Here’s the good news: “Ingrown toenails can be simply solved with a minimum of pain and discomfort,” says Donald Skwor, D.P.M., a podiatrist in Memphis and past president of the American Podiatric Medical Association.

Now for the bad news: A simple nail infection, if not treated properly, can swiftly lead to further complications. When a sharp edge of a toenail grows into the skin folds at its edge, it will result in pain and discomfort, especially if the wound gets infected.

Diabetics and people with vascular disease in particular should get immediate medical treatment for ingrown toenails. People without circulatory problems, however, can usually take care of an ingrown toenail themselves, if they follow these tips from the experts.

Go soak your toe. To relieve the soreness, soak your foot in warm, not hot, water. Put a tablespoon or two of Epsom salts in a basin of warm water, suggests Raymond Merkin, D.P.M., a podiatrist in Rockville, Maryland. Soak your toe for five to ten minutes, once or twice a day.

Try a different solution. Rock G. Positano, D.P.M., M.Sc., codirector of the Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Institute at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, is a fan of something called Domeboro solution. It’s an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory soak that’s available without a prescription. Positano recommends nightly soaks of 20 to 30 minutes. Soaking in this solution should help bring down inflammation so that the nail can grow out naturally.

Apply ointment. Spread a topical antibiotic dressing, such as Neosporin, on the wound to prevent infection, says Merkin.

Don’t play surgeon. You’re not helping matters by performing bathroom surgery on your toe. First of all, the implements in your medicine cabinet areprobably chock full of bacteria. Secondly, you could hurt yourself. “The first thing to do is not do bathroom surgery,” says Positano, “especially with a dirty instrument. You’re many times introducing bacteria or foreign bodies.” If the nail has grown in so deeply that it is causing serious infection, see a podiatrist.

Go straight. No more curved toenails! Get in the habit of cutting them straight across. “You can file the corners if they’re sharp,” says Merkin.

Don’t cut too short. When we stand up, pressure pushes the skin up in front of the toenail. “As the nail grows forward, it imbeds into the skin. So it’s best to cut the nail to the end of the skin, rather than below the end of the toe,” says Merkin.

Step into a different shoe. An ingrown toenail may be nature’s way of telling you to go shopping. It’s time for some new shoes, ones that don’t pinch your toes. If you’re a woman, avoid high heels. Try a lower heel (about one inch high) to relieve the pressure on your toes, suggests Skwor. Men and women should shop for shoes with a roomier toe.

Get some sandals, too. If the weather allows, wear open-toed sandals to allow your ailing toe to breathe. Positano describes the space inside socks and shoes as “a very hostile environment” for feet, one that’s dark, damp, and hot. Healing will be speedier in the open air.

Watch where you walk. Now that you’re padding around in sandals, Positano wants you to be careful where you walk in them. “Don’t walk in the city streets,” he cautions. There is too much bacteria that could enter your hurt toe. Wear your sandals around your home, but choose shoes with closed toes for urban excursions.

Guard your toes. Even while wearing shoes, you can hurt your toes pretty badly by dropping something on your foot. “If you drop something on your toe that causes you to lose your toenail, the nail may grow in when it grows back,” says Skwor. If dropping things is a problem for you, wear steel-toed shoes, he advises.

Don’t stub. Stubbing your toe can result in an injury that affects the nail. Skwor notes, “That can cause your nail to grow in a thickened manner or cause it to grow in.”

Ignore old wives. There’s an old wives’ tale that by cutting a “V” in the top center of the nail, pressure will be relieved. That doesn’t make sense, says Skwor, because the nail grows from the base of the toe. Another tale he has heard concerns rubbing coal oil into the affected area. “They say it helps,” says Skwor, but he can’t imagine why.

Pass on some pedicures. If you intend to have a pedicure, be sure the person who is performing it does not use metallic instruments to remove dead skin, says Positano. Pumice stones are OK.

Some substances actually cause an allergic reaction that results in hives, while others have absolutely nothing at all to do with allergies. Strawberries, for example, contain a chemical that can cause cells in your body to release histamine, a chemical also produced in allergies, which allows blood plasma to leak into the skin and form the hives, explains Philip C. Anderson, M.D., chairman of dermatology at the University of Missouri—Columbia School of Medicine.

And sometimes only a tiny amount of the culprit is needed to set off a reaction. “You can be sensitive to fish and order something completely different in a restaurant. But it’s cooked in a pan that was previously used to fry fish, and you break out in hives,” explains Larry Borish, M.D., staff physician at National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver.

Don’t confuse hives with other skin eruptions. Hives (or urticaria) occur when blood plasma leaks into the skin, causing “wheals” or swollen areas. They can be as small as a pencil eraser or as large as a dinner plate, and they usually last only a few hours. But new hives may form continuously. And as they form, they often itch.

An attack of hives generally lasts a short time, often just a few days. (Some people, however, may be plagued with recurrent outbreaks or with hives that persist for years.) Here are some tips for relief.

Take an oral antihistamine. The most recommended remedy is over-the-counter Benadryl but it may cause drowsiness. “That may not be so bad, since hives are generally worse at night, and the itch is more annoying then,” says Borish.

Don’t scratch. “It’s said that with hives, a million scratches are never enough and one is too many,” says Borish. Scratching can increase local inflammation and even cause more hives.

Wear gloves to bed. If you think you’ll scratch in your sleep, gloves will help prevent damage.

Wrap up the affected area. Wrap an elastic bandage around the area with hives or cover it with clothing so you can’t reach it with your fingernails.

Use a milk compress. Wet a cloth with cold milk and lay it on the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. “Don’t freeze the skin,” warns Judy Jordan, M.D., a dermatologist in San Antonio and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology. “Just cool it.”

Chill the itch. Hold an ice pack or ice cubes in a thin towel on the skin for five minutes at a time, three to four times a day.

Take a bath. Put half a box of baking soda or one cup of oatmeal in the water first, says Jordan.

Try cortisone. A one percent cortisone preparation, available without a prescription, may help.

Try to ferret out the cause. “In the overwhelming number of patients, there’s no explanation found,” says Borish. “We only find the cause 20 to 30 percent of the time.” Do remember that hives generally show up within half an hour of eating. “You don’t get hives the next day from something you ate the night before,” he says.

