How to cure headaches
We're looking at the best ways to treat headaches and migraines. 1 in 5 of us experience pain every day and headaches are one of the most common. And when a headache strikes, most of us just open the medicine cabinet.
But is a painkiller really the best way to beat a headache? Is there anything else we can do to ease the pain? And if you do take a painkiller, which is the best one for you?
The different types of headache
Tension headache
This is the most common type of headache - around 70% of cases. Tension headaches happen because head and neck muscles contract and build up pressure and they tend to affect both men and women equally.
Typical causes of tension headaches are stress, tiredness, eye strain, drinking and smoking or hormone changes for women around their period.
Tension headaches are normally quite a general pain and don't usually last very long.
Migraine headache
A migraine causes around 20% of headaches and are known to affect women more than men.
This type of headache happens because blood vessels in the head and neck shrink and reduce the blood flow.
Symptoms are a throbbing pain on side of the head and being very sensitive to light and sound.
Typical causes are smoking, lack of sleep, family history of migraine and stress.
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