Like most people, especially mothers, I get headaches. Depending on the cause of the headaches, they can occasionally turn into migraines, but more often than not, I just have normal, run-of-the-mill headaches. I don’t get them often enough that they’re really debilitating, but they occur close enough together that I have identified most of my headache triggers and try to avoid them.
If you frequently get headaches, there may be a reason for your headache that you have not considered — and there might a solution to make it go away!
Common causes for headaches
Low blood sugar
When was the last time you ate and what was it? Was a cupcake at a birthday party? A stray goldfish you found in the couch cushions as you were cleaning? (No judgment.) If you’re not eating regular, balanced meals of carbohydrates and protein/fat, your blood sugar levels will drop and you could possibly feel nauseated, shaky or faint — or you could get a headache. This often happens to me, especially during pregnancy, so as a first resort I always eat something with a little sugar, like a piece of fruit or soda, to help boost my blood sugar. Then I follow it with a good source of protein or fat, such as nuts or cheese, to help level me out.
Caffeine withdrawal
Do you have to drink coffee every day or you feel terrible? Well, you have probably become addicted to caffeine, or at least your brain has. Going without your usual cup (or 3), or even having it later than normal can lead to a headache of migraine proportions. In case you were wondering, tea, soda and chocolate also have caffeine, so you may have been consuming more caffeine than you realized. If I think my headache could be caffeine-related I usually take an Excedrin Migraine (which is basically aspirin, Tylenol and caffeine) or have a soda or coffee (for the caffeine and extra sugar).
Hormonal headaches
Do you ever get a headache around the time of your period? Perhaps when you were pregnant or just after birth? Hormonal fluctuations, especially estrogen and progesterone, can cause you to get headaches or even hormonal migraines. Headaches can be a common symptom of menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy, the postpartum period and menopause. Unfortunately, I don’t have any suggestions to help with this one besides hormonal birth control. The end of pregnancy or the start of menopause may help as well. Ask your doctor for suggestions if you think hormones could be causing your headaches.
Stress headaches
Are you a mother? Then you are stressed. (Sorry to have to break the news to you.) I carry my stress between my shoulder blades, right at the base of my neck. I usually feel a headache start creeping up from a knot there. It travels up my neck and pulls my head tight like a vise until even my hair hurts. A heating pad on that magic spot, or even better a massage, to work out the knot before it gets to migraine proportions is the best way I have found to get rid of a stress headache. Many people have also found success preventing and relieving stress and stress headaches with yoga, regular massages or chiropractic care.
Barometric pressure changes
Do you get a headache when a storm front is approaching? I do, and so do my mother and various other relatives. Honestly, I don’t remember all of my earth science lessons from high school, but I do know the barometric pressure drops and that is what gives me a headache — and usually it’s not just a headache, but a whopping migraine. Again, not much you can do about this one with our April showers and crazy “seasons” here in Columbia. But maybe you could just be a globetrotter and move around to avoid the changing weather … I’m sure the kids would love it!
Sensory overload
Did you walk by Bath & Body Works today? Stare into the sun even though your mother always told you not to? Listen to your favorite “kid unfriendly” music at full volume? Me, I went to a birthday party and heard 15+ kids run around and cry over not getting to open presents too. And then I listened to my child “sing” his ABCs the whole ride home. It was all a bit too much. Maybe your headache is due to one or more of your senses being too stimulated. Smell, sound and light seem to be the ones I’m most sensitive to. Maybe it’s because of my health issues that these bother me the most, but I try to avoid strong smells, loud noises and crazy light or staring into the sun if at all possible.
Tried and true treatments
Here are some treatments I have found for helping get rid of my headaches:
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Dark glasses can keep your headaches at bay by preventing overstimulation. Medication: Aspirin; any of the Excedrin products; or migraine drugs prescribed by your doctor that either treat migraines once they occur or help prevent them before they happen. I have tried all of these and found them to work to some degree. I loved being on a preventative medication because I experienced no migraines for over a year, but many of these medications are dangerous to take during pregnancy as they cause severe birth defects, so please speak with your doctor about any risks.
- Cold packs: Ice packs on my face or on the back of my neck are sometimes the only thing that works to help make my headaches go away. The soft, reusable ice packs used for sports injuries or the freezer eye masks are the best to use. I always have them in my freezer just in case.
- Dark glasses: Yes, I will wear them at night; I will even wear them in my house, in bed. I always have a pair nearby just in case I need them. If I can’t sleep, at least I can block out as much light as possible to make the next episode of Daniel Tiger bearable.
- Sleep: The best thing for me, especially with a migraine, is to sleep it off like a hangover. Better yet, I take some medication, stick an ice pack under my neck and on my forehead, and put on one of those sleep eye masks (and ear plugs too if I can find any) and crawl into bed for a few hours. Shutting out everything usually gives my brain a rest enough to break the grip of the migraine and leave me feeling at least a little bit like a human again.
What other ways have you found to get rid of a headache?