Avoid the trigger. This one’s pretty obvious, but if you know that cold sets off hives, don’t put your hands in the freezer. In fact, jumping into cold water could be life-threatening, points out Borish. And there’s no question, he says, that if you’re prone to hives, stress will trigger them.

Treat the underlying infection. If hives turn into a chronic problem, they may be due to an infection. “You can have a tooth or yeast infection and not be aware of it,” points out Jordan. Consider these possibilities and have them checked out.

Relieve the pressure. Hives often form where clothing is tight, such as under bra straps or waistbands.

Use a moisturizer. If dry skin contributes to the itch, apply a moisturizer to relieve it.

Don’t make the problem worse. Nonprescription anti-itch lotions or creams can cause allergic reactions. If you react to topical Benadryl and topical products ending in “-caine,” you’ll be in worse shape after using them. Calamine lotion, that old standby for so many itches, doesn’t do much for hives either.

A t last count, about 73 million Americans had or being treated for high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). That’s almost one-quarter of our country’s population. Every year, 31,630 of these individuals die as a direct result of the condition, the AHA says. An additional 147,470 deaths every year occur from stroke (a blood clot that travels to the brain), making it the number-one fatality related to high blood pressure. Another 3 million Americans have had a stroke and lived. Many of these people are now severely disabled and unable to care for themselves.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is defined as having blood pressure (the force that is created by the heart as it pumps blood into the arteries and through the circulatory system) equal to or higher than 160 systolic (the top number) over 95 diastolic (the bottom number), according to William P. Castelli, M.D., director of the Framingham Heart Study in Framingham, Massachusetts, the oldest and largest heart-disease study in the United States. Between 140 and 159 systolic over 90 to 94 diastolic is considered “borderline” high. Below these numbers is considered normal.

In addition to strokes, high blood pressure can cause blindness, kidney failure, and a swelling of the heart that may lead to heart failure.

Who’s at risk for high blood pressure? People with a family history of the condition, blacks (they have an almost one-third greater chance of having high blood pressure compared to whites), overweight individuals, and aging individuals. Also at risk are women who are pregnant or who are taking oral contraceptives.

The good news is that, together with your doctor, you can control hypertension. It won’t be easy—you’ll have to change the way you think and act. You may have to take medication for the rest of your life. You’ll definitely have to cut out some bad habits and begin some new, more healthful ones. However, your efforts are likely to pay off in a longer, healthier life. Here’s to your health!

Join the club. It may sound trivial, but the first step toward controlling your blood pressure is actually accepting that you’ve got a problem to begin with, says David B. Carmichael, M.D., medical director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California. “People must accept the fact that they’ve got hypertension,” he says. “The worst person in the world is an aggressive 40-year-old male who comes in feeling fine and is told he has hypertension and will have to monitor his blood pressure. They often just won’t believe it. In fact, if I ask myself what type of patient has left my practice over the years, I would say it has been the hypertensives.” Carmichael likens this type of acceptance to joining a fraternal lodge. “You’ve got to do certain things: go to the doctor, take your medications faithfully, modify your diet, report bizarre symptoms. You have got to join the club.”

Lose weight. “At all levels of blood pressure, increased weight contributes to the degree of blood pressure elevation,” says Robert A. Phillips, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Hypertension Section and associate director of the Cardiovascular Training Program in the Division of Cardiology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. “Weight loss lowers blood pressure—not in everybody, but in many people. It’s worth a try.” Phillips explains that for each pound of excess body weight that is lost, blood pressure may drop by two points. “It’s always a good thing to do, even if you are severely hypertensive,” he says. “If you are mildly hypertensive, that weight loss may enable you to stay off of medication.” Even a modest amount of weight loss is better than none at all, according to Castelli. “The most common problem in hypertension is borderline hypertension—between 140 and 159 systolic and 90 to 94 diastolic,” says Castelli. “That level of blood pressure increases the risk of stroke three times. And yet, virtually all of those people would be cured with a ten-pound weight loss.”

Invest in a home blood pressure monitor. If you have been diagnosed as hypertensive, or if your doctor wanted more blood pressure readings before making a definitive diagnosis, he or she may have prescribed you a home blood pressure monitor. At-home monitoring has several benefits—first and foremost, warning you if your pressure becomes dangerously high, so you can get medical attention early. Second, a monitor can save you money, because it will save you trips to the doctor. “This is now very common,” says Carmichael. “It is also easy to do. If the patient is afraid to use the monitor [some people become panicky if they find their pressure is high], another person, such as a spouse, can do it for them. The blood pressure should be checked at close to the same time of day, under the same conditions.” Carmichael says that most insurance companies will cover the purchase of such devices if prescribed by a physician.

Start an exercise program. Along with helping with weight loss, exercise confers additional benefits for those with high blood pressure, says Phillips. “For people who are severely hypertensive, they shouldn’t exercise until their blood pressure is controlled,” he says, “but people with mild hypertension can exercise aerobically for 20 to 30 minutes, three times per week, and will benefit with a reduction in blood pressure by about eight points that will last at least half a day.” It’s best to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially if you have been sedentary.

The types of exercise that are most likely to benefit your blood pressure are walking, jogging, stair- climbing, aerobic dance, swimming, bicycling, tennis, skating, skiing, or anything else that elevates your pulse and sustains the elevation for at least 20 minutes. Nonaerobic exercise, such as weight lifting, push-ups, and chin-ups, may actually be dangerous for hypertensives. These types of exercise should not be done without the explicit consent of your doctor.

Take your blood pressure medicine. The biggest danger with hypertension, Carmichael says, is that it is usually asymptomatic until its final stages, where it becomes fatal. That’s why the condition is often labeled “the silent killer.” Unlike people who have other chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, you’ll probably feel just fine if you don’t take your medicine. However, inside your body, the disease will continue to progress, damaging the arteries in your eyes, destroying your kidneys, causing your heart to swell, and so on. Another problem that can occur when you stop taking your blood pressure medicine is a rebound phenomenon, where the blood pressure rises to a higher level than it was before you started taking the medication. The moral of the story? “If you’re starting and stopping taking your medication, you haven’t joined the club,” says Carmichael.

