Five ways to cure your headache without painkillers

We all know what a headache feels like and it isn’t much fun. Headaches affect more than 20 million people living in the UK, approximately 40 per cent of adults. Most of us immediately reach for the painkillers, but these could ultimately make things worse. There are other ways to deal with a pounding head, says chiropractor and pain management expert Philippa Oakley.

“We want to encourage people to try alternatives,” says Oakley. “Taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to manage a headache could result in ‘rebound headaches’, a medication overuse headache and actually be what’s causing it.”

Rather than relying on pills, we can address our underlying muscle tension or poor posture, using simple do-it-yourself exercises, says Oakley.

But first you need to know which type of headache you have.

The main types of headaches that affect us

1. Tension headache

Does your head feel like it’s in a vice that is slowly tightening? Chances are it’s a tension headache. This is one of the most common types of headache, affecting as many as four out of five people. The pain generally builds gradually in the sides of your head, face or neck and the affected area may hurt more when touched, though you should be able to continue doing daily activities without making it worse. They typically last for at least 30 minutes, but can persist for much longer – sometimes for several days.

Causes

“Stress creates tension in our head, jaw, neck and through the back of the shoulders,” says Oakley, “so our body is basically constantly on edge.” Poor posture while sitting at a desk also contributes, as does eye-strain from reading or looking at a screen for too long. Too much caffeine, dehydration, and disturbed sleep might also play a part, along with hormonal changes or bright and noisy environments.

Remedies

Oakley advises doing the McKenzie chin tuck. “Try to give yourself a double chin,” says Oakley. “Retract the chin to bring the neck and ears more in line with the shoulders. This activates the muscles through the front of the neck, which are switched off when you’re hunched at a desk, and gets these muscles working in balance with the ones through the back. It’s a bit like doing a sit-up for your neck. Whenever I see somebody who has got really solid shoulders, this exercise is brilliant for them.”

As an alternative, try stretching the suboccipital muscles in the back of your head (as demonstrated below), to relieve headaches and neck pain.

Yoga, massages and other de-stressing activities will also help alleviate stress. Take regular breaks if you sit at your desk for long periods.

2. Cervicogenic headache that starts in the neck

This type of headache originates in the neck but is felt in the head. The pain often starts on the side of your head and feels as if it is spreading forwards. You might feel pain in the temples, forehead, or around the eyes. There is often neck stiffness or tenderness, and a reduced range of motion. The pain worsens with neck movement, coughing, sneezing, straining, or certain neck positions. It can be accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light or sound.

Causes

Injuries such as whiplash, a broken vertebra, or a pinched nerve often cause these, as can degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Poor posture while sitting or working at a computer for long periods, or falling asleep in an awkward position – such as sitting up in bed – also contribute. People who hold their heads in a forward position for long periods, such as drivers, carpenters and hair stylists are especially prone.

Remedies

To manage the pain, “You can mobilise the joints in your neck at home using a towel,” says Oakley. “It’s not as effective as seeing a chiropractor like myself, but it helps to get the joints in your neck moving, which can offer relief.”

Manual therapies – osteopathy, chiropractic, physiotherapy or acupuncture – might also help.

Try sleeping on your side or back with an ergonomic pillow, which costs in the region of £70-80. Or instead, Oakley suggests using a rolled-up towel in your existing pillow just to provide a little bit of support to your neck.”

3. Headache from bruxism (teeth grinding)

If you are prone to waking with jaw tension, it is likely you are grinding your teeth at night. This can also lead to headaches, facial pain, jaw pain and earaches. A dentist will be able to recognise wear patterns on the teeth to identify grinding.

Causes

Stress and anxiety are the most common causes, as well as sleep issues such as snoring and sleep apnea. Taking antidepressants and antipsychotics also increase the risk, as do alcohol, caffeine and tobacco. People who are prone to anger, frustrated, or overly competitive also make you prone. Other causes include a lack of magnesium or vitamin B5 in your diet. Your genes can also play a role.

Remedies

“I encourage patients to push their jaw into their hand for five to 10 seconds and then relax,” says Oakley. “And then repeat the other way, so they’re pushing the hand into the jaw. You’re switching on the muscle to then encourage it to switch off. It’s a progressive muscle relaxation.”

Wearing a mouthguard while sleeping reduces pressure on your jaw muscles. Try meditation, deep breathing, or a warm bath to reduce stress. Improving sleep hygiene also helps, so create a better sleep routine. Avoid screens before bed, as well as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

The temporalis muscle is a fan-shaped muscle in the head involved in jaw movement for chewing. It is the most powerful muscle in the jaw, so massaging this can help relieve pain.

4. Cluster headaches

These severe headaches are felt in groups, or clusters, on one side of the head. They are quite rare, affecting one in 1,000 people. Contributing factors include chemical or hormone changes – sudden release of histamine or serotonin in the body – and genetics. They are known as “suicide headaches”, because 64 per cent of sufferers think about taking their own life. Some cases appear to run in families. They can be triggered by drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, bright light, exercise, heat, foods high in nitrates – such as bacon or luncheon meat – and strong smells, such as perfume, paint or petrol. Afternoon naps can also trigger them.

Signs

A sharp, burning or piercing pain usually occurs around the eye or temple, enough to make you restless and agitated. Other symptoms are eye watering, nasal congestion, swelling around the eye, a smaller pupil in one eye, a sweaty face, and sensitivity to light. Each attack lasts 15 minutes to three hours and can occur multiple times a day.

Remedies

Avoiding triggers is best, but when they do occur, “cold or warm compresses can be useful,” says Oakley. “Flexible ice packs are cheap, and once you’ve got one, you keep it in the freezer and pull it out anytime you need. Wrap it up in a tea towel and pop it over where it hurts.”

Facial massage can relieve tension and bring headache relief.

5. Migraines

These extreme headaches can be felt on one or both sides of the head as an extreme throbbing pain. Migraines are the result of abnormal brain activity affecting the brain’s nerve signals, chemicals and blood vessels. It isn’t known what causes them, although migraines often run in families and certain genes can make people more vulnerable. If you are prone to migraines, you may have certain triggers, which include stress, skipping meals and low blood sugar. Alcohol, hormonal changes (often linked to periods or menopause), lack of sleep and changes in lighting or temperature may trigger them too.

Signs

You may experience warning signs you are about to have a migraine (called an aura), such as problems with your sight – seeing zigzag lines or flashing lights – numbness or a tingling that feels like pins and needles, feeling dizzy and difficulty speaking.

Other symptoms just before a migraine include feeling very tired and yawning a lot, craving certain foods or feeling thirsty, a change in your mood, a stiff neck and a need to urinate more than usual.

Remedies

The box-breathing exercise can reduce the frequency of headaches and help with tension headaches and general stress management. Light exercise such as walking or yoga are shown to be effective in preventing or lessening the pain. So can cold compresses, facial and scalp massage.

You should be going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, getting plenty of natural light during the day and avoiding screens before bed. If you feel a migraine coming on, a 20-to-30-minute nap can ward it off. Make sure you are hydrated and keep the lights down. Having an anti-glare screen on your computer can be useful, or glasses with an anti-glare coating. Sufferers can be very sensitive to loud noises, bright lights and strong smells, so avoid those. Lie in a dark, quiet room, pop your sunglasses on if you are at work, or get out into natural light. Noise-cancelling headphones and making sure that you’re not overheating can help. Reduce noise stimulation and try to keep cool.”