Hot and Cold Treatment for Headaches

Many who suffer headaches on a constant basis attest that taking a brisk walk in the cold air helps to clear their heads and relieve themselves of their headaches. However, those who try this method end up with an even bigger headache. Still, there are those who say that taking a hot shower as soon as the first sign of headache manifests itself can stop the headache from coming on. Yet again, there are people who swear that doing just this can bring the headache full blown.

Headaches can be relieved by both hot and cold treatments. Some find relief using hot treatments while others find it in cold treatments. Still, there are those who find that alternating hot and cold treatments is an effective headache relief.

So which treatment will effectively work for you? You need to discover this for yourself through cautious experimentation.

Hot or Cold -- They Work!

Hot and cold treatments work so well because they effectively target the muscles and blood vessels. Headache pains are usually caused by enlarged blood vessels that are exerting pressure on the nerves surrounding the area. When you apply cold on the affected area, the vessels constrict, reducing the pressure on the nerves and lessening the pain.

Then there are the headaches brought about by anxiety and tension. When we are tensed, our muscles tighten up, pinching the nerves and enlarging the blood vessels. The muscles can be loosened up by applying cold and heat alternately. The pinched nerves are released and the blood vessels become relaxed.

Soak Your Feet, Cure the Headache

The next time you have a headache, try sitting and soaking your feet and ankles in a bucket of hot water. The blood vessels in your feet and legs will dilate, drawing blood away from your head. When this happens, the nerves on your head are relieved of the pressure and you feel headache relief. If you apply cold compress on your forehead while your feet are soaking in hot water, you will feel even more relieved since the cold will prevent the heat from going up to your head and adding to the headache. After you are done soaking your feet, put on thick socks to keep your feet warm.

Applying the Cold Treatment

If you do not have a cold pack to use for the cold treatment, you can substitute a bag of frozen peas. However, make sure that you wrap a cloth or a thin towel around the frozen bag so you do not get freezer burn. You can also use ice cubes as a cold pack. Place them in a plastic bag and then wrap the plastic bag in a thin towel before placing it on your skin. Have the cold pack on your skin for no more than thirty minutes. Give your skin a break and then reapply as needed.

Brain Freeze

Have you ever eaten an ice cream and immediately felt a piercing headache? Some people refer to it as "brain freeze." What you do is put a spoonful of ice cream in the back of your mouth. Let it melt before you swallow. This method, while uncomfortable, is a great way to "cool" your brain down, effectively stopping a headache or preventing a migraine from progressing any further. What the ice cream does is cool down your hypothalamus, believed to be responsible for the onset of migraines.

Hot and Cold Packs

If you can afford it, buy a hot pack and a cold pack. You can use these two packs alternately to treat your headaches and migraines. Hot and cold packs come in a variety of choices. There are stick-on cold forehead patches, rectangular packs and fully fitted masks.

If you cannot afford to lie down for your cold and hot treatments, consider getting a cold pack that you can wear like a band around the forehead and temples. These packs use Velcro to fasten them on your head.

If your headaches are caused by stiff neck and shoulders, try using a moist heat neck wrap to relieve the tension. If your headache is due to a dental problem or TMJ, try using a cold wrap. This type of cold pack fastens over the top of your head as the cold pack sits under your chin. For menopausal women suffering from hot flashes and night sweats as well as women who are on tamoxifen, a cooling ice pillow may just be the perfect solution to relieve the headaches.

For more help on the prevention, treatment and remedies for migraines please see the Complete Guide To Migraine Headaches.