Ouch! WHAT TO DO WHEN ACUTE PAIN HITS HARD

A stubbed toe, a bruised rib, or a strep-induced sore throat brings what doctors call acute pain—it has an obvious cause and goes away as soon as the issue is healed. Knowing how to treat this type of pain (as well as flareups of chronic issues) is crucial to being able to live your life and do the things you love.

- Meryl Davids Landau

HERE, HOW TO HELP YOURSELF WHEN A "YOW!" ARRIVES.

Head pain

Muscles in and around the head can tighten (causing tension headaches), or overzealous nerve and chemical activity can inflame brain blood vessels there (triggering migraines).

TRY MASSAGE: To promote blood circulation, use your fingers to gently massage painful areas. Or try DIY trigger point therapy, suggests Christopher Gold, D.O., a primary care physician at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. Locate any super-tense spots—they often feel like small marbles under the skin—and firmly press into the knot for up to 90 seconds; release and repeat several times. (You may feel discomfort, but stop if it truly hurts.)

COOL IT OFF: Place an ice pack on your forehead or your temples, which will numb the area and dull the ache.

WATER DOWN: Drink plenty of H2O to improve your hydration, which can lessen the severity of the attack.

CAFFEINATE: Pour yourself some coffee, black tea, or cola. Studies show that caffeine soothes headache pain, especially when combined with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT

MEDS: For run-of-the-mill headaches, NSAIDs are generally best. Migraines can often be alleviated with NSAIDs as well, but many people require targeted prescription medications such as sumatriptan and the newer calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist drugs.

Muscle, neck, and back pain

Overuse, injuries, or strain can inflame muscle fibers and make them spasm.

TAKE THE R.I.C.E. APPROACH: Depending on where the pain is, Rest, Ice, Compression (use a stretchable bandage), and Elevation (above heart level if possible) may help minimize it.