Lipstick Powder N Paint

By Lauren Ferranti-Ballem

Headaches hurt. Here’s how to identify four of the most common ones and cut them short.

There’s a scene in Mad Men, following the assassination of JFK, when Don Draper urges his distraught wife to “take a pill and go to bed,” in the middle of the day. It would be nice, sure, to retreat to a darkened room every time we’re plagued with the slightest hint of a headache. Unfortunately, most of us are without that kind of luxury (and that kind of husband), so we’re forced to grit our teeth and bear it. Below are four of the most common kinds of headaches, their causes and the strategies that will help you carry on more comfortably.

You feel: A band of pressure circling your head, or a dull ache concentrated at the base of your skull, the temples or over your eyebrows.
You’ve likely got: A tension headache – the most common type of headache, it’s more prevalent for some reason among women than men. As the muscles covering the skull contract when they are stressed, pain can result. These contractions can arise from any number of physical and emotional sources – arduous physical work, poor posture, sitting for too long and focusing too hard at a computer, anxiety, depression and fatigue are some common causes.
You really should: Treat immediate symptoms with an over-the-counter (OTC) pain relief medicine like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol) or naproxen (Aleve). Ice packs, massage, meditation and stress management can all help too.

You feel: Distinct, pulsating pain on one side of your head. You may also feel nauseaous, hypersensitive to light, sounds and smells.
You’ve likely got: A migraine headache – the second most common headache, they can come on as early as childhood and last through adulthood. Their cause isn’t exactly known, but common triggers include hormonal changes (resulting in menstrual migraines); specific foods, like those containing tyramine (aged cheese, red wine), MSG (packaged soups and other foods) and nitrites (processed meats); sudden changes in temperature and environmental pressure; lack of sleep and stress. They can be quite debilitating, lasting an average of 12 to 18 hours.
You really should: Rest in a dark, quiet room if you can. OTC pain relievers can help, but if your migraines are recurrent and severe, you may want to see your doctor to discuss prescription options. Cutting out food triggers is sometimes all it takes to curb migraines.

You feel: A burning sensation and pressure in your face, around your eyes, nose and temples. Your eyes may be watery and your nose congested or leaking yellow/green discharge.
You’ve likely got: A sinus infection – an unfortunate offshoot of the common cold, this headache occurs when bacteria invade and infect the nasal sinuses.
You really should: Try an all-natural nasal saline spray, or, if that doesn’t work, find relief with an OTC decongestant. If it persists, you may need to see your doctor for an antibiotic to clear the infection.

You feel: A straight-up pounding, throbbing, pulsing pain.
You’ve likely got: A withdrawal headache – true to it’s name, this type of headache can be caused by dehydration (not enough water) or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar resulting from hunger), and can also arise if you’re trying to curb a caffeine habit, or have just come off of a late night of too many cocktails.
You really should: Use an OTC to help with immediate pain. In future, you can easily prevent this kind of headache by drinking plenty of water throughout the day; eating smaller, more frequent meals to keep blood sugar steady; gradually weaning off caffeine and sticking to a modest cocktail limit on your next night out.