Cultivate a taste for less-salty foods. “There is no question that salt in the diet has a relationship with blood pressure,” says Jeffrey A. Cutler, M.D., a hypertension specialist and chief of the Prevention and Demonstration Research Branch of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. “We Americans take in far more salt than we need. We’ve become accustomed to the taste. However, the fact is that our taste sense is adaptable. People who lower the salt in their diets, after a period of time, have been shown to taste something as salty at a much lower level of salt than before.” The average American takes in about eight to ten grams of salt a day, Cutler says. However, studies have shown that by cutting that amount down by a third, blood pressure can be significantly reduced, he says. Ideally, he says, people should cut down to six grams per day as a short-term goal, and to about four-and-a-half grams per day as a long-term goal.

Read labels. So how do you know how much salt you’re eating? As far as table salt goes, one teaspoon contains over two grams—almost half of the recommended daily amount. Also, says Cutler, the average American adult takes in somewhere between one-and-a-half to two extra teaspoons of salt a day without knowing it. These insidious salt sources are frozen entrées, canned vegetables, even antacid medications. To avoid this extra salt, read labels. Many labels will express the amount of sodium in milligrams (1,000 milligrams is equivalent to 1 gram). To calculate the amount of sodium chloride, or salt, multiply the amount of sodium by two-and-a-half, Cutler says.

Say no to a second round. Restriction of alcohol consumption to one drink (1. calcium added to the diet may have a modest effect on blood pressure, says Phillips. Although the effect may not be significant, there’s 5 ounces of hard liquor, 4 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer) per day does not appear to increase the risk of high blood pressure, but consuming two or three drinks per day is associated with an elevated risk of hypertension, according to Phillips.

Eat a banana. One substance (other than prescription medication) that has been proven to reduce blood pressure is potassium, says Cutler. However, it may be difficult to increase your intake of potassium enough to lower blood pressure, he adds. While supplements may help, they are not recommended without the permission of a doctor, since they may be hazardous in individuals with certain medical conditions. “The average person needs three to four servings of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables per day,” he says. “It would probably benefit your blood pressure in a detectable way if you could double that number of servings. A little more may be a little better, and a lot more may be a lot better.” Potassium-rich foods include bananas, raisins, currants, milk, yogurt, and orange juice.

Drink your milk. Some studies have shown that extra certainly no harm in adding a few extra glasses of skim milk, low-fat yogurt, or leafy green vegetables to the daily diet, he says.

Add polyunsaturated oils to your diet. Most people know that by substituting polyunsaturated oils for saturated fats in their diets they can reduce their level of blood cholesterol. However, what most people don’t know is that polyunsaturates can also reduce blood pressure, according to James A. Hearn, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Switching to canola and safflower oils in cooking can cut your blood pressure by ten points,” he says.

Quit smoking—now. Cigarette smoking is the number-one taboo for hypertensives, says Phillips. Not only does the nicotine in the smoke cause blood pressure to rise, but it dramatically raises your risk of stroke, he says. According to the AHA, cigarette smoking can thicken the blood and increase its propensity to clot. Blood clots in the arteries leading to the heart can cause a heart attack, while blood clots in the artery leading to the brain may cause a stroke, according to the AHA. The good news is, you get an immediate benefit by giving up the habit right now. “Two years after you quit smoking, your risk of developing coronary artery disease has dropped to the same level as someone who never smoked,” Phillips says. In contrast, it can take much longer for a person’s risk of lung cancer to drop to that level. Your doctor can be a great source of help to you in quitting smoking. He or she may prescribe nicotine gum or skin patches to reduce withdrawal discomfort. Your local Heart Association may also be able to provide you with resources.

Learn to relax. Many people misunderstand the term hypertension, believing it to mean a condition where the patient is overly tense. This isn’t true. The term is defined solely by blood pressure levels. However, many hypertensives are the consummate “Type A” personality—aggressive, workaholic, hostile, frustrated, or angry, says Carmichael. For these people, some form of relaxation, be it prayer, yoga, biofeedback, or just resting, may be an important component of treatment, he says. “People need to recognize their personality traits and do their best to change,” he says. Some chronically stressed-out individuals release a lot of adrenaline into their systems. That rush of hormone can constrict the arterioles (tiny blood vessels), causing them to go into spasm. It is difficult for the heart to push blood through constricted arterioles. The effect? Higher blood pressure, says Carmichael.

Hemorrhoids are swollen and stretched-out veins that line the anal canal and lower rectum. Internal hemorrhoids may either bulge into the anal canal or protrude out through the anus, in which case they are called “prolapsed.” External hemorrhoids occur under the surface of the skin at the anal opening. Regardless of type, hemorrhoids cause cruel distress: They hurt, burn, itch, irritate the anal area, and, very often, bleed.

About one-half to three-fourths of all Americans will develop hemorrhoids at some time in their lives. The following factors contribute to them, and some can be avoided.

Gravity. Humans stand upright, which causes a downward pressure on all veins in the body, including those in the anal canal and rectum.

Genes. If one parent has hemorrhoids, it is more likely that his or her child will develop them in adult life; if both parents have hemorrhoids, it is an almost certain outcome.

Age. While hemorrhoids usually begin to develop when an individual is twenty years old or even earlier, symptoms usually do not appear until the thirties and beyond.

Constipation. Difficulty in passing fecal matter creates pressure and possible injury to veins in the anal canal and rectum.

Low-fiber diet. Highly refined foods (white flour products, sugar, foods high in fat and protein and low in complex carbohydrate) result in a fiber- deficient diet, with resulting constipation and hemorrhoids.

Obesity. Added pounds put more pressure on veins. What’s more, overweight individuals may be more likely to favor refined foods and a sedentary lifestyle.

Laxatives. Improper use of these products is a major cause of constipation and, as such, it may also be considered a prime factor in the development of hemorrhoids.

Pregnancy. As the fetus grows, it puts additional pressure on the rectal area. Pregnancy- related hemorrhoids usually retract after the baby is born, unless they were present beforehand.

Prolonged sitting. Without some form of exercise, the heart muscle works more slowly in returning blood in the body’s veins to the heart.

Prolonged standing. The pull of gravity continues unabated on the body’s veins in individuals who are on their feet all day.

Fortunately, most cases of hemorrhoids respond to basic self-care methods, so you may never have to tell a soul about them.Here are the most effective steps you can take to soothe your achy bottom and keep hemorrhoids from flaring.

