Doesn't matter whether your headache stems from work, kids, or county-long traffic jams, you have only one thing on your mind: How to stop the pounding. The exact cause of tension headaches--whether it's muscles, ligaments, tendons, or the nervous system--hasn't been figured out fully, which is why there's no single solution for treating them, says Curtis P. Schreiber, M.D., of the Headache Care Center in Springfield, Missouri. Here are some solutions, depending on your treatment preferences.

THE PHARMACIST
The Treatment: Try an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil) or naxoproxen (Aleve). "I prefer to recommend Tylenol first because it has a lower risk for side effects, but people should use whatever solves the problem for them individually," says Christine Cheng, Pharm.D., of the University of California at San Francisco.
The Fine Print: If taking pain relievers more than twice a week, or if symptoms persist for more than 10 days, see a doctor.

THE M.D.
The Treatment: The most effective prescription pharmaceuticals for pain are NSAIDs, Dr. Schreiber says. But if headaches occur frequently, talk to your doctor about a daily medication that both reduces and prevents headaches, like amitripyline (an antidepressant) or tizanidine (a muscle relaxant).
The Fine Print: Treat a headache too frequently and you risk getting rebound headaches. "If the rebound headache feels the same or worse than a regular headache, that signals things are going haywire," Dr. Schreiber says.

THE YOGI
The Treatment: "Tension headaches are a symptom of stress to our nervous system," says Judi Bar, owner of HeartLight Yoga in Bay Village, Ohio, and a yoga therapy practitioner. "They can be caused by tightening of your head and neck." To relax these areas and destress, try "The Yoga Headache Rx" routine on the next page.
The Fine Print: For the best treatment through yoga, do your best to maintain a regular practice. "Chronically tight muscles will loosen, preventing the problem from starting," Bar says.

THE HERBAL PRACTITIONER
The Treatment: When stress causes imbalances in the body, heat builds and rises to your head, says Judyth Shamosh, a medical herbalist in Magdalena, New Mexico. She says two standard herbal formulas can prevent tension headaches: Jia Wei Xiao Yao and Zhen Gan Xi Feng, available through a specialist or online Chinese herbal pharmacies.

The Fine Print: Eastern medicine attempts to solve the entire problem, not a single headache, so see a specialist to find the best overall formula for you, Shamosh says.

The Yoga Headache Rx

1. Warm your hands by rubbing them together. Press the heels of your hands on your temples so your fingers point up. Breathe deeply 3 to 5 times. Then use your fingers to massage around your eyes, temples, jaw, and sides of your neck while breathing evenly.

2. Warm your hands again and hold the sides of your neck lightly. Gently move your neck, from side to side, then looking gently down, side to side and ear to shoulder. Holding your neck alleviates compression of the cervical spine.

3. Roll your shoulders in slow circles 4 times, first forward, then backward. Sit on a hard chair, put your hands behind you, and grasp the chair back as high as you can. Take 3 to 5 slow breaths to open your chest and neck and loosen the soft tissue in your upper back to increase blood flow to the area.