension headaches

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, tension headaches are a condition with pain that spreads, mild, to moderate and is described as a knot in the head. Although until now the exact cause is not known, you can handle it well by changing your habits to taking medication.

1. Reduce stress

Stress can be a trigger for tension headaches. Therefore, one way to deal with tension headache remedies at home is to do the things that cause stress first. Take plenty of time to relax and calm your mind. You can do meditation, deep breathing exercises, or sports like yoga.

In addition, gently massaging the part of your head that hurts can also help. Massage can reduce stress and relieve tension. It is very effective in loosening the tight muscles in the back of the head, neck, and shoulders.

Learning to recognize and avoid stressful situations that trigger headaches can also be an effective method. Some of the things mentioned above, can be effective ways to deal with tension headaches at home.

2. Compress with warm water

The next way to deal with or cure tension headaches is to do a warm or cold compress on the sore head. This can be done to reduce muscle tension that causes headaches.

You can do warm water compresses using a bottle filled with warm water or a towel soaked in hot water. Not only that, you can also try other methods such as putting a heating pad on the neck or the back of the head.

Then, you can immediately take a shower using warm water to relax tense parts of the body.

3. Change habits

Tension headaches can also be triggered from unconscious habits. Therefore, some of these changes might help with tension headaches at home.

• Use a softer and more comfortable pillow and change sleeping positions.
• If you spend more time in front of a computer screen, take the time to stretch your back, neck, and shoulders between work hours. Adjust your sitting position, sit up straight and make sure your feet are flat on the floor.

4. Pay attention to water intake

Medically, the body needs water or fluids for the organs in the body to function properly. Consuming water can also prevent dehydration or lack of water. When dehydration occurs, the body can become weak, unfocused, increasing the risk of fatigue and headaches.

How to deal with tension headaches on this one is easy but sometimes forgotten. When the body is dehydrated, this type of headache can strike.

Not only with plain water, you can also increase your water intake with food or fruit with a high water content.

5. Exercise regularly

In a study, showed that exercise can have a positive impact on your life. Not only able to lose weight, but also prevent various diseases. Exercising regularly can be a way to treat tension headaches as well.

This is because exercise is also useful for relieving stress as well as stretching the body. Do it regularly and pay attention to areas of the body such as the jaw, neck and shoulders that tend to hold a lot of tension.

6. Eat regularly with balanced nutrition

Stress will make you forget to eat and lead to headaches. Eating at the right time can be a way to treat tension headaches. Keep eating at regular times and also pay attention to nutritional intake for your body.

Keep in mind that skipping meals can cause throbbing headaches. Try to eat at the same time every day. Apart from carbohydrates, pay attention to protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

7. Maintain adequate sleep

Having enough sleep is important and is one of the drugs for tension headaches. It is not only good for maintaining health, but also keeps you from stress which is the cause of tension-type headaches.

Various studies have linked lack of sleep to both migraine and tension type headaches. However, also limit your sleep time with sufficient time. This is because too much sleep can make your head hurt again.

8. Take pain relievers

How to deal with or treat tension headaches on this one is something you can do if you want to relieve the pain quickly. Moreover, you can buy headache medicine without a prescription from a doctor.

However, don't forget to be careful because headache medications that are taken in excess can cause other types of headaches. Here are some types of drugs that you can take when tension headaches strike:

• Aspirin. As a headache medicine, this drug works by blocking the prostaglandin hormone. When a headache hits, the hormones that help signal pain to the brain increase in number. Therefore, aspirin, which also functions as an anti-inflammatory drug, can block the activity of the enzymes that make up these hormones.
• Ibuprofen. This drug can be used with aspirin and naproxen or analgesic drugs such as celecoxib and diclofenac to relieve pain. As with aspirin, if it is used as a headache medicine, this drug works by blocking the cyclooxygenase enzyme. Generally, ibuprofen can be used to treat tension headache and migraines.
• Naproxen. This drug belongs to the class of drugs nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the same as ibuprofen, which are drugs used to relieve pain. The way it works is by blocking the cycloogsigenase enzyme to produce prostaglandins.
• Ketorolac. This headache drug is a class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) whose way of working is to block the body's production of natural substances that cause inflammation.

If pain or pain relievers are not working optimally, the doctor may prescribe medication to relax the muscles. This can help stop the muscles from contracting so they don't feel tense.