Rough up your diet. “People who consume large amounts of food containing fiber or what grandmothers used to call `roughage’— rarely have problems with hemorrhoids,” says Thomas J. Stahl, M.D., assistant professor of general surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Fiber passes through the human digestive tract untouched by digestive enzymes. As it travels, it has the capacity to absorb many times its weight in water; by the time it reaches the colon in combination with digestive waste, it produces a stool that is bulky, heavy, and soft—all factors that make it easier to eliminate. “Straining to have a bowel movement day after day because of constipation is probably the main cause of hemorrhoids,” says Norton Rosensweig, M.D., associate clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. According to medical experts, adding fiber to the diet is the only treatment necessary for about half of all hemorrhoid cases.

Drink up. Be sure to drink lots of water to keep the digestive process moving right along. A minimum of eight large glasses of water or other fluid a day is recommended, says Gayle Randall, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine. And remember, fruits and vegetables, which are important sources of dietary fiber, come packaged in their own water.

Avoid sweat and strain. Don’t try to move your bowels unless you feel the urge to do so. And don’t spend any more time on the toilet than it takes to defecate without straining. “You should not try to catch up on yesterday’s reading while sitting on the toilet,” advises Rosensweig. Once your bowels have moved, don’t strain to produce more.

Heed the call of nature. On the other hand, don’t wait too long before responding to the urge to eliminate. The longer the stool stays in the lower portion of the digestive tract, the more chance there is for moisture to be lost, making the stool hard and dry. “The frenzied pace many people follow today can lead to elimination always getting low priority,” says Stahl.

Soften it. Sometimes, eating more fiber-packed food and increasing water intake aren’t enough to solve a severe constipation problem. In this case, you might want to ask your doctor to recommend a laxative known as a stool softener (such as Colace or Correctol) or one that contains a natural bulking agent (such as Metamucil and EfferSyllium). Experts agree, however, that the safest and best way to add fiber to the diet is through foods. Don’t—repeat don’t—use laxatives that act on the muscles of the colon and rectum; prolonged use of these products can cause permanent malfunction of the bowel in addition to severe irritation of the anal area. Avoid mineral oil, as well, since it can interfere with the absorption of some essential nutrients such as vitamin A. “Ordinary laxatives are short-term solutions that lead to long-term problems,” says Rosensweig.

Take a walk. Regular exercise helps your digestive system work more efficiently. No need for strenuous aerobics, however; a lengthy walk at a brisk pace will do quite nicely.

Keep it clean. Keep your rectal area clean at all times. Residual fecal matter can irritate the skin, but so can vigorous rubbing with dry toilet paper. Randall’s suggested solution: “Gently rinse the area with plain water while sitting on the toilet. Then pat the area dry and dust with powder, preferably non-talc and unperfumed.” More convenient, but also more expensive, are pre-moistened wipes designed for anal care. These wipes, however, may cause irritation in some people, says Randall. If you want to try them, they are available without a prescription at pharmacies and drugstores.

Rinse well. Soap residue can also irritate the anal area. “Be sure to rinse the anal area completely after a bath or shower,” says Randall.

Skip the soap. If you find that, even with thorough rinsing, soap still irritates the anal area, look for a special perianal cleansing lotion in your drugstore. Follow the package directions.

Soften your seat. If your job demands that you sit all day, try sitting on a donut-shaped cushion—an inexpensive device that takes the pressure off the sensitive area. “But it’s still important to get up and walk around whenever possible,” says Stahl.

Sitz around. Sit in six inches of warm water on your donut cushion or a towel twisted into a circle big enough to support your bottom. “Taken three or four times daily, a half-hour sitz bath will soothe inflamed tissues and relax muscle spasms,” says Randall.

Take the heat. Even if you can’t manage a full-scale sitz bath, applying a washcloth moistened with warm water can soothe the painful area.

Slim down. If you are overweight, you’ll be doing your bottom a favor by getting your weight closer to the desirable range. Of course, you’ll be doing the rest of your body good, too.

Another common disturbance in heart rhythm is called a premature beat—or extrasystole. In this situation, a beat, which originates in the upper or lower chamber of the heart, happens a little earlier than anticipated. It may be followed by an unnervingly long pause, in which you sense a little flutter in the neck and chest and a sudden empty feeling in the stomach. Then there is the noticeable thump of another heartbeat, whereupon the symptoms disappear as quickly as they started. (Such extra beats may also occur without noticeable symptoms.)

Everyone has experienced at least one episode of premature heartbeat. Sometimes, the sensation is so vague and fleeting that the event may pass unnoticed. Such episodes may be more noticeable when you are at rest and your attention is not otherwise occupied. If you are trying to fall asleep, the sensation may prevent you from doing so. Premature beats occur in normal hearts as well as in those that have been damaged by some form of heart disease. While they are bothersome, they are not usually serious. Still, there are some steps you can take that may help keep your heartbeat steadier.

Consider your caffeine intake. Caffeine is a nervous-system stimulant that is present in coffee, tea, and cola-type soft drinks as well as in chocolate. In small amounts, caffeine may “rev” you up and even keep you from falling asleep at your desk. In large doses or in sensitive individuals, however, it may cause palpitations and other unpleasant side effects. “Since caffeine is habit forming, it may be difficult to wean yourself away from the different caffeine-containing products you use in the course of a day, but the positive result will be worth it,” says Jonathan S. Steinberg, M.D., director of the Arrhythmia Service at St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York.

How much caffeine is too much? “Keep your caffeine intake below 500 milligrams a day,” advises Steinberg. A five-ounce cup of drip coffee contains about 150 milligrams of caffeine. A five- ounce cup of tea brewed for three to five minutes contains 20 to 50 milligrams of caffeine. Cola drinks generally contain about 35 to 45 milligrams per 12-ounce can. As you tally up your caffeine intake, keep in mind that cough and cold products, menstrual-discomfort products, and pain medications may contain appreciable amounts of the stimulant; check the labels.

Nix the nicotine. In addition to the havoc nicotine wreaks on other parts of the body, it also speeds up the heart rate and can cause it to become irregular. So, if you have not stopped smoking yet, don’t wait a minute more!

Ease up. One of the most common causes of palpitations is anxiety. “Worry and tension may actually cause the heart rate to increase,” notes Lynda E. Rosenfeld, M.D., associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. “What’s more, anxious individuals may have a heightened awareness of body functions, such as heartbeat, even if those functions are normal.”

