With many people set to go out and celebrate New Year's Eve in style, it's likely a number of them will paying for the fun tomorrow, with hangovers and headaches after drinking a little too much.
And there's nothing worse than being struck down with a headache when you've got a day off work as it can leave you struggling to see straight and wanting nothing more than to be curled up in bed.
Many of us might instantly reach for whatever painkillers we have to hand, be it ibuprofen or paracetamol, but it turns out we need to be a bit pickier with what we take. And according to an expert, we also need to take a closer look at the food and drink we consume when we have a headache, or we could inadvertently make ourselves feel worse.
This is according to Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click, who spoke to The Mirror about the best ways to treat a headache and triggers to avoid.
He first stressed the importance of knowing what type of headache you are experiencing - for instance, a muscle tension headache, a dehydration headache, one caused by sleep deprivation, or a migraine.
Once you know what kind of headache you're dealing with, the expert says it will be "easier to choose the best treatment and avoid triggers".
Abbas said: "Hot and/or cold compresses can offer relief for muscle tension headaches. Cover an ice pack in a cloth or light towel and place it on the source of pain for no more than 10 minutes at a time.
"Heat packs are usually available to buy at pharmacies or you could make your own using microwaved rice wrapped in a pillowcase or scarf. Apply to the head and neck for relief.
He continued: "A dehydration headache happens when your body is dehydrated and often appears along with other symptoms including dizziness, extreme thirst and a dry mouth. Drinking room temperature water, resting, and taking pain relief medication usually helps stop the pain."
The expert also urged people experiencing headaches to avoid certain foods and drink that can "induce inflammation".
He said: "Aged cheeses contain Tyramine which can trigger nerve cells to release norepinephrine, a hormone that increases blood pressure and heart rate."
He went on to say that sugars and sweeteners were also unhelpful as they can "raise both your insulin levels and your pain sensitivity".
While caffeine and tomatoes were also ones to give a miss as they can increase the body's acidity levels and can promote inflammatory pain.
Other tips included avoiding bright light from screens and closing windows and blinds as well as reducing stress levels and taking time to rest as sleep deprivation can trigger headaches.
"Improving the amount and quality of your sleep will not only relieve symptoms of an active headache but also help to prevent future headaches from occurring," Abbas said.
"Additionally taking a warm shower or bath can offer relief from the pain of a headache. Warm water relaxes tense muscles and opens the sinuses, reducing pressure."
And when it comes to paracetamol versus ibuprofen, it seems both are equally helpful for treating a headache but ibuprofen will be more helpful if you have other symptoms, such as a fever.
"Over-the-counter painkillers are designed to counteract the pain from a headache. Some medications also have headache or migraine-specific variations that can target symptoms faster offering rapid relief.
"Both paracetamol and ibuprofen work in a similar way to treat pain and are effective in relieving symptoms of a headache. The main difference is that ibuprofen is a type of drug called a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), so it reduces inflammation and can also be used to treat fever."
Do you have a story to share? We want to hear all about it. Email courtney.pochin@mirror.co.uk
