Are you plagued from time to time with an aching head?

Following are four tried-and-true quick tips to help you naturally ease away the occasional minor tension headache…

• Caffeine—Try sipping a caffeinated beverage such as coffee at the first sign of a headache. To be effective against the pain, you should generally consume less than 150 milligrams (mg) per day. Caffeine has been shown to constrict blood vessels that are dilated and creating pressure.
• Deep breathing and stretching—Try taking simple deep breaths while you stretch your neck and shoulders, for example. These techniques can relax tense muscles that can cause headaches, as well as helping with poor posture which is another possible headache trigger.
• Hot or cold therapy—Apply a cold compress or a heating pad where you hurt for no more than 15 minutes at a time. Or start with cold and switch to heat, alternating the two in five-minute increments. Both may help relieve the pain although cold slows blood flow and reduces inflammation while heat increases blood flow.
• Peppermint Tea—May help relieve headaches by decreasing gastrointestinal spasms, as well as helping soothe the queasy stomach that sometimes accompanies headache pain.

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