How To Get Rid Of A Headache Fast Without Medication

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photographed by Erin Yamagata.

Not to brag, but I get lots of headaches on pretty much a regular basis. Not just run-of-the-mill tension headaches, either: I deal with intensely stabbing and debilitating headaches each time I get a migraine. Although a headache is just one part of a migraine (there's also the disorienting visual aura, nausea, and vomiting), it's pretty brutal in and of itself.

The silver lining to these periodic episodes of torture is that now I have a wealth of knowledge about how to avoid headaches and how to treat the pain that comes when they strike. Migraines can strike at any time, so often you have to be creative with your solutions, because you may be stuck in a situation with a headache or migraine without your usual medications.

If this sounds like you right now, follow one of the tips ahead, which come from research on headaches and plenty of anecdotal experience. While they definitely can't cure a migraine (friendly reminder that there is no cure for migraines), they will help whatever headache pain you're dealing with.

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