Headache Cures Doctors Swear By

You’ve had a long day.  The boss screamed at you, the kids are extra loud and now you’re laying in bed and what you need most is sleep, but you can’t sleep because your head is pounding.  So what do you do?  Here are headache cures that doctors swear by:

For stress headaches – Caffeine.  According to a study, 58% of tension-headache sufferers who consumed 200 mg of caffeine (about the amount of 1 cup of tea steeped for two minutes) reported pain relief within an hour.

For sinus headaches: Menthol.  Vicks VapoRub, an old standby for coughs, can also help fight head pain caused by sinus problems, says Murray Grossan, M.D., an ear, nose and throat doctor.  Massage it on your neck and temples, using a downward motion.  Why it works?  Menthol increases circulation, which helps carry away inflammatory elements.  And massage moves lactic acid out of the muscles and helps ease the pain.

For migraines: Vitamin B2.  A study found that adults who took a daily dose of 400 mg of riboflavin (B2) experienced significantly fewer headaches and used fewer migraine painkillers.