Target that pain

Whichever aches and pains you’re experiencing, it’s time to stop suffering in silence

As a nation, we’re renowned for having the ability to grin and bear it, but with 41%* of us losing sleep each night over pain, it’s definitely time to take action. Despite pain acting like a warning signal, letting us know that something’s wrong with our body and it needs attention, it can severely impact our quality of life. Here’s how to manage it…

Meet our experts

Dr Arun Thiyagarajan is the UK medical director for Bupa Health Clinics

Anshu Kaura is a pharmacist for LloydsPharmacy

Headaches

More than 10 million people suffer from regular headaches, and nearly one in five Brits have them regularly each week*, making them one of the most common health complaints in the UK. ‘Headaches can result from a number of causes, including stress, eyesight problems, having a cold or the flu or not drinking enough fluids,’ says LloydsPharmacy pharmacist Anshu Kaura.

TARGET IT: ‘Treat headaches with painkillers, such as paracetamol,’ says Anshu. Don’t want to pop pills? Try 4head Stick (£4.79, Boots). Applied to your head, the tingling sensation dilates blood vessels in the skin, blocking pain signals.

Back pain