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There are different types of headaches, and there are various treatments on how to get rid of headaches fast and effectively. We discuss some of the treatments procure on how to get rid of headaches in this article. To prevent headaches, one needs to know the triggers. Think about your change in diet, daily routine, stress level etc. If the headaches worsen, they may impact your everyday life. Therefore, consult your doctor and diagnose what kind of headache you have and what the triggers are. Never ignore headaches, thinking they are common but seek medical help without delay.
Your physician can ask for some testing to determine the type of headache, its cause, and how frequently they occur. For some, no medical help is needed, but for others, medicines, counselling, stress therapy etc. are required.
Treatments on How to Get Rid of Headaches
Depending on the type of headache, the physician can provide different treatments for primary headaches as per the diagnosis.
The treatment could be of two types.
- Acute Treatment
- Preventive Treatment
1. Acute treatment (How to Get Rid of Headaches): It treats headaches and symptoms after the pain begins. The treatment includes
- OTC pain killer medicines like paracetamol etc.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Nasal sprays
2. Preventive Treatment: (How to Get Rid of Headaches): It is used to treat headaches before the pain can begin; in layman’s terms, it prevents the headache. The treatment includes
- Calcium channel blockers
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotic medications
- Antiseizure medications
Apart from medicines, there are alternative treatments available to treat headaches.
- Heat therapy
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Changes in Diet
- Oxygen therapy
How to get rid of headaches from Migraine
Migraines need a completely different approach to their treatment. The first step is to relieve the pain, which can be done with OTC medications. In case of severe migraine, these medicines might not work correctly, and the doctor might recommend prescription medication for your migraine pain. The physician might also suggest preventive medications, which lower the number of migraine attacks.
The migraine treatment aims to stop the symptoms and prevent future attacks. Medicines can be divided into two categories: pain-relieving and preventive medications.
Treating with pain relieving medication is also known as an acute or abortive treatment. The medicines are used during migraine attacks and help to stop the symptoms.
But then, preventive medicines are taken regularly and help to reduce the severity or frequency of the migraine attacks.
The frequency of migraine attacks and severity of the migraine headaches, nausea, vomiting, and other medical conditions determine the treatment paths.
Medications for pain relief could be over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Suppose one takes these medicines for a long time. In that case, they can get medication-overuse headaches, ulcers and bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. There are also medications like triptans which block the pain pathways in the brain. These could be taken as pills, shots or nasal sprays and can relieve many migraine symptoms. But these medicines might not be safe for people at risk of a stroke or heart attack.
Dihydroergotamines are available as nasal sprays or injections. It is very effective if taken shortly after the start of migraine symptoms. The side effects include vomiting and nausea. Anyone with coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, or kidney or liver problems should not take dihydroergotamine. There are medicines like Lasmiditan, Ubrogepant, CGRP antagonists etc., which are effective against migraines but not without mild to severe side effects. Therefore, always consult your doctor or GP before taking any kind of medicines for migraines.
Doctors might recommend anti-nausea medicines if the migraine is with aura and accompanies nausea and vomiting. Anti-nausea medications are taken along with prescribed pain medicines.
If you are pregnant or trying to be, get in touch with your general physician first. Do not take any medicines without first consulting the doctors.
There are preventive medications that can help to prevent migraine. The doctor might recommend preventive medications if one has frequent, long-lasting or severe headaches. It reduces the frequency of headaches, their severity and their lasting period.
Blood pressure-lowering medications like beta-blockers such as propranolol and metoprolol tartrate treat migraines. Calcium channel blockers such as verapamil can help prevent migraines with aura. Antidepressants like tricyclic antidepressants can prevent migraines. Antiseizure drugs like valproate and topiramate might help if one has less frequent migraines. Still, at the same time, they can give side effects such as dizziness, weight changes, nausea etc.
CGRP monoclonal antibodies are a group of newer drugs. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves them to treat migraines. CGRP monoclonal antibodies are given to patients monthly or quarterly; the most common side effect is a reaction at the injection site. Ask your doctor if these medications are proper for you. These medicines are not recommended for pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant without first consulting the physician.
