The most common trigger for headaches is stress so it is good idea to recommend patient’s avoid stressful situations and perhaps try some of the following relaxation techniques:

Exercise: taking up yoga or tai chi will help to relax the mind and body through stretching, breathing and meditation

Massage: will help to relax tense muscles that can trigger headaches as well as relieve stress.  

Breathing: slowing down the breathing can help to relax the body and is often used for exercise and meditation

Meditation: will relax the mind and can help to manage the pain and reduce the time a headache lasts.

Listen to some music: music can lift spirits as well as soothe and calm and when combined with exercise can help reduce stress levels

Apply heat: apply a hot flannel to the neck and forehead can help to relax the muscles and reduce tension.

You will find some top tips from the British Heart Foundation who have a series of 10 minutes to change your life booklets; one which you may want to order copies of or download is ‘Take time out’  available here.

There is also a well-known framework – Five ways to wellbeing - this may help with some ideas of conversation starters with patients.

For sufferers of regular headaches, it is important to understand what triggers their headaches so by avoiding the triggers it can be managed better without the use of medication. Advising customers to consider keeping a headache diary could help them to identify possible triggers.

• If a customer complains of their headache being severe, sudden and frequent or cluster headaches
• Headache from a head injury
• Headaches with slurred speech or confusion
• Migraine type headache (see next section)