10 Ways to treat headaches due to colds and flu

When you have the flu or cold, it is not uncommon for symptoms such as headaches to appear. This of course makes you uncomfortable doing activities, plus your nose is difficult to breathe normally because of the stuffiness. So, how do you treat headaches because the flu attacks? Check out the following explanation.

Why does my head hurt when you have a cold?

Before that, did you know that headaches and dizziness are two different conditions? You see, headache is a condition when your head feels pressure and you develop a sharp pain. Headaches usually appear all over the head, one side of the head, or the back of the eye.

Meanwhile, dizziness is a condition in which you feel the sensation of a spinning and light head, or it is also called kliyengan. Well, it's not uncommon for dizziness symptoms to be found when you have a headache.

Headaches that occur are usually a mild complication of the flu, which is a blockage in the sinus passages in the nose.

The sinuses are the empty spaces located on your forehead, cheekbones, and the back of the bridge of your nose. Under normal conditions, the sinuses produce small amounts of mucus.

However, if the sinuses become inflamed, it can cause sinus tracts to become blocked. Mucus will build up in the sinuses and cause swelling in the nose.

Pain due to swelling and nasal congestion will be felt in the head, which sometimes also spreads to the cheekbones and bridge of the nose.

Headaches are usually accompanied by other flu symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, muscle aches, nausea, and loss of appetite.

Tips for treating headaches due to flu

Fortunately, headaches that occur when flu can be treated in a variety of easy ways, you can even do it yourself at home. Here are some tips for treating headaches due to flu.

1. Don't move suddenly

The first thing you should avoid when you have a cold headache is moving suddenly. Try not to move too fast, shake your head too hard, or suddenly get up from a sitting and sleeping position.

Always watch your movements, and make sure you take each movement slowly. Movement that is too sudden will aggravate the headaches you experience.

2. Compress with warm and cold water alternately

To reduce pain in the head and sinus area, you can compress it with a towel soaked in water. You can use alternating warm and cold water.

The method is quite easy. Wet a towel with warm water first, then place it on your forehead for 3 minutes. Then, replace the compress with cold water and place it on your forehead for 30 seconds. Repeat from the first step 2 times, and do the compress 4 times a day.

3. Spray it nasal spray

Treating headaches due to flu you can do by overcoming a blocked nose first. The reason is, this is what causes you to feel pain.

One way is by spraying a salt solution. You can also make this salt solution at home.

First, boil 1 cup of water until cooked. Once cooked, leave it at room temperature. Mix in ½ teaspoon of salt and a little baking soda into the water. Make sure you choose salt that does not contain iodine.

Pour the solution into a bottle spray or a special injection of sinus cleaners that you can buy at the nearest pharmacy.

4. Using humidifier

If you are in a cold, dry room such as an air-conditioned room, it will be difficult for the mucus inside your nose to break down. As a result, nasal congestion makes the head hurt. Therefore, you can try to increase the humidity by installing humidifier.

As is humidifier, the air becomes more humid and the mucus in the nose is easier to expel. The headache will be lessened once your nasal cavity feels more relieved.

5. Take a warm shower

Another way you can treat headaches due to flu is to take a warm bath. The warm steam that comes out of the shower can help thin the build-up of mucus and soothe the nose.

In addition, bathing with warm water also helps the body feel more relaxed and comfortable, so that the pain in the head can potentially disappear.

6. Drink boiled ginger water

Ginger contains substances that are beneficial to health, including antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances. You can drink boiled ginger water to treat headaches due to flu.

A study in a journal Integrative Medicine Insight suggests that ginger can potentially help reduce headaches, as well as help with symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

7. Using essential oil

Use essential oil also believed to be able to treat headaches due to flu. The content contained in essential oil potentially reduce inflammation symptoms, kill bacteria, and reduce pain.

Several types essential oil all you can choose is peppermint and eucalyptus leaves. You can mix the oil with warm water for bathing or in humidifier.

Before using essential oil this, it's a good idea to do an allergic reaction test on the skin first. See the reaction for 24 hours, if there is no reaction whatsoever essential oil it's safe for you.

8. Get enough rest

Do not force heavy activities when you have the flu, especially if you have a headache. Use your rest time as much as possible, so that your body will recover faster.

Resting is the key to improving your condition. Therefore, make sure you get enough sleep while you are sick with the flu, so that the headaches you feel can be reduced and your body can recover quickly.

Whether you are sick or just fine, you should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. In addition, avoid doing activities that are too strenuous and can actually worsen the headache condition.

9. Drink lots of water

The most important way to treat headaches due to flu is to drink lots of water. Apart from relieving headaches, drinking water also helps relieve your congestion when experiencing cold symptoms due to flu.

Staying hydrated can help the mucus in your nose flow more easily, which can reduce sinus pressure and reduce headaches.

10. Take pain relievers

If the headache you feel is unbearable, you can take pain relievers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen. Both are over-the-counter drugs that you can buy without using a doctor's prescription. Even so, make sure you always read carefully and carefully the instructions for use on the label listed.