Each year, more than 8 million Americans visit their doctor for complaints of a headache. Instead of reaching for the bottle of aspirin, here are other ways to relieve the pain.

When a headache strikes, you may want to reach for a Coke or even a coffee.

“Caffeine can restrict the blood vessels in the brain which cause the headache," said registered dietitian Beth Jacquet . 

She also suggests eating foods rich in potassium and magnesium to help ease the pounding.

“Foods that are rich in magnesium and potassium are dark green leafy vegetables, baked potatoes with the skin, whole grains like brown rice and even dairy products like low-fat or non-fat yogurt.”

If dehydration is the cause of your headache, you might want to eat foods with high water content.

Jauquet recommends adding foods like "watermelon, strawberries, cucumber and of course more water on a daily basis could certainly help.”

While all of those foods are great at combating a headache, there are other foods that can cause the pain. They include red wine, chocolate and artificial sweeteners.