Summary
If you have a headache, you want it treated. In this video, Dr. Richard Honaker explains how to approach the two most common kinds.
Muscle (tension) headaches feel like a tight band around your head. The best things for them, according to Dr. Honaker, are relaxation, heat and massage. Exercise generally helps too, and finding something that relaxes you is worthwhile. Some prescription medicines relax the muscles and work very well; for those, you need to see your doctor.
Migraine headaches are different. They can come with nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound, and they can be very debilitating. Dr. Honaker tells patients that the sooner they treat a migraine, the better the chance of stopping it from growing into a full-blown migraine.
Treating a migraine at its very first sign can keep many migraines from turning into an episode that lasts a day or two, Dr. Honaker says. For any pain medicine, follow the directions on the label, and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you’re unsure or if you take other medicines.
Key takeaways
- Tension headaches respond to relaxation, heat, massage and exercise.
- Prescription muscle relaxants can help tension headaches; see your doctor for them.
- Migraines can bring nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound.
- Dr. Honaker’s main migraine advice: treat it as early as possible.
Questions Dr. Honaker answers
How do you treat a tension headache?
With relaxation, heat, massage and exercise. Prescription muscle relaxants can also help, but you need to see your doctor for those.
Why treat a migraine early?
The sooner you treat it, the better your chance of keeping it from growing into a full-blown migraine that lasts a day or two.
