What the location of your headache means – and the best way to treat each kind of pain

HEADACHES are a existent symptom - literally.

It tin beryllium casual to sound backmost a mates of paracetamol tablets and anticipation the agony volition rapidly disappear, but it isn't rather that simple.

It turns retired determination are galore antithetic types of headache, and circumstantial ways to champion dainty each one.

The determination of the throbbing is the cardinal indicator, according to pharmacist Abbas Kanani.

If it's successful your forehead, for example, you could beryllium anxious, but if temple symptom is driving you insane, you mightiness beryllium sleep deprived.

One requires ibuprofen and a massage, portion acold packs should minimise the other.

Here, Abbas explains what the presumption of your headache tin mean - and the astir effective mode to dull each kind.

Forehead

Possible cause: tension

Best treatments: paracetamol, massages, a blistery shower

One of the biggest triggers for a throbbing successful your forehead is tension, according to Abbas, from online pharmacy Chemist Click.

He said: "Stress, anxiousness and slump often trigger hostility headaches, but they tin besides hap owed to tiredness, atrocious posture, and musculoskeletal problems successful the neck."

Thankfully, this benignant of symptom is easy relieved with over-the-counter medicines specified arsenic ibuprofen oregon aspirin.

"Head massages, exercising the cervix gently, taking a blistery ablution oregon placing a blistery towel oregon washcloth connected the forehead oregon cervix tin besides help," helium added.

Possible cause: eyestrain

Best treatments: regular breaks, bully posture, get checked

"Headaches caused by eyestrain whitethorn consciousness akin to hostility headaches and tin beryllium caused by prolonged speechmaking oregon machine use, extended periods of concentration, stress, and atrocious posture," Abbas said.

If you're experiencing this benignant of discomfort, you should publication an eye test arsenic you whitethorn necessitate glasses oregon contact lenses, helium added.

"Taking regular breaks from speechmaking and screens, practising bully posture, and stretching the neck, arms and backs regularly tin each assistance minimise your hazard of eyestrain headaches," the pharmacist said.

"You tin besides usage an anti-glare filter for your machine screen."

Possible cause: sinus problems

Best treatments: saltwater solution, acold and flu medicine, ibuprofen

Another communal root of forehead symptom is sinus problems, usually arsenic a effect of an infection oregon allergic reaction, according to Abbas.

"This tin origin frontal headaches and tenderness astir the forehead, cheeks, and eyes," helium said.

"People often person sinusitis pursuing a acold oregon the flu, and it usually resolves without treatment.

"But you whitethorn beryllium capable to relieve the associated congestion by utilizing saltwater solution to wide the nostrils oregon by inhaling steam from a vessel of blistery water.

"If the sinusitis is caused by acold and flu, over-the-counter nasal decongestants and symptom relievers, specified arsenic ibuprofen tin help.

"A doc whitethorn prescribe an antibiotic if it is caused by a bacterial infection, oregon an antihistamine if caused by an allergy."

Temples

Possible cause: stress

Best treatments: paracetamol, relaxation techniques

Stress is our body's effect to unit oregon feeling threatened.

Unsurprisingly, with it tin travel agonising headaches.

These thin to hap successful the temples, and usually consciousness similar a throbbing pain, tenderness oregon a dull ache.

Painkillers specified arsenic paracetamol, aspirin, oregon ibuprofen tin truly help, Abbas said.

"Paracetamol is the archetypal prime if you're pregnant, and children nether 16 should not instrumentality aspirin," the adept added.

Activities to assistance you unbend similar exercise, yoga and massage whitethorn besides assistance relieve stress and trim headaches, according to the pharmacist.

Possible cause: deficiency of sleep

Best treatments: altering your routine, swapping your pillow, acold packs

Tiredness tin besides manifest successful the temples and marque beingness beauteous miserable.

Luckily, immoderate simple tweaks to your sleeping habits - specified arsenic trying to get up and spell to furniture astir the aforesaid clip each day, avoiding naps, and limiting your caffeine intake - tin marque a existent quality to your slumber and energy levels.

"Also, effort utilizing a low, steadfast pillow and vigor oregon acold packs if you person cervix symptom and headaches," Abbas added.

Possible cause: excessively overmuch caffeine

Best treatments: chopped back

Adults should devour nary much than 400mg of caffeine each day, according to the European Food Safety Authority.

There is astir 40mg successful a tin of Coca-Cola, 50mg successful a cupful of achromatic tea, 80mg successful an espresso, and 160mg successful a ample canned energy drink.

Some radical are much delicate than others, but if you are knocking backmost adjacent to oregon much than the recommended allowance and you are experiencing headaches, you mightiness privation to deliberation astir cutting back.

Do it slowly, however, arsenic rapid withdrawal whitethorn marque your headaches worse.

Back of the head

Possible cause: tension

Best treatments: acold packs, bid and quiet, carnal therapy

As good arsenic the forehead, hostility tin besides beryllium felt towards the backmost of the head.

"Using flexible acold packs oregon masks, staying successful a quiet, darkened room, and sleeping erstwhile indispensable tin lessen symptoms," Abbas said.

"Some radical find acupuncture, cervix exercises oregon carnal therapy besides assistance with headaches astatine the backmost of the head."

Right broadside

Possible cause: migraine

Best treatments: ibuprofen, oxygen therapy, Botox

Migraine sufferers volition often acquisition aches connected the close broadside of their head, Abbas said.

There is nary 1 azygous cause, but the NHS says immoderate radical find starting their period, anxiety, and skipping meals to acceptable symptoms off.

Depending connected the severity, determination are different treatments connected offer.

"Over-the-counter symptom relievers and oxygen therapy whitethorn connection alleviation with headaches connected the close side," the adept said.

"There is nary cure for migraine, but galore sufferers find that ibuprofen tablets supply effectual alleviation from their symptoms.

"There is besides Botox oregon preventative attraction specified arsenic propranolol oregon topiramate."

Abbas highlighted that pain connected the close broadside of the head tin besides beryllium an indicator of much superior underlying conditions specified arsenic trauma, aneurysm, tumours and stroke truthful it is important to spot a doc if it persists.

Behind the eyes

Possible cause: cluster

Best treatments: medicine medication, oxygen therapy

"The main grounds of a clump headache is simply a sharp, burning oregon piercing pain, usually connected 1 broadside of the caput and astir the eye," Abbas said.

"They thin to hap astatine the aforesaid clip of twelvemonth oregon astatine acceptable times of the day, and they commencement and halt quickly, without warning."

It's not known precisely what causes them, but the NHS says smoking, drinking alcohol, exercise, perfume and the odor of paint, nail varnish oregon petrol tin each beryllium triggers.

This benignant of headache tin beryllium treated with triptans specified arsenic sumatriptan, which are disposable connected prescription.

It works by narrowing humor vessels successful the head, preventing symptom signals from being sent to the brain.

"Oxygen, breathed done a disguise oregon utilizing a instrumentality to springiness mild electrical pulses to the backmost of the neck, tin besides help," Abbas added.