5 Heat Headache Hacks I Swear By

You know that nagging, throbbing ache on one side of your head that seems to show up out of nowhere? Yeah...that's rather aggravating for me too, especially when it settles over one eye. Headaches are not a common occurrence for me and when I actually experience them it's usually because temperatures are really high. The last couple of weeks have been particularly scorching, the type of sickening still heat that makes you lethargic. I saw someone's post on Facebook that said, "The sun behaving like God raised his salary", LOL, I second that. It's easy to ignore the subtle telltale signs of an impending heat or dehydration headache like the dull pulsating, eye strain or dry mouth but I've learned that this unfailingly proves to be detrimental because when it hits you, it's relentless. My trick to staying ahead of the game is to tackle it before it becomes a problem with these simple hacks:

1. Water- A heat induced headache, typically migraines caused by dehydration happens when climate affects hormonal balance in the body and can be prevented simply by drinking water. Rising temperatures in hot and humid climates increase the amount of water your body loses through sweat. It's important to replenish your body's water supply before you even feel thirsty since thirst is a sign of pre existing dehydration. Make a habit out of carrying around a water bottle, it may seem inconvenient at first but you'll be glad you did.

2. Glasses/Sunglasses- If you own prescription eyeglasses, you neeeed to wear them at all times as long as you're outside.Sun glare is one of the top causes of headaches as your eyes are under strain and sensitive to light. Most prescription glasses are equipped with transition lens that get darker as you step outside. Glare from the sun can cause light sensitivity even when you're indoors, have you ever noticed how your lens transition when you move around to brighter areas of your house sometimes? Sun glare affects our eyes when we don't even notice. Even if your eyesight is A1, protecting your eyes with a simple pair of sunglasses can prevent the effects of sun glare.

3. Electrolyte drinks- The electrolyte balance in your body is disturbed when you become dehydrated. Regular water, though it's hydrating cannot replenish calcium, sodium and potassium that the body loses with dehydration. Electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade, Pedialyte and coconut water can promote balance by providing those necessary minerals.

4. Take a cool shower- One of the best remedies I've found for heat induced headaches is taking a cool shower. Standing under the shower with the water flowing over you provides cooling effects to your entire body and is extremely therapeutic as well as refreshing.

5. OTC Medication- My personal preference is to refrain from using medication as much as possible, however, there are times a headache is so intense the only solution is to pop a few pills. There are a variety of OTC pain relief medications available but I've found that Exedrin Migraine is rather effective for heat headaches that persisted to migraine status.

I hope you guys find these remedies helpful, they have certainly become useful to me. If you have any recommendations or tips on dealing with a heat headache feel free to drop a comment below. If you have tried these remedies and your symptoms persist or you experience a headache accompanied by nausea, vomiting or fainting, consider consulting a qualified medical practitioner.

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