How to Ease Headache Pain

Headaches are pain, literally. Sometimes they can interfere with work, school or other daily activities that are important to life. Headaches aren't always relieved simply by taking pain medication. Luckily, if pain medication doesn't work for you, there are alternative methods that you can practice to help ease headache pains and get back into your normal daily routine.

Things You'll Need

• Pain medication (ibuprofen, aspirin or acetaminophen)
• Bowl of cold water
• Ice pack
• Heating pad

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Instructions

• 1

  Take one or two pain pills such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin. Drink an 8-ounce glass of water with the pills. Lay down for 15 minutes to allow the medicine to work and to allow the pain to subside.

• 2

  Lay flat on your back on a firm mattress or on a thick mat laid on the floor. Stretch your arms above your head slowly and close your eyes. Focus on your breathing. Do not focus on the headache pain.

• 3

  Place your left hand in a bowl of cold water. While your hand is submerged, use your right hand to gently massage the skin in between your index finger and your thumb. It is said that there are nerves present in this area that affect headache pain. If the pain does not subside, move on to Step 4.

• 4

  Put an ice pack in a sock or double wrapped in a plastic grocery bag as you do not want it too cold. Gently pat the area where the pain is with the ice pack. If it is comfortable, place the ice pack directly on the area of the pain. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

• 5

  Heat up a heating pad while the ice pack is on your head. Place the heating pad inside of a pillowcase (you do not want direct heat on your head) if you do not have the protective cover. Lay your head onto the heating pad after 10 minutes with the ice pack on your head to dull away the pain. If the pain still does not subside, move on to Step 6.

• 6

  Contact your physician. If you are having headaches that are not relieved with pain medications, healthy diet, exercise or sleep, you could have an underlying health condition that needs to be treated immediately.