Turn in earlier. If you have been trying to get by on too little sleep, your palpitations may be your heart’s way of telling you to slow down. “During a long night’s sleep, your body’s demand for oxygen- rich blood is reduced so that your heart can relax just a little in its never-ending pumping job. After a few nights of uninterrupted sleep, you may find that your palpitation problem has resolved,” says Steinberg.

Check your iron. Palpitations may reflect a case of severe iron- deficiency anemia. A major function of your blood is to transport oxygen —via red blood cells —to every part of your body. When you are deficient in red blood cells or in iron, which is the mineral in red blood cells that carries the oxygen, the tissues in your body become undernourished. Consequently, your heart beats faster, trying to send more of the iron-poor blood to the organs in an effort to make up for in quantity what is lacking in quality. “If you are severely anemic, you may also be feeling extremely fatigued in general and be noticing that your skin—especially on the palms of your hands—is pale,” notes Arnold J. Greenspon, M.D., clinical professor of medicine and director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. “While eating iron-rich foods, such as green, leafy vegetables, can help, the best way to get a diagnosis and a treatment is to see your doctor.” Once your anemia has been diagnosed and corrected, your heart palpitations should abate, as well.

Dump the diet pills. If you are trying to lose weight with over-the-counter diet pills, you may be losing a steady heart rate in addition to pounds. The active ingredient in these products phenylpropanolamine, or PPA—should not be used by people with heart-rhythm problems. “Drugstore aids for weight loss tend to lose their effectiveness in a very short time,” notes Greenspon. “Thus, you take more and more of them—with a further increase in heart rate.”

The “burn” part, however, they got right. Your esophagus, the food tube that carries what you swallow down to your stomach, can literally be burned by the acids released by your stomach. Those acids are industrial-strength stuff and are meant to stay where the tough stomach lining can handle them.

Unfortunately, we can experience something called reflux. That’s when some of the stomach contents, including the acid, slip back up through the esophageal sphincter, the valve that’s supposed to prevent the stomach’s contents from reversing course.

David M. Taylor, M.D., a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at Emory University in Atlanta and at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, puts it plainly: “If it goes south, that’s good; if it goes north, you’re in trouble.”

Reflux causes an uncomfortable burning sensation between the stomach and the neck. Most people feel the discomfort right below the breastbone.

The easy way to avoid a simple case of heartburn? Moderation. Heartburn is generally the result of eating too much too fast. But if it’s too late for moderation, here are some ways to put out that fire and keep it from flaring up again.

Take an antacid. Over-the-counter antacids in tablet or liquid form can help cool the burn. Take a dose about every six hours as needed, says Nalin M. Patel, M.D., a gastroenterologist in private practice and clinical instructor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Don’t overdo it, though, because too much antacid can cause constipation or diarrhea.

Don’t forget your bedtime dose. Even if you forget to take an antacid during the day, try to remember to take one at bedtime to protect yourself from the pooling of stomach acids. ”Nighttime damage is probably the worst that will occur, because you’re bathing your esophagus in acid, and you’re much more prone to burn it,” says Douglas C. Walta, M.D., a gastroenterologist in private practice in Portland, Oregon. Try keeping a bottle of antacid on your nightstand so that you remember to take your nightly dose.

Keep your head up. Another way to protect your esophagus while you sleep is to elevate the head of your bed. That way, you’ll be sleeping on a slope, and gravity will work for you in keeping your stomach contents where they belong. Put wooden blocks or bricks under the legs at the head of your bed in order to bring it up about six inches, advises Patel.

Have a glass of milk. Milk can sometimes cut the acid and decrease heartburn, says Taylor.

Get rid of your waterbed. “People with water-beds who have reflux have to get rid of their water-beds,” says Walta. “They don’t like to hear that.” The problem with a water-bed is that your body basically lies flat on the water-filled mattress. You can’t effectively elevate your chest and so can’t keep your stomach contents from heading north.

Say no to the couch. Tempting as it may look, the couch is not your friend after eating a meal. People who lie down with a full stomach are asking for trouble. “Stay upright for one hour after meals,” says Patel.

Don’t eat before bed. Heading from the dinner table to bed is a no-no for heartburn sufferers. In fact, doctors recommend warding off sleepy time for two to three hours after a meal. And by that, they mean staying upright for that amount of time. “You should stay upright until the gastric contents are emptied,” says Walta.

Pass on seconds. “If you overeat, it’s kind of like a balloon,” says Walta. “If you blow it up real tense, it’s more likely to empty quickly if you release the valve.” A stomach, ballooned by too much food and drink, may partly empty in the wrong direction.

Loosen your belt. “Avoid tight clothing around the waist,” says Patel. “This tends to increase acid backing up into the esophagus.”

Lose the fat. If you’re fat on the outside, you can be sure you’re fat on the inside, too, says Walta.

“The fat competes for space with your stomach.” Fat pressing against the stomach can cause the contents to reflux.

Don’t blame the baby. For the same reason that fat can impede normal digestion—competition for space pregnancy can cause heartburn. That’s all the more reason expectant mothers should watch what they eat and give up that nonsense about eating for two. Remember, pregnant or not, you only have one stomach. Be sure to discuss with your doctor any questions you may have about proper diet and weight gain during pregnancy.

Get in shape. “Couch potatoes have heartburn,” states Taylor. “You almost never have heartburn when you exercise.” Even mild exercise done on a regular basis, such as a daily walk around the neighborhood, may help ease digestive woes. However, avoid working out strenuously immediately after a meal; wait a couple of hours.

Watch your diet. “A high-carbohydrate, low-fat, high-bulk diet is the best thing,” says Taylor. Fried foods and fatty foods should be avoided, he says, because they take longer to digest. Highly spiced foods sometimes contribute to heartburn as well.

Don’t smoke. Nicotine from cigarette smoke irritates the valve between the stomach and the esophagus, as well as the stomach lining, so smokers tend to get more heartburn.

Be careful of coffee. It may not be the caffeine that’s the problem. The oils contained in both regular and decaffeinated coffee may play a role in heartburn. Try cutting your coffee intake to see if your heartburn troubles subside.

Be wary of peppermint. For some people, peppermint seems to cause heartburn. Try skipping the after-dinner mints and see if it helps.

Hold the pepper. For people with heartburn problems, using pepper is not such a hot idea, says Kimra Warren, R.D., a registered dietitian at St. Vincent Hospital and Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. Sprinkling or grinding pepper, whether red or black, onto your food may be contributing to your heartburn troubles, so try going easy on it.

