| A headache is a complete waste of a good day. | | | | become ineffective once they thaw out. You may |
| The usual response is to reach for the painkillers. | | | | need to apply the cold pack to both your |
| If you are happy to do that then fine, the | | | | foreword and your neck. |
| problem is that for a large number of people, | | | | Another cold headache type is from glare> the |
| when the pain killers wear off then the headache | | | | surf, working on outdoor concrete surfaces, |
| returns. | | | | sailing, driving etc. A cold pack on your forehead |
| The trick to treating headaches is to know what | | | | will get the best result. |
| kind of headache you have. There are many | | | | The third type is a hot/cold headache. Basically |
| kinds of headache such as from sun exposure, | | | | you have two things happening at once. Your |
| stress, poor posture, neck strain et etc. | | | | neck might be spasming which requires a hot |
| For simplicity we can reduce the headache | | | | pack but you are experiencing cold symptoms |
| categories to three kinds. Hot headaches, cold | | | | which will also require a cold pack on your |
| headaches and hot/cold headaches. | | | | foreword. |
| A hot headache is one that responds to heat. If | | | | As you can see this is not rocket science, but |
| your neck muscles are strained and in spasm then | | | | you do need to get it right. If you do it back to |
| we know that heat is the solution. A hot pack | | | | front you will aggravate your headache. |
| applied to your neck will reduce the spasm and | | | | So you can elect to take the painkillers but apply |
| therefore remove the trigger of your headache. | | | | the hot or cold packs as well, or just use the hot |
| Another hot headache example: You fall asleep on | | | | or cold packs. |
| the couch and wake with a jinked neck which | | | | Some self massage and relaxing your head and |
| becomes a headache. Again apply the heat pack, | | | | being in a quiet and darkened space will enhance |
| but first you will want to do some gentle | | | | your speed of recovery. |
| stretching and perhaps lie down for a while with | | | | The main thing to remember is to get started |
| your neck in a comfortable position. | | | | with the packs as soon as possible after the |
| A classic cold headache is: you spend a few hours | | | | onset of the headache. Many headache sufferers |
| in the hot sun playing sport, working or gardening. | | | | know their own patterns well. So you may elect |
| This type will respond to a cold application. The | | | | to use the packs as a preventative even if you |
| best thing is to have 2 or 3 cold packs in your | | | | don't feel the headache coming on yet. |
| freezer. You need at least 2 as these cold packs | | | | |