Milk is a hydrating protein-rich liquid and full of important minerals like calcium and potassium. It's also naturally high in riboflavin and fortified with vitamin D, which some research suggests may reduce the frequency of headaches in people with migraine.
Caffeine can provide relief for a headache.
Caffeine has vasoconstrictive properties, meaning that blood vessels narrow to restrict blood flow, thereby alleviating the pain.
Chocolate only has roughly a quarter of the caffeine that coffee has, increasing the blood flow in the short term and preventing migraines from lingering. In addition, cocoa beans have the added benefit of lowering blood pressure, making chocolate a better way to caffeinate during a headache.
Consuming lots of alcohol, caffeine, and even foods like sweets, artificial sweeteners, and heavily salted foods (such as cured meats) can also have a negative effect on someone's migraines. Oversleeping or not sleeping enough, dehydration, and low glucose levels can also exacerbate migraine symptoms — as can stress.
“Bananas are a great food for quick energy recovery, and they're high in magnesium, which can be helpful when people have headaches,” she says.
Food and drink may play a role in headaches. Some food and drinks may be especially helpful for headaches, such as water, antioxidant-rich foods, and ingredients such as caffeine. Other foods may trigger headaches.
Other known triggers include certain medications, drinking alcohol, especially red wine, drinking too much caffeine, stress. Sensory stimulation such as bright lights or strong smells. Sleep changes, weather changes, skipping meals or even certain foods like aged cheeses and processed foods.
Migraine-acidity link
And ice cream is an old tried-and-tested remedy for acidity. So having ice cream can help neutralise acidity, which in turn can relieve the migraine.
A warm bath can help you relax and may also reduce any muscle pain that could be contributing to a tension headache. Stay hydrated by drinking water. Adding foods with high water content like watermelon, celery, and cucumber to your diet can also help.
Seek emergency care if:
The headache is accompanied by high fever, confusion, stiff neck, prolonged vomiting, slurred speech or numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body. Headache medication does not relieve chronic or excruciating pain.
The research shows that covid-19 headaches are most similar to either tension headaches or migraines. The symptoms of tension-like headaches include: Moderate or severe pain. Pain on both sides of the head.
Going to sleep with an untreated migraine is commonly a mistake as it may worsen during the night and become difficult to treat in the morning. If a migraineur is sleep deprived, he or she can expect more migraines, while those who oversleep may wake with attacks that are very resistant to therapy.
Dark chocolate is thought to be more effective than milk chocolate in treating migraines because it contains higher levels of antioxidants. These compounds help to dilate blood vessels and reduce inflammation, both of which can contribute to migraines.
Some of the more common triggers for headache are lifestyle related, such as poor diet, stress, muscle tension, and lack of exercise. Serious underlying disorders, such as brain tumours, are rarely the cause of headache, although persistent headache should always be investigated by a doctor.