Take it easy. “A big contributor to heartburn is stress,” says Taylor. Stress can create increased acid secretion and can cause the esophageal sphincter to malfunction.

Don’t crack open a cold one. Alcohol can relax the sphincter, notes Taylor. It can irritate the stomach, too, which can lead to reflux.

Slow down on soda. Carbonated beverages and soda pop can contribute to heartburn woes. “Carbonation causes stomach distention due to gas, and that causes acid rolling back up into the esophagus,” Patel explains.

Check your painkiller. If you’re about to pop a couple of aspirin in your mouth, think again. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and products that contain them can burn the esophagus as well as the stomach, warns Walta. Opt for acetaminophen instead.

If you suffer from frequent, severe headaches that put you out of commission several times a month, you need to seek medical attention. Likewise, if your headaches are associated with physical exertion, changes in vision, or weakness, numbness, or paralysis of the limbs, skip the urge to self-treat and see a doctor. If you’re already seeing a physician and aren’t getting relief, think about getting a referral to a headache specialist or headache clinic.

However, if you are prone to occasional headache pain, read on. The tips that follow can help you feel a lot better—fast.

Don’t overdo the pain pills. Although an occasional dose of an over-the-counter analgesic may help alleviate your headache for a few hours, taking these drugs too often may actually worsen the pain, according to Sabiha Ali, M.D., a neurologist at the Houston Headache Clinic in Texas. “These drugs are OK in limited quantities,” she says, “but if you need to take more than two doses a day, you should see a doctor.”

Lie down. Lying down and closing your eyes for half an hour or more may be one of the best treatments for a bad headache. For some types of headaches, such as migraines, sleep is the only thing that seems to interrupt the pain cycle. “The most important thing is to recognize that the faster the patient with a severe headache stops what they’re doing and goes to bed and rests, the faster the headache will go away,” says James R. Couch, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. “You need to recognize when the big headache is coming. That’s the time to give up and go to bed.”

Don’t let the sun shine in. Especially if your symptoms resemble those of a migraine (such as severe pain on one side of the head, nausea, blurred vision, and extreme sensitivity to light), resting in a darkened room may alleviate the pain. Bright light may also cause headaches, according to Seymour Diamond, M.D., founder of Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. “Sometimes, looking at a computer screen may bring on a headache,” he says. “Tinted glasses may help.”

Use a cold compress. A washcloth dipped in ice- cold water and placed over the eyes or an ice pack placed on the site of the pain are other good ways of relieving a headache, says Fred D. Sheftell, M.D., director and founder of The New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Connecticut. “Other good solutions are the ‘headache hat,’ which is an ice pack that surrounds the head, and the ice pillow, which is a frozen gel pack that is inserted into a special pillow,” he says. (These special ice packs can be found in some pharmacies; if you don’t see them at yours, ask your pharmacist about ordering them.) Using ice as soon as possible after the onset of the headache will relieve the pain within 20 minutes for most people, Sheftell adds.

Try heat. If ice feels uncomfortable to you, or if it doesn’t help your headache, try placing a warm washcloth over your eyes or on the site of the pain, Ali says. She recommends leaving the compress on for half an hour, rewarming it as necessary.

Think pleasant thoughts. Many headaches are brought on or worsened by stress and tension, according to Couch. Learning to handle life’s difficulties in a calm way may keep the volume down on a bad headache, he says. “Turn off all thoughts of unpleasant, crisis-provoking things,” he says. “Think about pleasant things. Just for the moment, try to forget about the confrontation with the boss or the coworker. Try to relax while you work out a strategy to cope with the problem.”

Check for tension. Along with the preceding tip, Sheftell recommends that patients periodically check their body for tension throughout the day. “If you notice that you get these headaches frequently, check the body for signs of tension,” he says. “Are your jaws set very tightly? Are you scrunching your forehead? You want to check to see if your fists are clenched. Also, when you stop at a red light, are your hands gripping the wheel very tightly?” If the answer to any of the questions is yes—stop, relax, and take a deep breath or two (don’t go beyond a couple of deep breaths, though; otherwise, you may begin to hyperventilate).

Quit smoking. Smoking may bring on or worsen a headache, Couch says, especially if you suffer from cluster headaches—extremely painful headaches that last from 5 to 20 minutes and come in groups.

Don’t drink. Alcohol, aside from its notorious morning-after effect, may also bring on migraines and cluster headaches, according to Diamond. Alcoholic beverages contain tyramine, an amino acid that may stimulate headaches.

Start a program of regular exercise. Regular exercise helps to release the physical and emotional tension that may lead to headaches, according to Ali. She recommends walking or jogging. These and other aerobic activities, she says, help to boost the body’s production of endorphins (natural pain-relieving substances).

Cut down on caffeine. “Caffeine can increase muscle tension and your anxiety level,” Sheftell says. “It also creates difficulties in sleeping, which can cause headaches.” Another problem is that many people drink several cups of coffee a day during their work week but cut their consumption on weekends. This can lead to weekend caffeine-withdrawal headaches, according to Sheftell. “My advice to those people is for them to slowly decaffeinate themselves,” he says. “Decrease your caffeine intake by one-half cup per week. I suggest that people who are prone to headaches cut down to the equivalent of one cup of caffeinated coffee per day,” says Sheftell. One five-ounce cup of drip coffee contains about 150 milligrams of caffeine. A five-ounce cup of tea brewed for three to five minutes may contain 20 to 50 milligrams of caffeine. And cola drinks contain about 35 to 45 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce serving. Sheftell also recommends checking the caffeine content of any over-the-counter drugs in your medicine cabinet.

Fight the nausea first. Some headaches may be accompanied by nausea, which can make you feel even worse. What’s more, the gastric juices produced by stomach upset may hinder the absorption of certain over-the-counter and prescription analgesics, which may make these drugs less effective at relieving the pain of your headache. So, by first taking care of the nausea, the pain of the headache may be easier to treat, says Sheftell. He says that many of his patients have found that drinking peach juice, apricot nectar, or flat cola has helped alleviate nausea. Over-the-counter antinauseants such as Emetrol and Dramamine may also be useful.

Rise and retire at the same time every day. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day also helps prevent headaches, according to Diamond. “Changes in body chemistry that occur when you oversleep can precipitate migraines or other headaches,” he says.

