Best OTC remedy for a general moderate headache?

[Dennis S]

Luckily, I haven't had many headaches since college, but I've had one since yesterday morning. Have a choice of aspirin, ibuprofen, Aleve, and Tylenol. The pain is one-sided along with the center of my forehead. I'm looking for a consensus so I have better odds of curing it the first try.

[RAMd®d]

I take two 325mg aspirin and one 500mg Tylenol.

I keep Tylenol use to a minimum, probably far less than I need to.

If it's less intense, I just take two aspirin, and on some ocassions I just go for a walk.

For some headaches, aspirin is probably not as affective, as it works best on inflammation.

All your other choices, as with aspirin may be better suited to body aches. I believe Tylenol works on pain receptors and may be more suited to pain 'ol headaches.

So what I do, at least until there's something like Dr. Crusher' electro-neuro device.

[anonymouse1]

Old acupuncture or acupressure trick:

Have someone else squeeze the web between your thumb and forefinger with their thumb and forefinger, about halfway between your thumb and forefinger, and about .4 to .75" into the web. They may need to move around a bit until you feel a sore or painful spot where they're pressing. Continue pressing for about another minute or two.

This works amazingly well about 80% of the time, and works ok 10%, and doesn't work about 10%, in my experience.

Here's a video and etc. from Sloan-Kettering. The video shows you doing it to yourself, I think it works better when someone else does it.

https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patien...-headaches

[Sarcany]

Tylenol barely works as well as a placebo until you up the dosage so much that it risks liver damage. Don't bother with Tylenol.

Aspirin or ibuprofin should do the job. Take them with food or a mild antacid to ensure that they don't eat holes in your stomach.

If a couple of aspirin or ibuprofin aren't doing the job then consider that it might be stress-induced. I might suggest a massage-pillow or neck-massager, or a real massage at this point.

If it persists for 3 days, follow the three-day rule: call your doctor.

[SteveG]

[graylocks]

stagger dose ibuprofen and tylenol every two hours. my dentist suggested this when my son had intense mouth pain.

i typically take 600mg of ibuprofen every since i realized that's the prescription dose. i also typically take 3 tylenol just because...

[Dennis S]

Related to this, I have seen studies where taking full doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen together can be as effective as some opioids. I think it was a dental study.

[anonymouse1]

I save Aleve for back pain, and it's magic for that!

[ka jowct]

Try standing in the shower and letting the hot water run on your head. Make it a bit hotter from time to time. Have some caffeine. Take an analgesic.

[Ombligo]

Ibuprofen does nothing for me at all. Aleve is for back pains but doesn't help my headache. If I have it, headache powders (BC Powder, 666, or Steinberg) work very well. Most of the time two Tylenol does the trick, along with an icepack.