
2. Use an ice pack or heating pad to relieve a tension headache.
The ice pack or heating needs to be placed on the head for five to 10 minutes a few times a day. The best time to use these is when you are able to lie down. When you use a heating pad you may want to have an extra towel over your head, so that you don’t burn yourself.
The ice pack may be too cold to place directly against the skin as well. The ice pack and heating pad relax the muscles to allow the tension headache to go away for a while. One thing to remember is after lying down for a long period of time, you’ll need to take your time to get back up.
If you rush to get up, your tension headache may come back, especially if the heating pad or ice pack did its job.