How To Get Rid Of Headaches According To Science

Pain in the temples, dizziness, a throbbing discomfort like hitting us with a hammer … How to get rid of the headache? Is there a remedy other than just resorting to drugs? Few conditions are as annoying as they are disabling. Also, let’s not forget that this is one of the most frequent reasons in the consultations of general practitioners and neurologists.

The popular saying points out that eating makes a headache straighten. It is true that this type of disorder usually has many triggers and that factors such as poor diet, daily stress, exhaustion or an underlying disease are often the most common causes.

Therefore, before resorting to the classic paracetamol or ibuprofen, it is always appropriate to consult with professionals to carry out an appropriate action. Next, let’s take a look at what neuroscientists tell us about how to treat a headache.

3 keys to get rid of headaches

Anyone can experience a headache. What’s more, it is estimated that 2 out of 3 children will have a headache before the age of 15. We also know that about 90% of people will have a headache at least once in their life. We are, as we see, faced with one of the most common conditions, however – and here comes the striking thing – it continues to harbor a certain stigma and ignorance.

The most common type of headache among the population is primary, that is, one that does not come from any specific disease. Migraine and headaches are the most common. Well, something that an investigation published in the journal The Lancet points out to us is that a good part of people continue to feel misunderstood when they suffer from headaches.

There are many who feel unable to work. It is common to feel discouraged, exhausted, and want to be alone in a quiet place. Something like this can provoke criticism in the eyes of others. However, science is progressing more and more in the knowledge of this disorder and adequate strategies are available to treat them.

So let’s find out what neuroscience tells us about how to get rid of headaches.

1. Look beyond your headache: what is really wrong with me?

When we suffer from headaches, migraines or that discomfort in the head when we get up or come back from work, there is something we must do. Instead of instantly resorting to drugs, let’s think, look beyond the pain itself and see ourselves.

In a headache multiple processes are combined: blood vessels and nerves sending pain signals to the brain, neurotransmitters generating changes in the activity of nerve cells … Now, what triggers it?

• To get rid of the headache it is necessary to know what causes it. Otherwise, it may be the case that this pain becomes more frequent if we limit ourselves only to consuming painkillers to camouflage it.
• Ask yourself how you feel. Delve into what has happened in your life in the last few days. Do you work excessively? Do you do many things at the same time? Something is bothering you? Stress headache is the most common cause of headache.
• Ask yourself how you feed yourself. There are inflammatory chemicals in foods such as cheeses, wine, cold cuts or coffee itself that also directly activate the trigeminal nerve and this leads to migraines.
• Check your health. The deficiency of some mineral or nutrient can lead in many cases to states of exhaustion and headaches. It never hurts to do a medical checkup.

2. You have natural painkillers in your brain

We know that many of these conditions require drug treatment. However, another way to get rid of the headache or at least reduce its impact, is by activating natural painkillers.

At our fingertips we have neurotransmitters such as oxytocin, dopamine or serotonin. Sometimes, a great way to deactivate that annoyance, that suffering, is by promoting its release. In what way? There is not one, there are several:

• Go out to walk. Let the outdoors embrace you, soothe you, relax you.
• Share some time with good friends who make you laugh.
• Rest, give yourself some time to do what you like so much. Take life at a different pace.

3. How to get rid of the headache by taking care of 5 details

Dr. Seymour Diamond was Chairman of the Executive Chairman of the National Headache Foundation and one of the world’s leading experts on headaches. His legacy, with books like Hope for Your Headache Problem.

• Try to get up and go to bed always at the same time. Be regular in your schedules.
• Sleep between 7 and 8 hours on average.
• Learn to manage everyday stress.
• Eat non-inflammatory foods (such as those rich in omega 3 fatty acids).

• Beware of strong lights and smells.
• Get at least half an hour of exercise a day.
• Reduce the hours of screen exposure, especially before bed.

To conclude, it is only worth remembering something very basic. The next time you have a headache, do a “scan” of yourself. Ask yourself what the causes may be, do not hesitate to consult your doctor and always remember a simple advice: stay well hydrated.