Put Pain In Its Place!

Find the best way to hit it where it hurts...

What A Pain!

The headache that has you reaching for painkillers may hardly be noticed by someone else. Does that make you a wuss? No! Your response is determined by your personal pain threshold (the point at which pain registers) and your level of pain tolerance (the amount of pain you can put up with). What matters is that you find a way to tackle your pain that lets you get on with your life.

A Pain In The Neck

Neck pain is often your body's way of reminding you that your sitting position needs realignment and that you need to stretch your neck and shoulders more. "Hot and cold therapy will also help to relieve pain," says physiotherapist Sammy Margo. "Start with a Deep Freeze gel or spray several times a day for the first 48 hours to bring down inflammation. After that, switch to one of the Deep Heat products to relax and release tense muscles."

Head It Off

Headache is the most common form of pain, and one of the main reasons for days off work and visits to the doctor. Tension headaches are the most common and can feel like a band is being tightened around your head. "Paracetamol should help, but you can add in ibuprofen if you need to," says GP Dr Deborah Lee of doctorfox.co.uk. Soaking in a magnesium-rich Epsom salts bath can also help ease a tension headache.