Keep a headache diary. If you get frequent headaches, try to tease out the factors that seem to be responsible, says Sheftell. “Pick up patterns. Figure out a way to record headaches and rate them on a zero-to-three scale of intensity: no headache, mild headache, moderate to severe headache, incapacitating headache. Start to look at what foods you are eating. Women should begin tracking their periods, as well as their use of hormone-replacement medications or oral contraceptives. You can show this calendar to your doctor.”

Ah, the morning after. There’s nothing in the world quite like it, except, perhaps, being flattened by a steamroller and living through it.

Although they are the most revered of self- inflicted ailments, hangovers are not well understood. Many physicians believe that they arise from two phenomena—a slight swelling of the brain and dehydration.

The mechanism causing the swelling of the brain is not clear, but it may be a selective effect of alcohol, according to Joseph A. Lieberman III, M.D., M.P.H., chairman of the Department of Family and Community

Medicine at the Medical Center of Delaware in Wilmington. The dehydration occurs because alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing you to urinate more frequently.

Whatever the exact reasons that you’re feeling so bad, the bottom line is that you do. The tips that follow are the doctor’s prescription for some relief.

Replace your fluids. Since much of the discomfort of a hangover comes from the dehydration your body experiences, drinking lots of liquids may make you feel better, according to Lieberman. “Rehydrate yourself with something that is not offensive to your stomach,” he says. “The alcohol tends to make the mucous membranes of the stomach and small intestines sensitive and irritated. Acidic fluids, like orange juice, may make it worse.” Some tried-and-trues are water and mildly carbonated sodas. Skip the Bloody Mary mix.

Treat it early. Hangovers are one ailment where the treatment may be more effective if it precedes the symptoms, according to E. M. Hecht, M.D., a New York-based general practitioner. Also, “with any pain syndrome, it’s best to treat it in its earliest stages,” he says. He recommends drinking plenty of fluids before going to bed, and, if you suspect that you’ll be waking with a headache, taking a dose of acetaminophen.

Stick with clear liquids. Until you feel that you’ve really recovered, it’s probably best to avoid food, especially foods that are spicy or highly seasoned, says Lieberman. He recommends sticking with liquids until you feel you are able to tolerate something solid.

Eat a banana. “Some people believe you need to replace potassium because of what you may lose with the frequent urination that you experience when you drink alcohol,” Hecht says. If your stomach can handle it, eating a few bananas may help you feel better more quickly, he explains.

Take two acetaminophen. Non-aspirin pain relievers, especially acetaminophen, are probably the best cures for a hangover-induced headache, says Lieberman. Although aspirin will probably also work for pain, it can aggravate an already irritated stomach, he says.

Skip the hair of the dog. Some people swear that a morning drink of whatever you drank last night will cure a hangover. However, doctors don’t tend to agree with this “hair-of-the-dog-that-bit-you” philosophy. “It will dehydrate you further. Don’t do it,” says Gary H. Goldman, M.D., an assistant attending physician at The New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center in New York.

“Drinking the next day will only re-create the problem,” says James E. Bridges, M.D., a family physician in Fremont, Nebraska.

Common sense says that the logic of this remedy seems to be lacking. After all, if you hit your thumb with a hammer, would you hit it again to stop it from hurting?

Treat it like an illness. Cancel your appointments for the day. Call in sick to work, if you can. Draw the shades. Take the telephone off the hook. Stay in bed for an extra hour—or more.  Basically, if you do whatever you can to pay your body back for the damage you did to it last night, then it may pay you back by getting you back on your feet a little faster.

Take it easy on your tummy. “Eat sick foods, such as toast, soup, or tea, if you can hold anything down,” suggests Goldman. Try nibbling rather than sitting down to a full meal. Let your stomach be your guide as you go through the recuperation process.

A clump of hair in the shower drain or scattered on the pillowcase can alarm anyone. For many folks, their mane is their crowning glory. When they’re having a “good hair day,” it adds extra zip to their step. So anytime it looks like they may be losing their locks, they’re not happy.

In reality, it’s normal to shed between 50 and 100 hairs a day. That’s generally not a problem, since the typical head of hair has about 100,000 hairs. It’s simply part of the shedding phase that all hair goes through. Hair first goes through a growth stage, which lasts anywhere from months to years. “Women with very long hair have long growing phases. It’s not an acquired trait; either you have it or you don’t,” says Alvin Solomon, M.D., associate professor of dermatology and pathology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Hair then moves into a resting phase for about three months. Finally, the shedding phase occurs, and the whole cycle starts over again with a new hair.

By far, the most common cause of hair loss for both men and women is pattern balding. In men, this hereditary condition affects the front and/or top of the head. “All men undergo this to some degree,” says Douglas Altchek, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Pattern hair loss in women isn’t generally as severe as it is in men, and it’s more diffuse, with the thinnest patches of hair usually at the top of the head. Still, the number of women with pattern balding is “much more than most people think,” says Solomon. While there is no cure for pattern balding, there are treatments available.

Hair loss does occur for other reasons, some of which you can have control over if you know about them. In most of these instances, the hair loss is temporary, although you may have to wait six to eight months after the precipitating cause has been removed before you see the growth begin again. The following tips can help you prevent some of the other situations that can cause hair loss:

Stay healthy. Easier said than done sometimes, but a whole host of diseases may have the unfortunate result of causing hair loss. “These diseases may have the effect of shortening or interrupting the growth phase of the hair cycle,” says Marty Sawaya, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of dermatology and biochemistry at the State University of New York at Brooklyn. Illnesses as diverse as measles, thyroid disease, lupus, pneumonia, anemia, diabetes, syphilis, polycystic ovaries, and tumors on the adrenal gland may all produce hair loss.

Watch your medications. “Literally hundreds of different medications can cause hair loss,” says Solomon. Chemotherapeutic drugs (medications used in the treatment of cancer) certainly affect the hair, but the list of offenders also includes some birth control pills, high blood pressure medications, certain types of steroids, diuretics, antidepressants, and even aspirin when taken chronically. Whether you will be affected by your medication in this way depends on your own sensitivity. Check with your doctor to see if the medications you are taking are associated with hair loss and whether there are alternative medications available, suggests Altchek. However, do not stop taking any prescription medication without first talking to your doctor about it.