Painkillers are common medications to treat migraine symptoms and prevent migraine attacks. There are invasive or surgical procedures when other medications give the required results. Invasive procedures examples are nerve blocks, trigger point injections, botulinum toxin type A (Botox) etc.
There are some alternative treatment plans available on How to Get Rid of Headaches. They are as per below
- Supplements of magnesium
- Supplements of riboflavin or vitamin B2
- Relaxation training
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Exercise
- Diet Plan
- Acupuncture
How to get rid of Headaches from Tension
As soon as the pain starts and symptoms are mild, get on with the treatment. It is wise to treat tension headaches just after they begin when the symptoms are mild enough. The purpose is to relieve the pain and prevent more of them from happening.
Medications (how to get rid of headaches)
Over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers are the first line of treatment for tension headaches. Do not take them every time, as overusing them can cause rebound headaches.
Acetaminophen, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin, ibuprofen etc., If OTC pain relievers don’t help, your doctor may prescribe more potent medicines like Indomethacin, Ketoprofen, Ketorolac, Naproxen etc.
Sometimes muscle relaxers like Cyclobenzaprine or Methocarbamol are also prescribed by doctors. Other medicines can help prevent a tension headache. One can take them as per their doctor’s advice every day, even when there is no pain. It could help in using less medication over time. The medicines could be Tricyclic antidepressants, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Antiseizure drugs etc.
One needs to identify the cause of the headache with the help of their doctor, as medications are not the cure for headaches in the long run. The effect of medicine tends to get lower with time. Additionally, medicines have side effects. Get information from the doctor regarding the pros and cons of any regular medication.
Supplements (How to Get Rid of Headaches)
Studies suggest that dietary supplements could be effective against tension headaches, just like those against migraine headaches. The supplements could be Magnesium, Riboflavin, Coenzyme Q10 etc. but discuss with a physician before starting any of them.
How to get rid of Headaches from Sinus
Treatments
Simultaneously treatment for the pain and underlying causes of sinus headache is possible.
Medicines (How to Get Rid of Headaches)
One can use over-the-counter painkillers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen etc. Even though they are OTC medicines, we strongly advise you to take them only after consulting your doctor.
Decongestants can be bought over the counter. They open the blocked sinus cavities and act by curbing the swelling and removing the mucus in the nasal passages. Always avoid nasal decongestants for more than 3 days and oral decongestants for more than 7 days.
Nasal steroid sprays prescribed by the doctor reduce pain and congestion.
If the sinus is because of an allergic reaction, antihistamines are beneficial. One can use a vaporizer or humidifier to ease the irritation caused by dry air. Also, using a saline solution nasal spray helps to this cause.
With the help of warm salt water and a neti pot, one can flush the sinuses. The saltwater moistens the area and clears the mucus from the nasal passage. Removing the mucus reduces pressure and lowers the sinus headache.
Sinus infection and treatment
many a time, viruses, bacteria or fungi cause sinus infections. If it is a viral infection, it might go away with time and medicines are mostly avoided. But antibiotics or antifungal medicines are used in bacterial or fungal infections. Your doctor can recommend antihistamines to prevent allergy symptoms, decongestants to reduce swelling in the nose and sinuses, pain relievers to ease headache pain and steroids to reduce inflammation.
References
- Ahmed, F. (2012). Headache disorders: differentiating and managing the common subtypes. British Journal of Pain, 6(3), 124–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/2049463712459691
- C., D. G. (1961a). Headaches. Archives of Ophthalmology, 65(5), 619–620. https://doi.org/10.1001/archopht.1961.01840020621001
- C., D. G. (1961b). Headaches. Archives of Ophthalmology, 65(5), 619–620. https://doi.org/10.1001/archopht.1961.01840020621001
- Headache pain: When to worry, what to do – Harvard health publishing. (2020, April 15). Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/headache-when-to-worry-what-to-do