Ravi’s Gadgets

Headaches come in many different forms, and at least four out of five of us will go through a headache at least once. While it is a bummer, there are ways around it, and ways of preventing them, too. So, if you can follow these rules, you may just be able to avoid one!

1. Avoid stress-reduce whatever stress you are under now
2. Don’t smoke or quit if you are smoking now
3. Identify problem areas whenever possible
4. Try not to take too many medications, if at all possible
5. Limit the alcohol that you drink

OK, so avoiding stress completely is not totally possible-that’s a given. However, we can all do things to make the stress in our lives less. Things like meditation or even yoga. Listening to peaceful music, journaling, even deep breathing exercises can be of great use to anybody who wants to try get rid of stress. Don’t be surprised at the inner peace and calm that you feel-you may not feel it right away, but you will eventually feel it.

Smoking is a bad habit anyway, and a killer on the pocketbook. Not only will you save yourself some money if you stop smoking, but by not breathing in the smoky air, you will prevent headaches. Honestly, some people do get headaches just from being around smoke, and there are different types of headaches that can result from it.

Problem areas in anyone’s life are always hard to identify, but doing so will help you try to limit them, and possibly eliminate them. It is not as simple as just thinking about what those problem areas may be; no, you need to take the time to make a daily list, or journal of what you do every day. Once you do that, then a pattern will emerge, and you will be able to detect the problems, and can do something about them. By doing so, you will be able to eliminate or prevent headaches, too.

Mixing medications can be a problem, so try not to take more than you absolutely have to. This is especially important when referring to over-the-counter medications. Don’t make the mistake of mixing different medications to try to get relief for your headaches, either. When you are at the point of absolute maximum for over the counter medications, it is time to get the doctor involved whether you want to or not. In some cases, taking too many over the counter medications can cause even more problems. Not only can upset stomachs occur, but “rebound headaches” can also happen, and then trying to take more over the counter medication to try to get rid of it is pointless. Don’t forget that your body can eventually become immune to over the counter pain relief medications if they are used too often.

Alcohol is a definite trigger for headaches. Red wine is a definite trigger for migraines, and beer is also known to cause plenty of headaches as well because of dehydration. If you must have a drink, try to set yourself a limit of no more than one or two, and then there should not be as many issues with the headaches, either.