Treating your own headaches

You don't necessarily need a doctor's prescription to treat your headaches. Here are some ways you can find relief, without medicine:

• Apply an ice pack to the painful area of your head. Try placing it on your forehead, temples or the back of your neck.
• Have a warm bath or shower, take a nap, or go for a walk.
• Ask someone to rub your neck and back, or treat yourself to a massage.
• Apply gentle, steady, rotating pressure to the painful area of your head with your index finger and thumb. Maintain pressure for seven to 15 seconds, then release. Repeat as needed.
• Rest, sit, or lie quietly in a dimly-lit room. Close your eyes and try to release the tension in your back, neck and shoulders.
• If you have excessive muscle contractions in the neck, physical therapy exercises performed daily are often helpful.