# DIY Headache Relief **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059 "2008-11-04T15:31:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/1 "2008-11-04T15:31:01Z")
Is there a way to relieve headaches, by yourself, using nothing but your hands? ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/2 "2008-11-04T15:54:02Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > Is there a way to relieve headaches, by yourself, using nothing but your hands? I guess it would depend on the kind of headache you have. If it is caused by tension in your neck I could see a nice massage helping. If you’re like me and get pretty nasty migraines at times the only thing that helps is perscription medication, I use Relpax. ---
**Author:** ![masterofnone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@masterofnone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/masterofnone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/3 "2008-11-04T16:10:46Z")
There is a pressure point in the webbing between your thumb and the rest of your hand. You’ll know if you find it because if you squeeze it it causes a disproportionate amount of pain. For some reason, this also relieves headaches while you squeeze it. IANAD, and this is not medical advice. I have no idea if this can somehow cause damage, but it does stop headaches temporarily. ---
**Author:** ![EpicNonsense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@EpicNonsense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EpicNonsense)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/4 "2008-11-04T16:44:11Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > I guess it would depend on the kind of headache you have. If it is caused by tension in your neck I could see a nice massage helping. If you’re like me and get pretty nasty migraines at times the only thing that helps is perscription medication, I use Relpax. Currently, the only thing that cures my headaches (migraines) is taking Ibuprofin. Once I take it the headache is gone. It’s a mind trick thing, you know. I just want an alternative, should I be unable to have access to any Ibuprofin. IIRC there is a pressure point on the back of the neck and a way to massage it, but I’m not sure how it’s done or where it is. I’ll also look into the hand pressure point listed above this. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/5 "2008-11-04T16:58:31Z")
Many headaches are caused by dehydration or low blood sugar. Oftentimes, a glass of water and a piece of fruit or other healthy snack will fix you up. Edited to add, sorry I didn’t see they were migraines. I had an ex who had chronic migraines and swore by a can of Coke at the first sign of symptoms. I guess the caffeine does have a medical effect. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/6 "2008-11-04T17:05:11Z")
The carbonation may help, in addition to the caffeine. I drink Diet Coke, slowly, with a migraine (in addition to my regular meds). Often I can’t keep it down (sorry for TMI) but sometimes the combination of caffeine, carbonation and drugs will combine to settle things down. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/7 "2008-11-04T17:12:29Z")
Have a look at [auto-acupressure](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/600/do-auto-acupressure-and-acupunture-work). ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/8 "2008-11-04T20:54:45Z")
> [@masterofnone](#): > > There is a pressure point in the webbing between your thumb and the rest of your hand. You’ll know if you find it because if you squeeze it it causes a disproportionate amount of pain. For some reason, this also relieves headaches while you squeeze it. IANAD, and this is not medical advice. I have no idea if this can somehow cause damage, but it does stop headaches temporarily. I’ve heard this, but find that the pain there just distracts me from the pain in my head until I stop squeezing. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/9 "2008-11-04T21:03:51Z")
Somewhere, I read a great headache remedy, but it was very complicated. It involved visualizing the exact dimensions of the headache, its location, its color, its thickness…You assign one color to the headache and another color to the rest of your head, and there was more. This has worked for me. (In fact, it worked before I went through the whole process, which is why I don’t remember it.) It doesn’t always work. But why not just always have Ibuprofen around? A few tablets don’t take up much space. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/10 "2008-11-04T21:16:55Z")
> [@EpicNonsense](#): > > Is there a way to relieve headaches, by yourself, using nothing but your hands? One form of biofeedback for headaches involves imagining that your hands are very warm. I have tried it, but by the time I remember to do it, my migraines are too fully entrenched for it to do much good. Still, I think it could be of value. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/11 "2008-11-05T00:46:00Z")
Here is a resource for info on headaches. One of the articles discusses biofeedback and relaxation techniques. Good, well-researched articles and references. [American Headache Society](http://www.achenet.org/education/patients/index.asp) ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diy-headache-relief/471059/12 "2008-11-05T01:53:53Z")
I find that pressing on my nose at the spot where the bone meets the cartilege can help.