Prevent headache due to heat

Question

My body is quite sensitive towards high temperature, be it indoors or outdoors. Whenever it becomes hot, and if I am in a place even for a few hours, with no fan/AC, I get a severe headache that lasts the entire day.

Is there anyway I can prevent getting a headache? My body can somewhat adjust to the heat, but my head always heated up.

I have tried drinking plenty of water, wearing light clothes, and washing my face often, but none of it seems to help much.

How can I concentrate in my work without having a headache? There are no fans/AC/ice packs available

Answer 1

Additionally to the pressure points indicated by @AlejandroVicaria, I find it useful to massage the points / areas highlighted in the picture below. In my case, I get headaches in case of air drafts (e.g. car's air conditioner), and the most useful is the areas on the sides, around the ears.

Some practice will be needed, to find the right spots.

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Also, please consider visiting a doctor, just in case. You may have heart problems, blood pressure problems, and I would not exclude teeth problems - see a dentist also. It is better to be safe than sorry.

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Even though it is not always possible, try to have a ventilator around. Even if it blows to cool only your feet / legs, your entire body will thank you. The blood gets cooled down in the feet / legs, and then travels to the brain somewhat cooler. It will not work miracles, but it is still better than nothing.

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You mention washing your face often. Keep doing it. If possible, don't wipe all the water after that. Wash you arms also, if possible. If you wear short pants, apply some thin layer of water on the legs also.

Some people claim that you should shower with hot water during hot weather. After the shower you will feel the environment cooler. You may look into this too, to check if it works for you.

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Answer 2

My advice is to have a full medical examination with blood tests and discuss your symptoms with a doctor. Depending on where the headache pain is located , duration and severity of pain could be a sign of a potentially serious medical condition , allergy or a nutritional deficiency. There are probably other triggers as well such as long term stress, diabetes, heart issues,etc.. When speaking with a doctor also mention if it affects things like vision , speech , hearing or mobility etc. Such information could be critical in making an accurate diagnosis.

If other individuals in your area aren't affected but you are. The problem is with you. Get checked out by a M.D. I am not a doctor but I have dealt with several various health issues and am speaking from personal experience.

Getting advice from random strangers on a website such as this probably not a good idea.. Go to a doctor please.

Answer 3

I have much the same problem. Of course, follow the advice to get a medical checkup, but here are some things that help me:

• I realized at some point that the headache trigger for me is not just heat, but the combination of heat and brightness. I now always wear large, dark sunglasses, and sometimes a hat, and can stand much more time outdoors in the heat.
• Indoors, try opening a window to get some air circulation, even if it doesn't help cool the air. Outdoors, of course, seek shade whenever possible.
• If you can get access to anything cold - maybe a can of soda if no ice packs are available - apply it to the insides of your wrists, your neck, and your temples. Look into buying a cold pack that doesn't require refrigeration.
• Also to stay cool: wet your shirt, wet your hat, wet a towel and wrap it around your neck.
• Some herbal products simulate the sensation of coolness, like Migrastick (formulated with peppermint oil) or Tiger Balm White. Apply them to your forehead or temples.
• Stay hydrated by drinking liquids with electrolytes, not just plain water - maybe Gatorade or Nuum tablets.
• Experiment to see how caffeine affects you. For me, an Excedrin with a cup of coffee works much better than any painkiller by itself, especially taken at the beginning of a headache.

Answer 4

Have you tried a wet bandana or towel around your neck or head? If you can, put it in the freezer or fridge or wrap ice cubes in it. You may get a little damp but it may relieve your headaches and cool you down. If you're at home, try putting your head under cold water.

I don't tolerate heat well and get headaches from it as well and these are a few simple things I've found that help me. I hope you have seen a doctor, as mentioned by others, to rule out anything serious.

Answer 5

You could use caffeine to mitigate the headache, it's proven that it works in some cases and also hurt in anothers, here I let you a link to know more about this.

More info about caffeine and headaches

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On the other hand I use a lot this remedy:

It's simple, you only have to press in this specific zone of your hand to relief a bit the headache. It's a common acupuncture point.