Eat a balanced diet. People who eat a very-low-protein or iron-deficient diet run the risk of shedding more than normal amounts of hair. This can happen, for instance, when someone eats a poor diet or tries crash dieting. This holds true especially for women. “We don’t understand it fully, but some investigators have been finding that in women, iron and iron metabolism have an effect on the hair cycle,” says Sawaya. On the other hand, going overboard with certain vitamins can harm hair, too. Taking Vitamin A or D in excess can cause hair loss. “People who are taking the so- called mega-vitamin regime should be very careful,” warns Altchek.

Keep calm. Severe stress or a traumatic event like a death in the family can bring about heavy shedding of the hair. But moderate stress can leave its mark on your mane as well. “Gradual hair loss or thinning of the hair can be brought on by constant, low-grade stress,” says Altchek. Try to find a way to cope with stress and minimize its effects on your health—and your hair. Do whatever works for you, whether it’s exercising, practicing meditation or some form of relaxation technique, or making time for a hobby.

Don’t overprocess or overstyle your hair. We do many things to our hair to make it look beautiful, but some of them may not be good for our tresses. Cornrowing, tight braiding, bleaching, teasing, chemically straightening, and using hot rollers or hot combs can all cause hair breakage. “The rule of thumb here is the less you do to your scalp, the better,” advises Altchek. Whoever told women to brush their hair 100 times a night gave them “the worst possible advice,” he says. If you can’t forgo the styling and processing altogether, at least try to space them out a bit and give your hair a break from these treatments whenever possible.

Check out your supplements. Selenium supplements taken in excess and foreign herbs that contain heavy metals can cause hair loss. If you are taking any such supplement and notice hair loss, discontinue the supplement and see your doctor to be sure that the supplement has not caused other complications that may not be as readily apparent as the hair loss.

Everybody handles excess stress differently.  Some people develop an ulcer, some people develop high blood pressure, and some people grind or clench their teeth.

Stress, it’s now believed, is the major cause of grinding and clenching, say dental researchers. In the past, a malocclusion (the way your teeth fit together) got the blame, and dentists would grind the teeth down, trying to readjust the bite.

In a small percentage of cases, sleep patterns are responsible, says Daniel M. Laskin, D.D.S., M.S., professor and chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and director of the TMJ and Facial Pain Research Center at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. The reasons children grind remain unclear.

The problem with bruxism, as the habit of grinding and clenching is called, is the wear and tear on your teeth. “It can wear away tooth enamel, causing decay and sensitive teeth,” says Laskin. Expensive dental work can get destroyed in the process, too. “And, you can get aching jaw muscles, which may be confused with pain in the joint and the symptoms of temporomandibular [jaw] joint disorder [TMJ],” Laskin adds.

Prolonged grinding may damage the jaw joint enough to cause osteoarthritis, says John D. Rugh, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Orthodontics and director of research for the Dental School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. And it can increase bone loss in periodontal (gum) disease, although it does not actually cause gum disease.

You may inherit the tendency to grind, says Rugh. Three times as many women as men brux, says Thomas F. Truhe, D.D.S., co-director of the Princeton Dental Resource Center in New Jersey. Bruxism is most common in those between 20 and 40 years of age.

Ironically, the regular grinder may do less harm than the intermittent grinder—sort of like the weekend athlete who’s not in shape for intense activity. The regular grinder can wear down teeth, but his or her muscles get stronger from the habit, says Laskin.

Clenching may do more harm than grinding, adds Laskin. “Your jaws are constructed for bruxing, or chewing, but clenching loads the joint isometrically and can end up causing degenerative changes in the joint.”

People who grind are usually aware of their habit, too, says Laskin. They wake up with a stiff or tired jaw, or their spouse hears the noise during the night. Clenchers, on the other hand, may be ignorant of their problem. “If you notice the pain gets worse as the day goes on, then you’re doing something in the daytime,” says Laskin.

Here’s what you can do to try to stop bruxing and to cope with discomfort until you do:

Wear a night guard. Your dentist can make a plastic or acrylic appliance for you to wear at night. It will redistribute the forces from grinding and protect your teeth from damage. “It’s a little like banging your head against the wall and putting a pillow between your head and the wall so it doesn’t hurt anymore,” says Rugh. Opinions are divided as to whether it will actually keep you from grinding. Your dentist will want to see you regularly to check for any tooth movement or cavities that might result from wearing such an appliance. Keep in mind, however, that in order for the night guard to do any good, you must remember to put it in.

Keep your lips sealed, but your teeth apart. Your teeth should be touching only when you’re chewing or swallowing. Drop your jaw and feel the muscles relax—then try to maintain that feeling.

Take a warm bath before bedtime. You may temporarily relax your jaw muscles, although they may not stay that way, says Laskin.

Exercise. Your body, not your jaw, that is. A walk or other mild exercise may help relieve some of the tension and stress that’s causing bruxism, says Rugh.

Remind yourself. If you’re a daytime clencher, you can put a red dot on your phone, stickers on your wristwatch, or even a string on your finger to remind you to keep your jaw relaxed, says Rugh.

Relieve stress. “Change jobs, get a divorce, get married, move the kids out, but if you can relieve stress, you can relieve the bruxism,” says Rugh.

“Don’t forget that good things as well as bad things can cause stress,” says Laskin. “I’ve had patients say they don’t have any stress, then they go on to say they’ve got a wonderful husband, two kids, a great job, they’re active in the PTA, they do this and that, and it’s all good, but it’s overload.”

Learn coping skills. See a psychologist or psychiatrist. Take an assertiveness training course. Practice techniques such as progressive relaxation or guided imagery or self-hypnosis. Listen to relaxation tapes. In other words, find something that helps you to better handle the stress in your life.

Take a mild analgesic. Ibuprofen, for example, can dull the pain and help relax stiff muscles.

Apply heat. Warm, moist heat is best. The simplest method: Soak a washcloth in hot water, wring it out, and hold it up to your jaw. You can use a heating pad, although moist heat will penetrate better. A hot shower’s nice, too. “Think of these muscles like the baseball pitcher treats the sore muscles in his pitching arm,” suggests Truhe.

Massage. It works for the rest of your body, so try a gentle massage to your jaw muscles.

Give your jaw muscles a break. Avoid the steak, the hard-crusted bread, and the popcorn for a while. “Your muscles aren’t able to tolerate that much activity,” says Laskin. Chewing gum’s a no-no, too, if your jaw muscles ache.